Cement Integrity Evaluation

Gehan S. Abdelkader
Well Integrity Product Champion
WLH

Outline
Cementing
Reasons to have a quality cementing job
Cementing process
Factors affecting the Cement Quality

Cement Quality Evaluation

Solutions
Conclusion
Strategy

Cementing
Wellbore cement that provides complete zonal
isolation protects the environment, enhances
drilling safety and optimizes production. Without
high-quality cement filling the annulus between
the casing and the formation, freshwater
aquifers above or below the reservoir might be
contaminated by fluid from other formations.
Casing that is not protected by cement might be
prone to corrosion by formation fluids.
Oilfield Review
Summer 2001

Cementing
Reasons for quality cementing job:
Support the pipe in place
Further drilling
Production

Protect pipe in place

Corrosive formation fluids

Hydraulic isolation
No communication between different formation
fluids
No migration of formation fluids to surface
No loss of production to thief zones

Cementing Process
Pre-blend
SFM

WELLCLEAN II
CemCADE
CemCAT

CBL/VDL
USIT
Sonicalc

Cementing Process
Job design
Data gathering

Borehole geometry (bit size, caliper, % excess, depth, etc.)

Well bore information (pore and frac pressures, lithologies)
Temperature (gradient, BHST, BHCT)
Problem zones (lost circulation, washouts, water flow, etc.)
Casing data (size, type and placement of hardware, previous
casing)
Survey data (TVD, KOP, bearing, deviation, etc.)
Drilling fluid Data (type, density, rheology)

Lab verification
Cement material is suitable for downhole condition
Cement additives are suitable for downhole condition
Cement system is reproducible

Cement job simulation (CemCADE)

For consistency and optimization of casing centering and mud
removal
Cement placement

Cementing Process Cont.

Job execution
Reproduce the cement system verified by the Lab
Flow rate for effective well clean and mud
removal
Duration of cement placement (pumpable slurry)
Enough slurry volume
Solid Fraction Monitoring for constant density

Job evaluation
Hydraulic isolation and cement distribution
Pipe condition
Pipe support

Factors Affecting Cement

Quality
Borehole
Geometry
It has a great effect
on
the
cement
quality, good cement
quality
and
good
zonal isolation are
achievable in good
holes.
In gauge
holes allows:
Cement volume
Tubular
centralization
Effective flow rate
for mud removal
8

BHST at top of
Cement >BHCT
at TD

Annular gap
Minimum: 3/4-in.
Ideal: 1 1/2-in.

Properly
conditioned
hole and mud
Gauge
diameter
NO LOSSES

No sloughing
Uniform as possible
( no washouts or restrictions)
NO FLOW

Casing centered in borehole

Accurate BHST and BHCT
Thin, impermeable mud filter cake
(not gelled or unconsolidated)

Factors Affecting Cement Quality

Cont.
Borehole effect on cement / excess
volume calculation
One-arm caliper

Correct volume Wrong volume

Wrong volume

Four-arm caliper

Two Equal Diameters

Different Diameters
Correct volume Correct volume
9

Wrong volume

Factors Affecting Cement Quality

Cont.
Tubular centralization
Effect on flow rate

FLOW RATE RATIO

18

RH

16
14

RC

12
10

% Stand-off = w X 100
RH - RC

6
4
2
0

10

20

40
API % STAND-OFF

60

80

100

Factors Affecting Cement Quality

Cont.
V=0
Laminar Flow
Velocity Profile
(Sliding motion)

V=2 x Vav

Turbulent Flow
Velocity Profile
(Swirling motion)

Increasing Flow Rate

Effect of flow rate on flow regimes

t
n
e
ul

rb
u
T
There are four possibilities

of flow in an Eccentric Annulus

No flow
Laminar
Turbulent
11

Factors Affecting Cement Quality

Cont.
Wide

Narrow

Vw

Wide

Narrow

12

Vn

Factors Affecting Cement Quality

Cont.

13

Factors Affecting Cement Quality

Cont.
Example
%

%
100

25

50

75

ft

100

10750

75

10750

ft

Cement Coverage

%
75.0

%
100.0

25

50

75

100

Cement Coverage

1/1

11500

11500

11250

11250

11000

11000

1/1

2/1

Cement Coverage

14

Pipe Standoff

Well

2/1

Cement Coverage

Pipe Standoff

Well

Factors Affecting Cement Quality

Cont.
%
75.0

%
100.0

25

50

75

100

Cement Coverage

10750

ft

11500

11250

11000

1/1

2/1

Cement Coverage

15

Pipe Standoff

Well

Factors Affecting Cement Quality

Cont.

Mud removal is the key to zonal

isolation

16

Factors Affecting Cement Quality

Cont.

