Cement Plugs

P.Malpas
Nov 2023
Cement Plugs
Common oilfield operations
Relatively small volume of cement is involved e.g. 100m plug in 9 5/8” casing
is ?bbls
Can be used for various applications:
- To sidetrack above a fish (or a mechanical whipstock could be run)
- To resolve a lost circulation problem – drilling or well abandonment
- To plug back a zone
- To abandon a well
- Squeeze off perforations
- Resolve crossflow issues
Sidetrack Plug
Zone Abandonment

Well Abandonment
 Cement Strength Compressive
Formation Strength Indicator
Compressive Strength

30000

Typical Compressive Strengths Above 2000m

2000 - 2500m
> 100 psi to support casing 25000 2500 - 3500m
3500 - 4500m
> 500 psi to drill out perform FIT Below 4500m

C o m p r e s s iv e S t r e n g t h p s i
20000
>2,000 psi for perforating
>5,000 psi for kick off 15000

• How strong is the formation?

10000

5000

0
50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150

DT (us/ft)
Cement Plug Placement
2 common techniques for setting cement plugs:
• Balanced Plug – good quality control environment
• Drillpipe/Tubing
• Coil Tubing
• Dump Bailer – poorer quality due to environment
• Mechanical e.g. slickline
• Electrical Eline
Balanced Plug

• The plug should be designed to be balanced.

• Slight under displacement so as the pipe is pulled out
of the cement slowly the cement falls and pipe can be
pulled dry.
• Pull above the plug and then circulate
• Reverse
• Long Way
• While reversing/circulating pipe clean reciprocate the
pipe at least over one full joint
Cement Bailer

Advantages
• Depth of plug easily controlled
• Can be done offline through a
completion
• Low cost

Disadvantages
• Cement volume limited
• May have to WOC between runs
Cement Falls Through the Mud
Cement Plugs
• Cement needs support to stop dense cement slurry falling in the well
• Plug
• Mechanical
• If mechanical bailer needs to jar down to release so a mechanical plug is best
• If need to bail multiple plugs wait for plugs to set
• Inflateable
• Hi Vis Pill – compatible with the cement
• Pipe/Junk/Fish
• Need to ensure it is not contaminated
• Spacer ahead and behind – generally a surfactant ahead, but could be water
behind
• Bailer – might bail water if it is being performed in a producing well.
 Cement Recipe
Mainly use Class G
• Blended with Silica Flour for Temps > 110degC
Class G optimum performance is achieved with 2.8gal/sack,
but viscosity is too high to be pumped – ends up at closer to
6gps!
Main driver is Temperature:
• BHCT/BHST
Thickening time >50BC (Bearden Units of Consistency)
• Define when cement can no longer be pumped
• Want at least 2 hour safety margin on this
Cement Plug Recipe

Cement is measured in sacks

• 1 sack = 1 cuft
• 1 sack = 94lbs
Temperature has the greatest affect on cement recipe
Cement Density +/-1.9 sg/15.8ppg
Retarder +/-0.3 gal/sx
Defoamer +/-0.05 gal/sx
Mix Water (combined water + chemicals) +/-6.5 gal/sx
• Gal/sack +/-6.0 gal/sx
• Yield of cement cuft/sack +/-1.8 cuft/sx
Plug Length
• Some cases we need a minimum length of plug based on the differential
pressure and the pressure it has to take:
• Want plug to withstand 2,000psi in 8.5” Hole
• Total Force on plug is Area x Pressure = 113,504lbs
• Cement has minimum compressive strength of 500psi/Shear Strength 50psi
• Shear Strength = +/-10% Compressive Strength
• Strength of plug >113,504lbs = Circumference x Length x Shear Strength
• Plug Length = 85in/2.15m
• Normally allow for a safety margin of at least 3 according to SLB if any contaminants
present.
• For a cement plug is typically 100m but can be more subject to local/govt
regulations.
• Generally pressure test and load test to 20Klbs.
Schlumberger Bailer Cement Kits
Cement Strength Affected by Mud

Main characteristics of spacers :

