SPE/IADC 96022

Impact of Formation Type on Cement Bond Logs

B. Vidick and K. Krummel, Schlumberger, and D.S. Kellingray, BP

Copyright 2005, SPE/IADC Middle East Drilling Technology Conference & Exhibition
fluid entry into the cement after the cement has reached
This paper was prepared for presentation at the SPE/IADC Middle East Drilling Technology
Conference & Exhibition held in Dubai, U.A.E., 12–14 September 2005.
a point of being able to prevent migration. Deeper
This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE/IADC Program Committee following
review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the analysis and correlation with reservoir pressure support
paper, as presented, have not been reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers or the
International Association of Drilling Contractors and are subject to correction by the author(s).
The material, as presented, does not necessarily reflect any position of the SPE, IADC, their
this hypothesis, explaining why the log is very good in
officers, or members. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper
for commercial purposes without the written consent of the Society of Petroleum Engineers or some sand intervals and poor across others. It would
the International Association of Drilling Contractors is prohibited. Permission to reproduce in
print is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words; illustrations may not be copied.
The abstract must contain conspicuous acknowledgment of where and by whom the paper also explain the sharp contrasts in the log, as it is post-
was presented. Write Librarian, SPE, P.O. Box 833836, Richardson, TX 75083-3836, U.S.A.,
fax 01-972-952-9435. placement related while all fluids in the annulus are
under static conditions. The remaining contrasts could
Abstract
be explained by greater bulk shrinkage of the cement

Frequently, poor cement logs are observed in low across shales than across sands and squeezing shales.

gamma ray formations (sand). Contrarily, very good The larger fluid loss would allow influx of oil from the

bond is often noted across high gamma ray formations sands during cement setting, contaminating the slurry

(shales). In some cases this has resulted in a squeeze and therefore inducing poor logs. The paper describes,

decision where no injectivity can be obtained incurring supports, and explains those mechanisms in detail. The

significant costs and delayed oil. Most commonly the role played by the liner top packer is also considered.

problem has been ascribed to an artifact of the logs,

presence of mud cake, cement shrinkage and squeezing Introduction

shales.
Interpretation of cement logs has been and still is a weak

However after studying many such logs the first link in the decision process whether to squeeze. There

observation is the sharp contrast between the logs are very often as many interpretations as interpretators.

across shales and sands. This can occur over an interval Therefore in this paper we will not address the decision

of less than a meter. We have also noted that within the of committing to remedial cementing when the log is

same interval in a low gamma ray formation, very good poor. However the Authors do doubt the benefit of a

and poor bonds can coexist. It is also shown that the conventional cement squeeze where shales above and

frequency of poor bonding across shale does show a below the sand show good cement bonding. We will

dependence on depth. It was concluded that these focus on proposing one possible explanation of why

observations imply that fluid influx could be partially across sands (quite often permeable formations) the

responsible for the poor bonding and mud cake was not cement bond log is much worst than across shales (most

the sole explanation for the effect. This influx is different of the time impermeable formations). This has been

to conventional gas/fluid migration and is associated with investigated in a few previous papers 1-4. In those
2 SPEIADC 96022

papers, the authors focus on the mud cake properties The well schematic is shown in Fig.1.
and how interactions between the different fluids and the
mud could affect the cake properties and therefore the Depth MD.

cement bond logs.

272m 18 5/8" DV collar

In the North Sea, a major operator has seen cement

386m 30" casing shoe

607m TOC Theoretical 13 3/8"

626m TOC Theoretical 18 5/8"

bond logs jumping from good to poor when cementing 926m 18 5/8" casing shoe

972m 13 3/8" DV collar

across sandstones and shales layers. Those sometimes 1069m 13 3/8" window

lead to problems of early water cut in mature fields

where injection water breakthrough has occurred
2850m TOC CBL

causing decrease in the production due to the

insufficient isolation across the sands and / or early 3583m Top PBR
TOC, Cement returns after liner cementation