17

Factors Affecting Cement Quality

Cont.
Job #19
February 14th, 2001 - Rig NDC-02 - Well BU564

Density Control

100

100

90

90

80

80

70

70

60

60

50

50

40

40

30

30

20

20

10

10

0
[Link]

[Link]

[Link]

[Link]

[Link] [Link]
[Link] [Link]
[Link] [Link]

Time
Solid Fraction

18

10

S lu rr y R a te (b p m ), S l u rry D e nsi ty (p pg )

S o l id F ra c tio n (%)

Solid Fraction Control

[Link]
Solid Fract ion

Slurry Density

Cement Quality Evaluation

It is now admitted by the Industry that the
primary use of any Cement Evaluation Tool is
not to decide when and where to perform a
cement remedial job but to try and improve
the primary cement job on the next well of the
same kind

D. Rouillac in
Cement Evaluation Logging
Handbook, 1994

19

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.
Two major types of tools:
Sonic tools (CBL/VDL)
The CBL measurement is
the amplitude in millivolts
of the first arrival E1 at
the 3 foot receiver. It is a
function of the attenuation
due to the shear coupling
of the cement sheath to
the
casing.
The
attenuation rate depends
on
the
cement
compressive strength, the
casing diameter, the pipe
thickness,
and
the
percentage
of
bonded
circumference

20

No
No
Cement
Cement

Good
Good
Bond
Bond

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.
Applications, Benefits & Features :
Quantitative evaluation of casing to cement
bond
Qualitative evaluation of cement to
formation bond
HPHT Application
Slim access application
Microannulus detection (run with pressure)
Best results when combined with USIT

21

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.

22

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.
Variable density log
5 ft Receiver for VDL
Analysis
Allows easy differentiation
between
casing and
formation arrivals

Tx

R3

R5

23

5 ft

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.
Factors affecting CBL

Free Pipe Signal

Good cement Stretch

T0

E1

Good Bond
Signal

Threshold
TTTT
T

Good cement Cycle skipping

E1 E3

T0 Threshold
TT

TT
E2

24

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.
Basic interpretation
Free pipe

No cement to casing bond

No attenuation of the signal
3

Free Pipe Signal

E1
T0

Threshold

TT
T

25

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.
Free pipe amplitude
E1 Amplitude (MV)
100
90
80
70

SFT 155 in Air

SFT 155 in Fluid
7 in CSG
9 5/8 in CSG

60
50
40
30

20
2
26

Casing ID (in)
1012 14161820

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.
Good
cement
casing bond

to

If casing is well bonded,

soundwave
will
be
attenuated.
The
received
CBL
amplitude will be low.

CBL: Free Pipe

2

CBL: Good Bond

T

27

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.
Good casing to cement to formation bond
X

28

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.
Irregular Bond
The more free pipe or
contaminated cement
in an interval, the poorer
the bond
If cement job is not
perfect, CBL amplitude
increases.
CBL: Poor Bond

29

Cement Quality Evaluation Cont

Poor Bond w/ Casing

Stable

Medium
<------------------------------CBL Amplitude

Transit
Strong

Time
X

30

Casing Arrivals

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.
Poor Bond w/ Formation

No
X

Transit
Time

Formation Arrivals
Low

<----------------------------------------CBL Amplitude

with some
X

Cycle
Skipping
31

No
Casing Arrivals

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.
Microannulus
Gap between Casing and
Cement
Caused by contraction of
casing after cement sets if
Casing Fluid is changed.
E1 amplitude resembles a
poorer bond than actual.
Only a pressure pass can be
done to eliminate the micro
annulus.

CBL: Poor Bond

T

32

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.

Tool Eccentering
Causes for Eccentralization

Improper Equipment
selection
Centralizers ] for
Casing Size

Missing or Broken
Centralizer(s)

Weak Centralizers in
deviated wells
Tool Damaged and/or bent
Damaged Casing
Consequences
Unbalanced sound paths

Resulting waveform is
meaningless
33

Cement Quality Evaluation Cont

Resulting Waveform
T0

Short Path
Normal
Waveform
Waveform

Threshold

TT
Result is a Bad Log not recoverable in
Playback
If the tool is eccentered:

Delayed Waveform

There will be destructive interference from different sound

paths, waveform from close tool side to casing, Waveform from
far tool side to casing, resulting waveform has dramatic lower
amplitude, resembling a zone of Good Cement but with shorter
Transit Time [ 4 s less]
34

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.
Fast Formation Arrivals
5

In

cases

of

good

cement

andformation slowness < steel

slowness

formation

arrival

arrivesT
first
Dolomite

=
43.5
sec/ft
T Limestone = 47.5
sec/ft
T Anhydrate = 50.0
sec/ft

The

transit

time

and

amplitude will be affected

35

CBL
T

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.
Fast Formations
5

In FF arrivals, CBL evaluation is not

possible, E1 amplitude reflects the

formation signal and not the casing
signal. ( 3 & 5 ft Rx)

Only in short spacing Tx-Rx (~ 1 ft)

the casing arrival will arrive earlier

than FF arrival.
Tools able to measure CBL in FF are:

CBT, CMT and SSLT (shortes Tx-Rx

about 1 ft
36

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.

