BJ SERVICES ENGINEERING NEWS

PARABOW LESSONS LEARNED

Conoco has been utilizing BJ Services’ PARABOW tool for aiding in the setting of openhole
cement plugs and, to date, has not had a failure through its use; however, we did encounter a
unique situation on our last use of this tool that warrants sharing.

Having POOH to 1,285 ft and displaced the 9.0-ppg mud with fresh water, Conoco circulated the
well with no losses while waiting on BJ Services. The tool was run on the Jennings Ranch C-28
to set an openhole plug from 1,300 ft back 50 ft inside the surface casing set at 850 ft. The tool
was run and set at 1,305 ft. The end of the drill pipe was run to 1,296 ft and 210 sacks of A neat
were mixed at 15.6 ppg and were balanced set from 1,296 ft to 703 ft. There were no losses
during setting, and the drill pipe was pulled dry indicating a good balance-set on plug.

The rig waited on cement for 24 hrs before RIH with bit. Contaminated cement was found higher
than expected at just over 500 ft. Tagged semi-hard cement at 1,075 ft. At this point, concern
was warranted due to cement column compressive insufficient to kick-off. BJ Services
recommended to drill ahead slowly to a depth not to exceed 1,250 ft if need be. Thoughts at this
point were that the cement type pumped and time allotted were sufficient to develop
compressives and lack thereof were a direct result of something yet unknown. However, every
attempt would be made to find cement to the maximum depth. Hard cement was found at 1,190
ft, and the well was directionally drilled with mud motor from 1,198 ft.

Finding cement higher than expected is a direct result of some swabbing effects as the drill pipe
is pulled from the plug. This can be reduced or entirely eliminated through the use of a 2-7/8-in.
stinger at the length of the plug being set. On average, we have identified that the first 100 ft to
150 ft of most plugs will be sufficiently contaminated to deteriorate the integrity of the
compressive strength development. This is primarily due to some mixing of the cement to mud
interface during the setting of the plug.

In our case, however, the hole was circulated with fresh water, and so even if we had had some
weakening of the cement within the interface area, it would not have been as severe as found in
this case. Moreover, the result of finding the cement as high indicates that the drill pipe swabbed
a significant amount up the hole. What is entirely unusual, in this case, is not finding hard
cement until almost to the bottom of the original plug. Our thoughts here are that there were
significant differences in the plug weight sitting on top of 9.0-ppg mud that allowed the entire plug
column to move downward. Had the PARABOW not been incorporated, the cement would have
migrated downward through the 9.0-ppg mud system, and no plug would have been found.
Some slippage occurred around the PARABOW that allowed movement and migration of the
cement column downward. Rheological differences between the mud and the cement column
near the tool and the minimal energy in the system at static conditions did not allow for
contamination. However, as the mud migrated towards the top of the plug, where a rheological
impact had already taken place through the removal of the drill pipe, allowing fresh water and
cement to commingle, contamination would be inevitable.
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Lesson learned would be to give yourself every opportunity to find hard cement. Knowing and
recognizing the potential of the cement type pumped, eliminating the need to wait on cement any
longer, eliminates one of the variables of what to do next. Not finding hard cement at 900 ft,
assuming our observations of 100 ft to 150 ft of contamination on top, led us to believe the plug
had migrated. Knowing the tool would not allow the catastrophic failure of the cement plug, the
decision was made to drill ahead at least to the tool set depth. Worst case scenario would be
that no cement would have been found at a reasonable depth, and a secondary plug would have
been set.

The PARABOW maintains the cement column integrity even in severe fluid density differential
but should not be considered as a tool that will withstand differential pressures, making it
possible for the tool to migrate with plug in severe cases such as this one.

Angel Gonzalez, James Carpenter, and Benjamin Weber, Mitchelldale

This is an internal document meant for use by BJ Services Personnel, only. Distribution outside of BJ is prohibited
except with the authorization of the Directors, Technology or Engineering and only upon removal of any client sensitive
material.