workover. 3629m 7" x 5 1/2" liner x-over

In the Gulf of Mexico the same operator has observed

3696m 9 5/8" casing shoe

the same phenomena across sands and shales even

though all cement jobs parameters (drilling, mud
4525m Hang up depth

removal, centralization) indicated that there would be

4567m 5 1/2" liner shoe
4569m Well TD

ALL DEPTHS MD BRT

good cement bond throughout the entire section. In

these wells the OWC has been contacted in continuous
sand causing a significant concern about early water
breakthrough, resulting in a reduced perforated interval
by increasing the stand off to the water. In wells that
have a distinct shale layer between the oil and water
and, with good bond in the shale, the operator is
confident in the isolation and does not have problems
deciding where to perforate.
For clarity purposes, we will focus mainly on this paper
on one log coming from the North Sea. However the
same phenomena have been observed on cement bond
logs coming from different countries with different
Operators and Service Suppliers. It has to be said
however that the same analysis as the one presented in
this paper has not been done on other cement bond
logs.
Figure 1 : Well Schematic
All the cementing job parameters were optimized to
ensure adequate mud removal and cement placement.
172 centralizers were used to give a stand-off in
between centralizers of 60 to 80%. The cement slurry
had a density of 1.92 s.g. It did contain a latex-type fluid-
loss additive and developed more than 20 Mpa of
compressive strength in less than 24 hours.
The cement job was logged a few days after the job
using a sonic tool with VDL capability. The tool was
calibrated prior to the job and perfectly centralized while
collecting data. The cement bond log was run without
and with pressure (on a specific interval and did not
show any improvements).
Cement bond and Gamma-ray logs : a quick overview.

Case History : North Sea
Oil based fluid was used to drill the well to final depth.
The deviation in the interval of interest (3696 – 4569
m) was 64 degrees and the temperature 115 0 C.
Presenting the complete log in this paper would make
interpretation quite challenging. We have therefore
decided to show the interesting sections. For detailed
explanation on this type of cement bond log, please read
Reference 1.
SPE/IADC 96022
On Figure 2 to 5, the tracks will be:
- Left track: Gamma-ray. Low gamma-ray
are indicative of sands while high reading
can be correlated to shales.
- Middle track: shows the six pad
attenuation results and relative bearing,
minimum and average attenuation from
the six pads and the cement map from the
six-pad attenuation.
- Right track: shows the variable density
waveform (VDL).
The first section (A) (Fig.2) is taken at the top of the
interval (4220- 4235 m). It shows a sand zone (low
gamma-ray reading) with surprisingly good cement bond
(high attenuation and dark cement map).
Figure 2: Section A: sand with good cement bond.
A little bit deeper (4275-4300 m), the second section (B)
(Fig.3) shows a sand zone but this time the cement bond
log indicated very weak (if any) cement.
Figure 3: Section B: sand with poor cement bond .
3
Around 4320 to 4330 meters (Section C), we can find a
good example where the Gamma-ray shows the
presence of shales and the cement bond log indicates
good cement (Fig.4).
i
Figure 4: Section C: shales with good cement bond.
Finally around 4490-4505 m (Section D), there is
alternance of shales and sands occurring over a very
small change of depth and a similar alternance of good
and poor cement as indicated by the cement bond log
(Fig. 5).
Figure 5: Section D: Alternances of shales, sands, good and poor
cement.
Discussion
Figures 1 and 2 show that across the same type of
formation (sand), good or poor cement can be observed.
There must be therefore another parameter to consider
other than the formation type. Let us remember that no
variation in deviation, azimuth, centralization or other job
parameters can explain those changes.
4 SPEIADC 96022

Figure 5 also shows that changes from good to poor
cement can occur within less than 1 meter.
The next step was to try to make a quantitative
characterization of the cement
parameters were selected both indicative of poor
cement. The first one is the number of streaks in the
cement map. A streak was defined as a yellow/white
band in the cement map covering the whole casing
circumferential area. Such streaks can be observed at
the bottom of the section D, Figure 5.
The second parameter is the number of attenuation
peaks (in the cement bond log, Middle track) below
10 dB/ft. It is an arbitrary value taken as an indication of
poor cement.
The frequency of these two parameters for the whole
interval as a function of depth is shown in Fig.6 and 7.
presented in Figures 2 and 3 proved that poor and good
cement can be seen across the same formation type.
It was clear that the variations in quality are not as a
bond log. Two consequence of cement placement. And it was
concluded that mud cake variations alone could not
explain the variations across such short distances and
across the same formation. If the mud cake were
responsible, most of the changes would be seen on the
VDL (affected by formation arrivals) but should not affect
the attenuation rate (indicative of the casing to cement
interface). It was concluded that post placement events
must be occurring, resulting in changes in the cement
over short distances associated with the permeability of
the formation,
To investigate further, reservoir pressure data were
collected and the difference between the hydrostatic in

