HOW TO CALCULATE THE BALANCED PLUG

Please use these figures as an example:-

Well Data
1. Casing size = 9 5/8” & Weight = 47 lb/ft & Depth = 9500 ft.
2. Drill Pipe size = 5” & Weight = 19.5 lb/ft & Depth = 9,700 ft
3. Tubing size = 3 ½” & Weight = 9.3 lb/ft & Depth = 10, 000 ft
4. Hole size = 8 ½” & Excess = 20% & Depth = 10,000 ft
5. Plug length = 300 ft (10,000’ – 9,700’) & Weight = 16.2 ppg & Yield = 1.445 cuft/sk
6. Mud Weight = 9.6 ppg & preflush weight = 8.6 ppg & preflush behind length = 500 ft
SOLUTION
Capacities
- Hole 8 ½” = 0.3941 cuft/ft
- Drill pipe 5” = 0.0997 cuft/ft = 0.01776 bbl/ft
- Tubing 3 ½” = 0.04883 cuft/ft
- ANN. 5” x 8 ½” = 0.2577 cuft/ft
- ANN. 3 ½” x 8 ½” = 0.3272 cuft/ft
- ANN 5” x 9 5/8” = 0.2747 cuft/ft

1. Cement Volume (Drill pipe out) (300 ft length)

DRAWING
300 ft x 0.3941 cuft/ft x 1.2 excess = 141.88 cuft = 25.27 bbls
sks (Cement) = 141.88 cuft/1.445 cuft/sk (yield) = 98.19 sk
2. Top of cement with D.P. in

141.88 cuft = 300 ft [(0.3272 cuft/ft x 1.2) + (0.04883 cuft/ft)] 5” D.P

Cement Volume Length of 3 ½” D.P. Cap of 3 ½” X 8 ½” Excess Cap of 3 ½” D.P.
T.O.P. 9176.92 ft
+y [(0.2577 cuft/ft x 1.2) + (0.0997 cuft/ft)]
Cement Length bet 8 ½” X 5” Cap. of 8 ½” X 5” Excess Cap. of 5” D.P.
9 5/8”
141.88 cuft = 132.44 cuft +0.40894 y
y = 23.08 ft
9,500 ft
T.O.C = 9700 ft – 23.08 = 9676.92 ft
Length of 5” D.P. Cement Length bet. 8 ½” X 5”
20% Excess
3. Preflush Behind (500 ft length)
Preflush volume behind =500 ft x 0.0997 cuft/ft = 49.85 cuft = 8.88 bbls
T.O.C. 9676.92 ft
Cap of 5” D.P
9,700 ft
4. Preflush Ahead (Should be 500 ft in open hole 8 ½” and 9 5/8” x 5” D.P.)
Height of preflush in open hole = 9700 – 23.09 – 9500 = 176.92 ft
Length of 5” D.P. Length of Cement in 5” Length of 9 5/8”
Therefore, height of preflush between 9 5/8” x 5” D.P.
= 500 ft - 176.92 ft = 323.08 ft 3 ½”
preflush volume ahead = 176.92 ft x 0.2577 cuft/ft x 1.2 + 323.08 ft x 0.2747
Cap. of 8 ½” x 5” Cap. of 5” x 95/8” 20% Excess
= 54.71 + 88.75 = 143.46 cuft = 25.55 bbls
5. Mud Displacement 8 ½”
= (10,000 ft – 300 ft – 23.59 ft – 500 ft) x 0.01776 bbls/ft
Total Depth Length of 3 ½” D.P. Cement in 5” D.P. Length of preflush behind Cap. of 5” D.P. 10,000 ft
= 9176.41 x 0.01776 = 162.97 bbls
6. Balanced Plug
- Preflush ahead: 25.55 bbls - Preflush behind: 8.88 bbls

Prepared By:
Ibrahim El Halouty
Senior District Engineer
- Cement vol: 98.19 sks = 25.27 bbls - Mud displacement: 162.97 bbls

Prepared By:
Ibrahim El Halouty
Senior District Engineer