High
Transit
Time
Shorter
than
Casing
arrivals
37

<-------------------------------CBL Amplitude
on areas of
fast formation
<-----------------------------------------arrivals

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.

38

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.
CBL Quantitative
Interpretation.
ATTENUATION
Logarithm of E1 amplitude
[first peak of CBL waveform]

BOND INDEX
Attenuation in zone of
interest [dB/ft]

BI =
Attenuation in Cemented
Section [dB/ft]

39

I
n
t
e
r
v
a
l

BI = 60 %

3
0
2
5

BI = 70 %

2
0
1
5

BI = 80 %

1
0
5

[ft]
5

Casing O.D. [in]

10

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.
Interpretation process for cement bond log:
Log LQC

Transit times correct for casing size (CBL Parameters)

Amplitude correct in free pipe & 100% cement as predicted.
Check for centralization
Check for fast formation (TT decreasing)

Conditions

Cement type
Borehole fluid
Cement tops
Hole size (OH Caliper)
Well deviation

Hydraulic isolation determination

Determine 80% Bond Index
Determine minimum cemented interval
Check VDL for cement to formation bond
40

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.
Ultrasonic tools (USIT)
Theory of measurement is based
on
measuring
the
acoustic
impedance (Z) of the material in
the annulus by sending an
ultrasonic pulse and measuring
the decay of the reflections using
a single rotating transducer.
*Z = Density x Velocity

Transducer

Echo
amplitude
(Internal casing
condition)
41

Cement
Casing
Formation
Mud

Thickness
Transit
time
Internal
radius

Cement
Impedance

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.
Z (MRayl)
8.
0
6.0
4.0
2.0
1.5
0.
1
42

Ultra Heavy Weight Cement

Heavy Weight Cement
Cement 15.8 ppg
LiteCRETE
Foam Cement
Water
Gas

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.

4
2

Maximum
impedance
Completion
fluids
Slurry

Z08
MRayl

+/0.5

0
Raw
imag
e
43

Standar
d
Light

Standar
d
Light

Solid/liquid
threshold
Liquid
Gas/liqui
d
threshol
d microannulus
Gas or dry
Interpreted
image

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.
Sonicalc
Stand-alone acoustic log calculator
Supports the user for the QA/QC process

Cross-segment product
Used by both, Cementing and Wireline engineers
Will contribute to increase the quality of cement evaluation
services as it provides log setup before the job

Forward simulation tool

Predicts more accurately the expected responses (Z,
amplitude) of different cements
Assures that tools (CBL/VDL & USIT) were operated correctly
Assures that results are presented with the appropriate
parameters
SoniCalc is designed to import CemCADE-files or to start
from scratch

44

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.
Input
Well
Survey, temperature,
casing

Logging Fluid
p, T logging fluid &
transducers

Slurries
Defaults
Surface T, vertical well,
water, G neat

Import data
CemCADE

45

Outputs
Scenarios
Only data you need!
CBL/USIT QA/QC (and
evaluation)

Log file

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.
USIT Theory of Measurement & Processing
Fluid Properties Measurement (FPM)
Vmud

Zmud
Time
Domain

Echo amplitude
Travel time of the echo

Wave Form
Frequency
Domain

46

T3 processing

Resonant frequency: f0
Fractional bandwith:D f/f0

Internal
Rugosity
&
Internal
Radius
Casing
thickness
&
Acoustic
impedance

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.
Standard
Presentation
Standard API Header

Dowell Cement Header (if cementing by Dowell)

Client Log

SLB Composite/LQC log

Repeat section (Client log)

ZMUD and FVEL plots

47

Standard API Tail

Cement Quality Evaluation

Casing
Cement
QCCont.
Chann
el

Amplitude
Processing flags
Eccentering, CCL,
GR

48

Thickness
Internal
radius
Casing crosssection

Cement
interpreted
Bond index
Cement raw

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.
Good Cement Example
CBL flat, low

QC

49

CBL

Mean
Z 8
MRayl

USI

Strong formation
arrival
Weak casing arrival

VDL

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.
Light Cement Top
Example
Light cement has
low impedance
0-4 MRayl scale
shows
contrast
between
light
cement and liquid
Liquid/solid
threshold set low
(2.1)
for
light
cement
CBL agrees with USI

50

100

0-4
MRayl

Threshold 2.1 MRayl

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.
Channel Example
Weak formation arrival
CBL variable, high

