Name: Aso Shaxawan Farhad
Course: Drilling Engineering 1/PET313
Date:30/3/2020
Group: 3rd stage PE student - 2nd semester
Cement expantion-generation around the casing ……………………………………………1
Cement shock- weakening of the casing cement bond ……………………………………....2
Cracks within the cement body-faulty cementing job ……………………………………….3
Cement damage- invasion of the annulas by formation fluids………………………………4
Extrimlt high hydrostatic pressure-lossing slurry and well control and cement leaks………..5
Cement Problems
Hossain, M. E., & Islam, M. R. (2018), Drilling Engineering Problems and Solutions: A Field
Guide for Engineers and Students, John Wiley & Sons, pp 353-381.
The principal objective of cementing is to provide an impermeable, zonal isolating sheet that
is supposed to last throughout the lifetime of the well (Bellabarba et al., 2008). Cement failure can
occur for many reasons. The cement may become brittle and may not respond very well to pressure
and temperature induced loads. During the process of cement setting, it goes from the liquid slurry
form to final solid form through a series of exothermic reaction that alters the prevailing
temperature significantly. Because many parameters contribute to the cement setting process, each
of which is affected by the temperature, the probability of a defect is quite high. The cement is set
in a liquid form until it obtains its final condition as a solid. It goes through different phases. During
this process there are many parameters contributing that may lead to defects in the cement
(Bourgoyne et al., 1986). Figure 8.1 shows the variation of thermal conductivity of concrete as a
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function of temperature. Similar relationship exists for petroleum well cements. The variation in
thermal conductivity leads to non-uniform setting of a cement slurry that in turn triggers non-
uniformity in mix properties, such as moisture content and permeability. Similar effects are also
expected from pressure change as well. Casing and cement react to temperature in different
manners when they are exposed to pressure and temperature changes. If the cement expands more
than the casing during temperature and pressure loads, they may get separated and generate a micro
annulus around the casing. Such a micro annulus impacts the casing integrity in two ways. If the
micro annulus extends over a long interval, it may become a vehicle for fluid migration causing
sustained casing pressure (SCP). In addition, the existence of a micro annulus further disrupts the
cement setting process, which would eventually affect casing integrity. Both temperature and
pressure changes can create mechanical shocks to the cement system. They may also occur during
tripping. In each instant, weakening of the casing cement bond occurs, forming a micro annulus at
the interface or creating cracks within the cement body. The mechanical response of concrete is
usually expressed in the form of stress-strain relations that lead to variations in compressive
strength as well as ductility of concrete. Figure 8.2 shows how the slope of stress-strain curve
decreases with increasing temperature. The strength of concrete has a significant influence on
stress-strain response both at room and elevated temperatures. All cases exhibit a linear response
followed by a parabolic response till peak stress, and then a quick descending portion prior to
failure.
The point here is such dynamic change in rheology which can onset cracks and channels
within the cement body and lead to a faulty cementing job. Either a poor primary cement or any
damage to the primary cement can lead to SCP, resulting in different problems with consequences
on the drilling process. Even if the primary cement job is well done, there are certain events that
can cause cement damage. Such events are for example invasion of the annulus by the formation
fluid, which may be corrosive to the casing. Such invasion is possible if the formation pressure is
consistently higher than the annulus pressure. This is illustrated in Figure 8.3. In this figure,
formation pressure, P1 is greater than the hydrostatic cement slurry pressure, P2. Due to the
pressure gradient toward P2, formation fluid will migrate upward through the cement annulus.
This fluid in turn can invade other zones within the same formation that have lower pressure
prevalent within them. The remedy to this problem is to ensure P2 is greater than P1. This can be
achieved through adjustment of density of the slurry so that the hydrostatic pressure of cement
2
slurry remains greater than the formation pressure. However, the hydrostatic pressure should not
be higher than the fracturing pressure. Otherwise slurry may be lost and well may lose control.
Another problem related to cement leaks is the formation of channels that form at the top of the
liner as well as cement shoe. This problem can be remedied by squeezing cement into the affected
area. However, channels in between cannot be remedied due to lack of access to them. It is
therefore important to ensure that the primary cementing is of good quality.
3
Forming a micro
Cement Separated
annulas Tempreture
expands more cements and pressure
than casing
change
Genaration Becomes a Breaking of the Mechanical
of micro viechle for fluid casing cement shocks to the
annulas migration block cement
Susitaned
system
casing
pressure
Disrupts the Creating
cement setting Offset cracks within
proccess casing the cement
body
Invasion of the annulas
Cement by the formation fluid
problems
Faulty Lost slurry
cementing Well may
job loose
control
If hydrostatic
pressure >
Forming of frackturing pressure
cracks and
channels within
Dynamic
the cement body
change in
rheology
Cause and effect diagram of casing problems
4
summary
Portland cement which was originally acquired in England, it consists of limestone and clay
and other materials which are mixed to create a chemical reaction that produces a material that
hardens with adding water.In addition, a material that is called a hydraulic blast furnace slag which
has little effect on the properties of the drilling fluids can convert water-based muds into
cement.Compressive strength and thickening time are two important factors when choosing
cement for a particular well because choosing cement depends on particular reasons.
Sometimes cement slurries require modification to optimize the cement job. For that
purpose, cement additives are used, those additives usually used to alter its properties to achieve
various slurry densities, change its compressive stress accelerate or decelerate its setting time and
reduce slurry viscosity. At the occurrence of a blow in a wellbore, pumping cement can lead into
problems that worsen the stability of the well, therefore such uncareful processes are recommended
as it can cause terminal damage. It is usually preferable to control wellbores before pumping
cement. The main cause of cement failure is usually channels of gelled drilling fluid that sits in the
annulus after cement has been pumped and set hard. There are factors that control pumping rate of
cement. If casing is close the wall of a borehole it is not possible to achieve a uniform flow
throughout the whole anulus, therefore centralizers should be used to keep the pipe in the center
of the hole and avoid eccentricity.
To prevent formation fluids entering casing, cement is used because it acts as a sealing
material. It essential to close the gap between casing and the formation to provide more stability.
Cement may also be used to repair equipment such as pipes at its perforated section producing
water. Cementing operations consist of two main process which are primary and remedial
cementing. The purpose of primary cementing is to provide zonal isolation, diminish movement
of fluids and support casing.
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References
Azar, J. J. & Samuel, G. R. (2007) Drilling engineering, PennWell books, pp 304.
Bourgoyne Jr, A. T., Millheim, K. K., Chenevert, M. E., & Young Jr, F. S. (1986), Applied drilling
engineering, Volume 2, pp 269.
Darley, H. C., & Gray, G. R. (1988), Composition and properties of drilling and completion fluids,
Gulf Professional Publishing, pp 580.
Grace, R.D. (2017) Blowout and well control handbook, Gulf Professional Publishing, pp 374.
Hossain, M. E., & Al-Majed, A. A. (2015) Fundamentals of sustainable drilling engineering, John
Wiley & Sons, pp 503-513.
Rabia, H. (2002) Well Engineering & Construction, London: Entrac Consulting Limited, pp 129.