• SG mud < SG Spacer < SG Slurry
• PV mud < PV Spacer < PV Slurry
Mixing Cement
• Depends on the quantity and criticality. Normally on a HWOU a batch
mixer will be used.
• Always check volumes pumped and returned
Cement Stinger
Plug Placement
• Cement Stinger 2 7/8” – 3 ½” +/-200m long
• 2 3/8” is too small
• Diverter sub on bottom with fins/standoffs.
• Recommended to rotate, but subject to torque
• Once cement is displaced pull out at 2-3mins/stand
• 1 min/jt
• Then circulate long way or reverse – subject to rig up. Rotate or
reciprocate at least up and down 5-6m – why 5-6m?
Procedures
• Hold JSA
• Install & test cementing lines
• Pump spacer ahead
• Mix and pump slurry - always take a sample to check
• Pump spacer behind
• Displace – under displace 1-2 bbls.
• POOH above plug at 2 mins/stand (1 min/jt)
• Circulate out excess
• Drop foam ball to clean out pipe
• (WOC and pressure test/weight test.)
• POOH
• Jet BOPs and wellheads
Reasons For Plug Failures
• Insufficient volume
• Insufficient compressive strength
• Cement contamination – lignosulphonate
• Wrong depth
• Cement sinking
• Losses/lost circulation zone
Remedial Squeeze Cement
Node
Primary
Cement
Formation

• Repair primary cement job

• Channels
• Voids due to losses Dehydrated
Cement
• Shut off fluid migration/crossflow Casing

• Shut-off produced water FLUID LOSS

(∆P = 1,000 psi)
• Shut-off produced gas 800 ml / 30 min

• Repair casing leaks

• Abandon depleted zones 150 ml / 30 min

• Selective shut-off for water injection Cement

Nodes
• Seal lost circulation zone 50 ml / 30 min

15 ml / 30 min
6 inch
Casing
 Squeeze
Placing cement slurry under pressure against a permeable formation causing the
slurry to dehydrate and create a cement seal in voids or across the formation face.

Bradenhead Squeeze
• Spot Cement
• Pull Work String Other Options:
• Close Annulus with BOP • Through cement retainer
• Apply Squeeze Pressure • Suicide Squeeze
Other Squeeze Methods
Packer/Cement Retainer Squeeze

Suicide Squeeze

Pipe can get stuck

Can have tailpipe below

if packer
 Planning
Squeeze Misconceptions
• Cement slurry enters formation pore spaces
• All perforations are open
• High pressure squeezes create horizontal
pancake
• High final pressure is required to assure
success
• Final squeeze pressure must equal future
working pressure
Guidelines
• Ensure hole is junk free
• Ensure perforations are open – easier to squeeze
produced zone than newly perforated
• Acid wash if necessary
• Low pressure squeeze where possible
• High final squeeze pressure is not essential
• Use low fluid loss cement
• Batch mix cement
• Cement volume should not exceed string volume
• Allow adequate time for cement to set based on
compressive strength data
Hesitation Squeeze
2,400

2,000
B C D
Surface Pressure, psi

1,600

A • Inject @ 0.25bpm
1,200
• A = Slurry mix-water leaks off
800 • B = No slurry mix-water filtrates -
squeeze is complete < Frac pressure
400
• C = Pressure is bled off
0 • D = Final pressure test
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
Time, minutes • After drilling out limit pressure test to 500psi
Plan for Success
• Plenty of cement – assume 20% may be contaminated – minimum 2m3/12bbls
• Cement volume < string volume
• Have a foundation for plug
• Use a 2 7/8” – 3.5” tailpipe with centralisers (Some people don’t recommend centralisers – can drag up cement?)
• Check the tubing tally (check PBTD)
• Condition the mud before the job low YP and PV
• Have correct temperature information
• Perform compatibility test of mud/completion fluid and cement – lignosulphonate
• Ensure Densities are compatible – Mud, Spacer & Cement
• Use batch mixer
• Plan to check volumes pumped and returned – don’t rely on stroke counters
• Thickening time to include all job steps – mixing/pumping/displacing/POOH stinger + 2 hrs
• Use a plug to isolate cement from contamination.
• Use a foam ball to purge pipe – primarily Drillpipe IF Connections.
• Keep pipe moving while circulating WOC
• Limit pressure < Frac Pressure
 Questions

06/11/2023