Strong casing arrival

Channel
Low-Z
cement

QC

51

CBL

USI

VDL

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.
Deformed casing can cause lost echoes and
tool eccentering. Even the eccentering curve
becomes false. The log must be repeated with
a wider acquisition window.
Eccentering

QC

52

Lost echoes

Casing

Cement

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.
Third Interface
No centralizers, 4.5 in. liner inside 7 in.
casing

Galaxy patterns on narrow side of

annulus
53

Cement Quality Evaluation

Microdebonding
Cont.
algorithm

Pixel Z

If
all
4
standard
deviations are higher
than set thresholds, the
current data point is
considered to be locally
debonded

Vertical
Deviation
Transducer
spot size

Diagonal 2

Horizontal
Deviation

Cement

AI Thresholds

Liquid
< Thresh
OR
> Thresh
<Thresh

Micro-D
Gas
OR

> Thresh

54

Diagonal 1

Micro-D

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.
Microdebond
presentatio
n

BI
55

Map

Formation
arrivals

Conventio
nal
Low
CBL

BI

Map

CBL

VDL

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.
Micro-debond logic example
BI

Map

CBL

CBL

56

VDL

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.
Environmental Challenges
Heavy Weight Mud
Signal attenuation Sonic / Ultrasonic
Motor stalling Ultrasonic
Hydrostatic pressure Ultrasonic

Heavy Casing
Database not available for modeling Ultrasonic
Uncalibrated response Sonic / Ultrasonic

57

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.
USIT

CBL

Accuracy

CEMENT

Standard cement good bond

Standard cement free pipe
Very light cement
Microdebonded
Dry microannulus
Liquid microannulus
Channel (gas/liquid)
Contaminated

Free pipe

Well bonded

Good interpretation
Ambiguous
Very ambiguous or not
detectable

58

Cement Quality Evaluation

Cont.
Insufficient
Hydrostatic
Pressure

Fluid Loss

High Free
Free Water
Water
Channel

Gas
zone
Cemen
Cement
t

Micro
annular

Poor
Mudcake
Removal
Mud
Channel

Mud
Cake
59

Cement
Integrity

Solutions
Upon the diagnosis of the
hydraulic
isolation
problem,
Schlumberger
Well Services offer a wide
range of solutions for:
CemSTONE
Cement job enhancements
Remedy

DuraSTONE
FlexSTONE

60

Solutions
CemCRETE

More solids = improved mechanical properties

8 - 28 lbm/gal
15.8 lbm/gal

CemCRETE

Class G

Extended
12.5 lbm/gallightweight
0

10

20

30

40

Solids Fraction

61

50

60

70

Solutions
Jobs Count

1200

CemCRETE WORLDWIDE
2701 J obs
691

832

921

Increasing Demand
For Low Density Slurries

600

257
0

1999

2000

2001

CemCRETE is a Proven
Technology

700

Jobs Count

1998

LiteCRETE
1469J obs
460

350

186

276

1998

62

547

1999

2000

2001

Solutions
Problem: Weak formation and lost circulation
applications
Solution: LiteCRETE LiteCRETE UL

Porosity and permeability comparison

LiteCRETE vs Foam Cement
63

Solutions
Problem:

Enter well geometry data

Start
and wellbore conditions

Cracking (tension)
Simulate
Failure (compression)
Micro Annulus
Calculate Required Young Modulus

Solution: FlexSTONE & SAM

Cemen
t
crackin
g? N
o

Y
e
s

From the SAM,

determine % of
flexible agents

Add expanding
agents,
as described in
the
Engineering
Formulation complete Guidelines
Casing
debonding
?
N
o

64

Y
e
s

Solutions
Problem: High pore pressure
Solution: DensCRETE up to 28 ppg

Problem: Gas migration

Solution: Gas Block

Problem: Microannulus (50 microns), Casing leaks, Liner

tops, Channels behind casing, Gravel packs, Water zones
Solution: SqueezCRETE

Problem: Sidetrack plugs, problematic casing shoe, high

density and multi zone perforation
Solution: DuraSTONE

65

Conclusion
In gauge hole, casing centering and mud removal are the keys for
good cementing job.
Even if there will not be a remedy consideration, cement
evaluation helps in improving the next cementing job of the same
kind
The USI provides the most detailed view of the distribution of
cement in the annulus available today.
The USI combination with CBL/VDL is always recommended. Data
from both services complement each other for more accurate
interpretation, especially in the presence of microannulus and
nonstandard conditions.
Acoustic logs have limitations.
Cement evaluation must combine cement job analysis and
acoustic logs
Schlumberger Solutions = Integrated Cementing and Evaluation.

66

Strategy

Accuracy
&
Answer product Qlty

Standard environment

67

Complete cement Qlty/Qty

Zonal Isolation measurement
Address extreme environmen
- Heavy mud
- LiteCRETE
- Thick casing

Extreme environment