ENM210 - CEMENTING OPERATIONS

LECTURE 4

© The Robert Gordon University 2007 1

ENM210 Cementing Operations Lecture 4 -

Cement Plugs

Main uses for cement plugs

¾Abandoning depleted zones;

¾Seal off lost circulation zones;
¾Providing a kick off point for directional drilling (eg side-tracking
around fish);
¾Isolating a zone for formation testing;
¾Abandoning an entire well (government regulations usually insist on
leaving a series of cement plugs in the well prior to moving off
location).

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 ENM210 Cementing Operations Lecture 4 -
Cement Plugs

Main problem with cement plugs is mud contamination

¾Select a section of clean hole, which is in gauge, and calculate the

volume required (add on a certain amount of excess). The plug should
be long enough to allow for some contamination (500' plugs are
common). The top of the plug should be 250' above the productive
zone;
¾Condition the mud prior to placing the plug;
¾Use a preflush fluid ahead of the cement;
¾Use densified cement slurry (ie, less mixwater than normal).

After the cement has hardened the final position of the plug should be
checked by running in and tagging the cement.

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ENM210 Cementing Operations Lecture 4 -

Cement Plugs

Well abandonment

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 ENM210 Cementing Operations Lecture 4 -
Cement Plugs

Side tracking

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ENM210 Cementing Operations Lecture 4 -

Cement Plugs

Combating lost circulation

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 ENM210 Cementing Operations Lecture 4 -
Cement Plugs

Protecting Casing Seat

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ENM210 Cementing Operations Lecture 4 -

Cement Plugs

Balanced Plug

Equalisation formula

H = N/C+T
N = CU.FT. of cement slurry
H = height of balanced column
C = cu.ft. per linear ft between
work string and casing or hole

To balance water ahead with

water behind cement obtain
height 1 bbl in the annulus and
the height of 1 bbl in the work
string. Work out the ratio to get
proportion of water before to
water after and so calculate the
two volumes of water.
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 ENM210 Cementing Operations Lecture 4 -
Cement Plugs

Dump bailer

¾Deployed on wireline

¾Used mainly in cased hole

¾Small volumes

¾Best in tubing and small casing

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ENM210 Cementing Operations Lecture 4 -

Cement Plugs

Two plug displacement method

¾Reduces contamination

¾Gives good placement control

¾Normally uses specialist down hole plug

catcher sub

¾A plug catcher can be made on the rig

by the welder if a specialist plug catcher is
not available

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 ENM210 Cementing Operations Lecture 4 -
Evaluation

Temperature survey

¾Down hole thermometer run on electric

wireline

¾Temperature recorded against depth

¾Top of cement indicated by increase in

temperature caused by the exothermic
hydration of the cement

¾Log must be run as soon after cement is

in place to record exothermic heat from
the hydration of the cement.

¾Not used now but may be found in old

well records. Replaced by modern CBLs

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ENM210 Cementing Operations Lecture 4 -

Evaluation

Cement Bond Log (CBL)

¾Gives indication of quality of cement bond over the

whole cemented interval as well as establishing top of
cement

¾Can detect channeling and voids in cement sheath

¾Bond quality indicated by attenuation of sound signal

¾Straight lines in VDL indicate poor bond, higher voltage

- bottom of log

¾Wavy lines (low voltage) indicate good bond - top of log

¾Collar locator run with log

¾Interpretation can be difficult

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