4 the annulus at the end of the cement job and the

Streaks Number

3 reservoir pressure calculated as a function of depth. The

2 results are illustrated in Fig.8. On the same graph, we
1 have reported the quality of the cement log with depth.
0
The quality was defined as 10 when no streaks where
4300 4350 4400 4450 4500 4550 4600
present, 1 in presence of a streak and 5 when the streak
Depth (m)
did not cover the whole circumferential area.
Figure 6: Frequency of streaks as a function of depth.
3000 12
Number of Attenuation

5 2500 10
Pressure Difference (psi)
peaks < 10dB/ft

4 2000 8
Log Quality
3
1500 6
2 Delta
1 1000 LoG 4

0 500 2
4300 4400 4500 4600
0 0
Depth (m) 4197 4237 4275 4367 4419 4473 4537
Depth (m)

Figure 7: Frequency of attenuation peaks below 10dB/ft as a function

Figure 8: Pressure difference and cement bond log quality as a
of depth.
function of depth.

Figures 6 and 7 clearly show that the frequency of

Let us focus in Fig.8 first on the section below 4360
finding poor cement increases with depth and is not
meters i.e. where we have good and poor logs (see Figs
completely related to the formation type. The results
2 and 3) across sand. The correlation between the
SPE/IADC 96022 5

overbalance in pressure (hydrostatic at the end of the two are equal. Fluid influx, oil in this case can then
cement job minus the reservoir pressure) and the quality occur.
(x 1000) psi (x 1000) psi
of the cement bond log is very apparent. The cement 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0 7.5 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0 7.5

bond log is good when there is a very large overbalance

and poor when there is very little overbalance. One can

W ARNING : GAS MIGRATION

easily imagine that when the cement sets or when the
liner top packer was set (the liner top packer was Frac
Pore
Ann. P ressure

incidentally set 26 minutes after the slurry placement i.e.

Ann. Hydrostatic

well before the cement even started to set), it would be Frac

Pore
Ann. P ressure
Ann. Hydrostatic

quite easily to “ loose” 300 psi of hydrostatic pressure

and therefore have fluid influx. Using simple equations Post Placement Post Place me nt

to calculate critical gel strength the cement 4 would only Figure 9: Pore pressure (blue), annulus pressure (green) variations as
a function of depth before (left track) and after (right track)
required a gel strength of 90 lb/100sqft for a 300m
the packer setting.
column of cement to reduce hydrostatic by 300 psi. The
saturation fluid of those sands is mainly oil with some
One needs also to look at the caliper and see if it would
residual water.
support what we tried to demonstrate i.e. that the poor
The poor cement log across the sand (4260-4300 m)
cement bond log across the sand sections could be due
could then be due to oil influx. However deeper (> 4400
to oil influx induced either by a high reservoir pressure
m), the overbalance is always higher than 2400 psi and
and/or by the decrease in annulus pressure due to the
still the cement bond log across sandy section is poor
cement setting and possibly exacerbated by the setting
(see Fig. 5). To try to understand why and propose an
of the packer.
explanation, we need to simulate the effect of setting up
The caliper is presented in Fig.10. Gauge hole was 6.5
the liner top packer before the cement slurry sets.
inches.
This simulation can be done using commercially
available software. The main effect of setting the packer 7.2
Open Hole Size (inch)

7
is to isolate the section below from the hydrostatic
6.8
above. Once the cement starts to set, because of the 6.6
hydration mechanism, the pressure inside the cement 6.4
6.2
slurry column decreases up to the water pressure. The
6
effect is shown in Fig.9. The left track illustrates the 5.8
situation at end of the placement of the cement slurry 4150 4250 4350 4450 4550
Depth (m )
before the packer is set. An overbalance of 2500 psi
between the pore and the annulus pressure can be Figure 10: Open Hole Caliper
observed. The right track shows what happens when the The caliper shows two zones where we can observe an
packer is set. Almost all the overbalance is lost because increase in hole diameter. Those two zones correspond
of the pressure isolation induced by the packer. The to the zone where poor cement is seen across the sand
annulus pressure becomes actually lower than the pore formation (4250-4350 m) and the zone where there is an
pressure but the simulation stops at the point where the alternance sand and shales layers with good and poor
cement bond (4500 m and deeper). Is fluid (oil) influx
6 SPEIADC 96022

