Oilfield Resins for Plug and Abandonment

Paul Jones, PhD., Principal Scientist

© 2016 Halliburton. All rights reserved.

Challenge: Place barriers to isolate formations from each other and from the
surface
 Appropriate selection of materials and elements to form the barrier(s)
 30 CFR part 250 – pg 263-264 describes cement
 UK Oil & Gas describes alternative materials
 Individual operator requirements generally more stringent
 Key parameters
 Permeability
 Fluid interaction
 Dimensional stability
 Mechanical properties
 Other (material dependent)

Design and Deliver Dependable Barriers Tailored to Minimize Risk and Maximize Production

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Solution: Resin (WellLock® Resin) and Resin/Cement Composites (LockCem™
Cement)

 WellLock® Resin usage in abandonment operations

 LockCem™ Cement usage in abandonment operations

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Halliburton Resin Usage Recommendation for Plugging

 Job designs using the lowest volume of resin to achieve maximum results is
recommended to be employed.

 The length of the resin portion of the plug is recommended to be no more than 20% of
the total plug length, while the remaining 80% of the total plug length is recommended to
be a Portland-based cement, composite cement (LockCem™ Cement) or equivalent.

 If a leak is located, it is recommended to contact the leak pathway with the resin and to
squeeze the resin into the leak pathway as part of the job procedure.

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Microfluidic Flow of Epoxy Sealant
ΔP × D2
ν=
32 × µ × ΔL

Q=ν×A

ν = fluid velocity
ΔP = pressure drop = 7 bar
D = diameter = 67 µm
µ = fluid viscosity 70F = 549 cP
ΔL = length = 20 cm
Q = volumetric flow rate
Mass collected = 0.18 gm
Collection time = 4:41 (h:mm) Calculated Measured
Fluid velocity = 9.89 m/hr
Volumetric flow rate = 0.035 mL/hr ν (m/hr)𝐴 = 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠
3.22 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 9.89
Q (mL/hr) 0.011 0.035

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Resin Applications in P&A

 Squeezes for annular fluid flow

 Shut-off gas source
 Squeeze a previously leaking plug

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LockCem™ Cement

 Oil well cement containing resin

 Regulatory approval under 30 CFR part 250
 Increase bonding
 Reduce stiffness
 Maintain strength
 Reduce density
 Non-shrinking formulations

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LockCem™ Cement Reduced Permeability

Maintain compressive strength while

reducing Young’s modulus

Volume Fraction of Resin

Increased Shear Bond

Volume Fraction of Resin

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WellLock® Resin and LockCem™ – 400+ Case Histories

Other
Primary Casing Repair
Isolation 8%
23%
11%

21%
37%
Abandonment Annular Gas
Operations Remediation

PERCENTAGES BASED ON FIRST 100 JOBS

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Resin Cement Composite Case Study

Challenge
 Rig less abandonment, no cementing equipment, only wireline
 Small slurry volumes (2.5 to 5 bbls total)
 Abandon bottom part of well and perforate new intervals in close proximity

Solution
 Dump bailer run on wireline used to place slurry on top of mechanical base
 Small volumes mixed using hand mixer
 Resin cement composite system (20% resin and 80% cement by volume)

Results
 Dump bailer minimized contamination of small volume in specialized applications
 Increased shear bond of LockCem™ Cement allowed shorter plugs
 Plug length ranged from 100 to 200 feet
 100% success rate on all wells
© 2016 Halliburton. All rights reserved. 10
Publications

 Devesh Bhaisora, Ahmed Aly, and Ahmed Morsy, Halliburton; Hesham Shamma, Radi EI Nashar, and Salah EldinEldin
El0Sayed Karim, Gulf of Petroleum Company (GUPCO), “Innovative Application of Ultra-Lightweight Epoxy Resin-Cement
Slurry Mixture Achieved Zone Isolation Objectives and secured Well Integrity: Case History From Offshore Gulf of Suez”,
IPTC-18504-MS, (2015).
 P.J. Jones, J.D. Karcher, D. Bolado, Halliburton, “OFFSHORE PLUG AND ABANDONMENT USING SYNTHETIC RESIN
TECHNOLOGY”, delivered at RAO/CIS Russia (2013)
 Kay A. Morris, Jay P. Deville, and Paul Jones, Halliburton, “Resin-Based Cement Alternatives for Deepwater
Construction”, SPE 155613, (2012).
 P.J. Jones, B.A. London, L.B. Tennison, and J.D. Karcher, Halliburton, “Unconventional Remediation in the Utica Shale
Using Advanced Resin Technologies”, SPE 165699, (2013).
 P.J. Jones, J.D. Karcher, A. Ruch, A. Beamer, P. Smit, S. Hines, “Rigless Operation to Restore Wellbore Integrity using
Synthetic-based Resin Sealants”, SPE 167759, (2014).
 I. Foianini, G. Frisch, and P. Jones, Halliburton, “SUCCESSFUL IDENTIFICATION AND BOND ASSESSMENT OF
EPOXY-BASED RESIN CEMENT BEHIND PRODUCTION CASING: INTEGRATING CEMENTING TECHNOLOGY WITH
NEW LOG INTERPRETATION METHODOLOGY TO PROVIDE AN INNOVATIVE WELL INTEGRITY SOLUTION”,
SPWLA 55th Annual Logging Symposium, May 18-22, 2014.
 Pardeshi, M.; Wilke, A.; Jones, P.J.; Gillies, J., Halliburton; Jedlitschka, V., OMV New Zealand Ltd., 2016. “Novel Use of
Resin Technology for Offshore Pilot Hole Abandonment” Paper OTC-26565-MS presented at the Offshore Technology
Conference Asia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 22-25 March.

© 2016 Halliburton. All rights reserved. 11

© 2016 Halliburton. All rights reserved. 12