CASE STUDY
Advanced Cement Evaluation Saves
Operator 15–45+ Hours in Rig Costs
Invizion Evaluation service integrates cementing software, job planning, and
Isolation Scanner service to enable logging well within 27 hours of cementing
CHALLENGE
Determine top of cement (TOC) and minimize
rig time waiting on cement (WOC) for
a highly deviated well where the expected
low temperature around the TOC and a small
density contrast among the mud, spacer,
and slurry would make it difficult to evaluate
the cement and identify any contamination.
SOLUTION
■■ Use Invizion Evaluation* well integrity
evaluation service to predict TOC and
indicate the optimal time to log based on
fluid placement forecast.
■■ Deploy Isolation Scanner* cement
evaluation service on wireline tractor
to measure acoustic impedance, flexural
attenuation, and third­-interface echo
(TIE) to differentiate all fluid levels
behind casing.
RESULTS
Logged the well only 27 hours after the
cement job, which typically takes 42 to 72+
hours to set, saving approximately 15–45+
hours in WOC rig costs.
Cement evaluation at early hours of cement setting
An operator in Alaska was experiencing issues with depleted sands, equivalent circulating densities,
and a narrow fracture pressure window, which resulted in a small allowance in density among the
drilling mud, MUDPUSH* spacer family for cementing, and LiteCRETE* lightweight cement slurry.
The densities of the different fluids were 10.4, 11.0, and 11.5 lbm/galUS, respectively, with an
acoustic impedance difference of approximately 0.3 Mrayl after 10 hours. State regulations require
an operator to confirm TOC and circumferential coverage before continuing operations. Based
on the close range of the impedance values, the operator would have needed to wait at least 3 days.
Optimizing wait on cement time
The operator consulted with Schlumberger and, due to the challenges of the job, elected to use
the Invizion Evaluation service’s workflow to predict fluid placement at the end of the cement job
and to determine any possible contamination and the expected top of fluids at the end of the job.
Due to the well deviation, it was critical to account for possible contamination on the narrow side
of the annular space. An ultrasonic cement analyzer (UCA) laboratory test conducted at the most
probable contamination percentage and the WELLCLEAN II* numerical cement placement
simulator were used to indicate the expected acoustic properties of the cement top. The operator
and Schlumberger analyzed the UCA tests and log to determine that the cement would require at
least 3 days to be visible to a conventional ultrasonic imager. Schlumberger recommended logging
with the Isolation Scanner service to take advantage of the sensitivity of the tool’s flexural attenuation
measurement for identifying the solids and fluid interfaces.
Invizion Evaluation service brings higher degree of confidence
Logging the well with Isolation Scanner service 25–27 hours after the cement job confirmed that the
cement had set to significantly save rig costs for WOC, which typically requires from 42 to 72+ hours.
The flexural attenuation measurement, which is highly sensitive to the material behind the casing,
was used to determine the quality of the cement bond, even with a relatively short wait for the
cement to set. The TIEs were used to determine the pipe centralization and velocity of the material
behind the casing, from which the presence or absence of cement was inferred. The Isolation Scanner
service’s measurement of acoustic impedance, flexural attenuation, and TIE quantitatively evaluated
the cement job and casing condition where conventional ultrasonic technologies could not provide
the best answers. The TOC, which was predicted by the WELLCLEAN II simulator, was correlated with
the Isolation Scanner service’s measurement at the same depth, resulting in an interpretation with a
high degree of confidence for the operator.
Cementing
CASE STUDY: Advanced cement evaluation confirms cement set in 27 hours, Alaska

Acoustic Impedance

–10,000.0
–10,000.0
Minimum Flexural

Cement Evaluation Zones

1,000.0
1,000.0

–500.0
–500.0
Minimum Attenuation

0.3
2.6
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
5.0
5.5
6.0
6.5
7.0
7.5
0.3
2.6
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
5.0
5.5
6.0
6.5
7.0
7.5
Acoustic Impedance Map 0 Mrayl 10 Flexural Attenuation 40 dB/m 160 Acoustic Impedance Map

Acoustic Impedance Maximum Flexural

Well Schematic

Fluid Placement
Maximum
50 155
Attenuation
Reference, ft

Forecast Acoustic Impedance Flexural Attenuation Inverted Acoustic Impedance

–6.5 Mrayl 58 0 Mrayl 10 –1.2e+02 dB/m 7.4e+02 40 dB/m 160 –8.3 Mrayl 38
Neutron Porosity Standoff Image Orientation, ˚ Acoustic Impedance Image Orientation, ˚ Average Flexural Image Orientation, ˚
0 ft3/ft3 0.6 0 1 0.00 7.15

Gamma Ray Attenuation Resistivity Density Deviation Annular Density Standoff Cement Coverage WELLCLEAN II Map Mud Wall Risk U R D L U Average U R D L U Attenuation U R D L U

0 gAPI 150 0.2 ohm.m 2,000 1.95 g/cm3 2.95 0 degree 90 1,000 kg/m3 2,000 0 1 0 1 0 % 5 0 90 180 270 360 0 Mrayl 10 0 90 180 270 360 40 dB/m 160 0 90 180 270 360

500

1,000

Mud
1,500

2,000

2,500

Casing ID: 8.75 in

3,000 OD: 9.625 in

Spacer
3,500

4,000

4,500

5,000

5,500

6,000

6,500

Lead
7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

9,000

9,500

Tail
Casing ID: 6.275 in
10,000 OD: 7 in

The Invizion Evaluation service enabled the operator to determine the quality of the cement bond and used integrated data to confirm the cement had set.

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