Investigation of Ultrasonic and Sonic Bond Tools for Detection of Gas Channels in Cements

Griffith, James; Sabins, Fred; Harness, P.E.

doi:10.2118/24573-ms

Cited by 9 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Fig. 5 shows a cross-section of a cemented annulus removed from a large scale test that had gas flow into the fluid cement slurry and all through the cemented annulus (Griffith et al 1992). Obviously, the ⌬P between the formation pore pressure and the cement matrix pressure was too high to limit or avoid gas penetration into the cement sheath.…”

Section: Flow Paths Through Unset Cement Sheathsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Why “Do Not Disturb” is a Safety Message

Sweatman

Mitchell²,

Bottiglieri

2015

Day 2 Tue, September 29, 2015

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Although not disturbing the cement during its curing time is sometimes mentioned in the oil and gas industry's literature and training courses, the information is often not thorough or explicit on how cement can be disturbed during the waiting on cement (WOC) time period and adversely affect safe drilling operations. This has contributed to a lack of understanding of best practices to use and those to avoid by personnel involved in planning, designing, and drilling wells, including those involved in cementing casing and liners and in other associated operations to install annular sealing devices such as setting openhole packers, liner hanger seals, subsea wellhead casing seal assemblies (WCSA), and liner top packers. This paper includes comprehensive information to help rectify this situation.In addition to describing previously known damage mechanisms and consequences, new ones will be presented such as how the setting of WCSA may have undesirable safety results: a) the drilling fluid level above the cement is blocked so abnormal levels can't be monitored; b) cooling of drilling fluids may change its volume and density causing progressive losses of the fluid column's hydrostatic pressure; and c) formation influx can then initiate to damage the cement.Thermal modeling with supplemental algorithms and lab tests are used to evaluate whether or not overbalanced pressures are converted into underbalanced ones during WOC times when cement is a fluid and not yet set hard into a pressure barrier.In an example well where a WCSA was set shortly after the cement job, thermal analysis indicated how flow-able formations became underbalanced within the first two hours of WOC when the cement was still a fluid. After 16 hours later, sufficient pressure differentials built up to breach a mechanical barrier, causing a loss of well control.Novel information identifies safety risks such as loss of zonal isolation, wellbore integrity, and well control when adverse thermal effects on drilling fluids are combined with setting of annular seals above the top of cement during WOC time periods.

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Section: Flow Paths Through Unset Cement Sheathsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Gas flow paths up the cemented annulus by loss of hydrostatic pressure overbalance during the cement's fluid state which occurs before developing enough static gel strength or an initial set to prevent gas channeling(Griffith et al 1992).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Why “Do Not Disturb” is a Safety Message

Sweatman

Mitchell²,

Bottiglieri

2015

Day 2 Tue, September 29, 2015

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Oil well casing cement flash setting problem causes and identification strategy based on cheese model

Leksir

2020

J Petrol Explor Prod Technol

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This paper deals with oil well cementing flash setting problem definition, interpretation and localization via PABM (phenomenon analysis-based method) and Swiss cheese model investigation. Cementing is the most critical job throughout the well realization process; it presents the face of the well during production or abandonment. Within cement job some, problems come out and could lead to lose the well objectives, and it can be classified as cementing program’s awkward or operational hitches. This work is oriented toward operational stage, even if cement program and preparation seem in the rules of the art, the execution stage can interrupt the smooth running of cement job. Flash setting is one of the most critical problems that could be occurred, and it can be recognized by the prior increases in pressure to reach unpumpable stage. Identifying flash setting phenomenon and distinguishing them from other operational comportment stay hard task and present the heart of this work. Consequences could be varied from simple cement left inside casing to total free pipe of the annulus. PABM together with cheese model is proposed to be used for deep analysis of flash setting problems and points out the real causes, if they exist, rather than flash setting. The method proposed includes five steps, description of the operation, phenomenon, assumptions, cheese model and conclusion. The three first steps construct operation scrutiny, and the fourth step represents PABM. In this latter method, assumptions will pass through a selective process made from operation facts, and only the adequate assumption reaches the last layer of the model. Practical cases have been detailed to point out the merit of this method and distinguishing flash setting from other related cement problems.

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Hydraulic Fracturing 101: What Every Representative, Environmentalist, Regulator, Reporter, Investor, University Researcher, Neighbor and Engineer Should Know About Estimating Frac Risk and Improving Frac Performance in Unconventional Gas and Oil Wells.

2012

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Identification of risk, the potential for occurrence of an event and impact of that event, is the first step in improving a process by ranking risk elements and controlling potential harm from occurrence of a detrimental event. Hydraulic Fracturing has become a hot environmental discussion topic and a target of media articles and University studies during development of gas shales near populated areas. The furor over fracturing and frac waste disposal was largely driven by lack of chemical disclosure and the pre-2008 laws of some states. The spectacular increase in North American natural gas reserves created by shale gas development makes shale gas a disruptive technology, threatening profitability and continued development of other energy sources. Introduction of such a disruptive force as shale gas will invariably draw resistance, both monetary and political, to attack the disruptive source, or its enabler; hydraulic fracturing. Some "anti-frack" charges in media articles and university studies are based in fact and require a state-by-state focused improvement of well design specific for geology of the area and oversight of overall well development. Other articles have demonstrated either a severe misunderstanding or an intentional misstatement of well development processes, apparently to attack the disruptive source. Transparency requires cooperation from all sides in the debate. To enable more transparency on the oil and gas side, both to assist in the understanding of oil and gas activities and to set a foundation for rational discussion of fracturing risks, a detailed explanation of well development activities is offered in this paper, from well construction to production, written at a level of general public understanding, along with an initial estimation of frac risk and alternatives to reduce the risk, documented by literature and case histories. This discussion is a starting point for the well development descriptions and risk evaluation discussions, not an ending point.

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Investigation of Ultrasonic and Sonic Bond Tools for Detection of Gas Channels in Cements

Cited by 9 publications

References 4 publications

Why “Do Not Disturb” is a Safety Message

Why “Do Not Disturb” is a Safety Message

Oil well casing cement flash setting problem causes and identification strategy based on cheese model

Hydraulic Fracturing 101: What Every Representative, Environmentalist, Regulator, Reporter, Investor, University Researcher, Neighbor and Engineer Should Know About Estimating Frac Risk and Improving Frac Performance in Unconventional Gas and Oil Wells.

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