compatible with some deconsolidation, which would time by the length. The acoustic impedance was then
increase the hole diameter? We could not find nor determined using the following equation:
develop any further arguments in that direction.
Can oil influx induce a decrease in the attenuation of the ρ * 3.04
Z=
cement bond log as observed across some sand TT
sections? A laboratory experiment was set-up to
measure how oil contamination affected the acoustic Where: Z = Acoustic Impedance in Mrayl

wave through the cement slurry pumped when set. ρ = Slurry density in ppg

A crude oil sample was obtained with API gravity as TT = Transit time in μs/in

close as possible to the produced crude. A method was

created which involved bulk contamination of the cement 3

slurry with increasing percentages of crude oil.

The slurries were prepared as per API specifications in 1

the lab and then heated to 80ºC (176ºF) in the

atmospheric consistometer for 30 minutes. After heating,
the slurry was poured into each of the test molds – 800
mL of slurry in 1 liter bottles molds for the first round of
2
testing and 400 mL of slurry in 500 mL bottle molds for
Figure 11: PUNDIT set-up : 1- Calibration Bar, 2 – Transducers and
the second round of testing (all plastic bottles, chosen
3-The transit time display
based on diameter and length). Three different
concentrations of oil were used: 10, 20 and 25 % of Oil The results obtained are presented in Table 1.
by Volume of Slurry (BVOS). The oil was mixed into the
cement slurry and the samples were left to set in a water Transit Time Acoustic % Difference

bath at 80ºC overnight. After the samples set, they were (μ s/in) Impedance
(Mrayl)
allowed to cool to room temperature and a saw was
Base Slurry 8.85 5.496 0
used to cut the ends off in order to obtain a flat end on
10% BVOS 8.623 5.64 -3
each side of the sample. 20% BVOS 9.382 5.184 6
30% BVOS 12.387 3.927 29

Once the set samples were prepared, the transit time of

an acoustic wave through the cement was measured
using a PUNDIT (Portable Ultrasonic Non-destructive
Digital Indicating Tester). The PUNDIT has
transducers, which are placed on either end of the
cement sample and, once the device is turned on, sends
an acoustic wave through the sample (Fig.11). The time
the wave takes to pass from one transducer to the other
is displayed in μs to be recorded. The length of each
sample was measured and the transit time in μs/in for
each sample was calculated by dividing the displayed
The results showed that oil contamination will affect the
acoustic impedance of the set cement and therefore can
two induce a decrease in the attenuation rate (dB/ft).
Another possible mechanism that we could not simulate
in the laboratory would be for the oil to flow “ around”
the slurry and leave a film around the cement across the
sands. It has also to be noted that for the oil to invade
the slurry, space needs to be created through fluid lost
across sand during the placement and the static period
of the cement slurry.
SPE/IADC 96022 7

Summary and Conclusions

Poor cement logs across sands have been mainly
attributed to thicker mud cake and therefore poor cement
to formation bonding. In this paper, we have tried to
demonstrate that fluid (oil) influx could, possibly also be
one reason behind the poor cement bond logs.
Using correlation between the quality of the log and
reservoir pressure data, we have shown that the loss of
annulus pressure during the setting of the cement and/or
the setting of the liner top packer could provoke oil influx
from the formation into the cement slurry. This
phenomenon can be aggravated by over pressurized
sand layers. This paper has clearly demonstrated the
benefit of an in-depth knowledge of the reservoir
pressures to interpret properly these complex cement
bond logs.
The authors did not try to define a solution to the
problem. This was beyond the scope of this work and
would require some extensive and complex laboratory
testing.

Acknowledgement
The authors would like to thank BP and Schlumberger
for permission to publish this paper.
References
1. S. Talabani, Can cement lob be better managed and
analysed, SPE 88697, Abu Dhabi 2004
2. H.K.J. Ladva, B. Craster, T,G,J, Jones, G. Goldsmith
and D. Scott, The cement-to-formation interface in
zonal isolation IADC/SPE 88016, Kuala-Lumpur,
2004
3. F.Rueda, J. Heathman and M. Serrano, Hole
cleaning and cement design for specific formation
types, SPE 84560, Denver 2003.
4. Sutton, David L., Sabins, Fred, and Faul, Ronald:
"New Evaluation for Annular Gas-Flow Potential," Oil
and Gas Journal (Dec. 17, 1984).