NExT, A Schlumberger Company

5599 San Felipe, Suite 100

Houston, Texas 77056

www.NExTtraining.net

Produced by NExT

Copyright © 2012 NExT. All rights reserved.

No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transcribed in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying or recording, without the prior written consent of the publisher. While the information presented herein is believed to be accurate, it is provided “as
is” without express or implied warranty.

An asterisk (*) is used throughout this document to denote a mark of Schlumberger. Other company, product, and service names are the properties of their
respective owners.
 )
+(
) $*

 ' (
((
 
Plug Cementing  
 
 "
 $


&

  
"
 "
 "

 % 
 $
"#
   !

 
 


 
 

 Cement Plugs

Overlooked cement jobs *+ ()

)$
Designed at last minute   ((  (

   '
Little or no testing or preparation    
  " 
 $
Little evaluation and follow up  
   &
As important as primary cementing ""
  "
Job objectives %
 $
Gather data #
 !
"

Design slurry  
 
Prepare well 
 

Design job,
 execute, evaluate

2 Copyright © 2001 – 2014, Schlumberger. All rights reserved

 Plug Purposes

Sidetrack above a fish )$

*+ ()

  ((  (
Geological sidetrack    '
  

Sidetrack pilot hole in horizontal well $"
 
Initiate directional drilling    &

 ""
  "
Plug back (squeeze) %
 $
Cure lost circulation !
"#

 
Abandon well  
 
 
 

Most require
 relatively small amount of cement

3 Copyright © 2001 – 2014, Schlumberger. All rights reserved

 Types of Plugs (1)

)
+(
) $*

 ' (
((
 
 
   "
 $


&

  
"
 "
 "

 % 
 $
"#
   !

  
 

 
 
 
 
Sidetrack Plug Back

4 Copyright © 2001 – 2014, Schlumberger. All rights reserved

 Types of Plugs (2)

)
+(
) $*

 ' (
((
 
 
   "
 $


&

  
"
 "
 "

 % 
 $
"#
   !

  
 

 
 
 
 
Lost Circulation Abandonment

5 Copyright © 2001 – 2014, Schlumberger. All rights reserved

 Methods of Placement

)
+(
$*
Balanced  ((
)

   ' (
Two wiper  
 "
 
 $
Dump bailer (wireline operation) 

&

  
"
 "
 "

 % 
 $
"#
   !

  
 

 
 
 
 

6 Copyright © 2001 – 2014, Schlumberger. All rights reserved

 Balanced Plug

)
+(
$*
Most common method  ()
(
  Displacement

fluid
 (
Significant contamination often  
 "
'
 
results  $ Spacer

Hardware is simple 
&

  
"
 "
 "

 %  Cement
 $
"#
   !

  
 

 
 
 
 

7 Copyright © 2001 – 2014, Schlumberger. All rights reserved

 Wiper Plug Displacement

)
+(
$*
Minimizes contamination  ( (
Displacement
)

   fluid(
Allows precise placement  
 "  '
 
Best for deep plugs  $


&

  
" Cement
 "
 "

 % 
 
Spacer
"# $

  !
  


 
 
 
 

8 Copyright © 2001 – 2014, Schlumberger. All rights reserved

 Requirements for Successful Plug

)
+(
$*
Select plug location carefully 
 (( (
)

 
 '
Use adequate volume of cement 
 "
 
 $
Place properly and prevent contamination 
  
  &
""
Design for the objective and conditions

 
  
"
 $
%

"#
   !

  
 

 
 
 
 

9 Copyright © 2001 – 2014, Schlumberger. All rights reserved

 Plug Location

)
+(
$*
Place in competent formation  ((
)

   ' (
Assess drilling logs  
 "
 
 $
Set in gauge hole section 

&

  
"
 "
 "

 % 
 $
"#
   !

  
 

 
 
 
 

10 Copyright © 2001 – 2014, Schlumberger. All rights reserved

 Proper Placement

Mud removal is as important as for primary cementing )$*+()

  (((
Condition the mud    '
  
 "
Ensure compatibility of fluids $

 Use spacers  
&

  
"
  "  "
Use good cementing practices
 %
 $ 

 Centralize  
"#

   !

 Move pipe 

 

 Good

 displacement
 techniques

11 Copyright © 2001 – 2014, Schlumberger. All rights reserved

 Slurry Design

)
+(
$*
Sidetrack Lost Circulation

 (( (
)

 
High density? Low density '
  "
High strength  $
Low strength
 
Rheology for mud removal  
High rheology

&

 ""
  "Gel strength
 
 $%
#
 ! quality
"
 Batch mix forcement
  
 Thickening time   for placement plus 45 minutes

 Useproper retarders
  
 
 No
 gelation


12 Copyright © 2001 – 2014, Schlumberger. All rights reserved

 Causes of Plug Failure

)
+(
$*
Slid downhole  ((
)

   ' (
Low strength (sidetrack)  
 "
 
 $
 Contamination 
 
&

  
"
 Inaccurate temperature data   "  "
%
Slurry not properly designed  $
#
 !
"
Complete lossto 
 thief  zone (lost circulation)
  

 
 

 


13 Copyright © 2001 – 2014, Schlumberger. All rights reserved

 Strength vs. Contamination

)
+(
$*
Mud Normal Slurry Reduced   ((()
Water
   '
(%) (15.6 lb/gal) (17.5
 lb/gal)
 
 "
$
0 4,075 psi 
8,600 psi
   &
 ""
10  "
2,950psi 8,250 psi
%
 $
40 #
2,425 psi 3,850 psi
 ! "

 
60 590 psi 2,975 psi
 
 
 

14 Copyright © 2001 – 2014, Schlumberger. All rights reserved

 Placement

)
+(
) $*
Spacer 
 ' (
((
 
 
   "
Cement  $


&

  
"
 
"
 "

 % Pill

 $
"#
   !

  
 

 
 
 
 
Desired Actual

15 Copyright © 2001 – 2014, Schlumberger. All rights reserved

 Pill & Diverter Tool

)
+(
) $*

 ' (
((
 
 
   "
 $


&

  
"
   "
" Diverter

 % 
 $
"#
   !

   Viscous Pill
 

 
 
 
 

16 Copyright © 2001 – 2014, Schlumberger. All rights reserved

 Use of Cement Stinger

)
+(
$*
Stinger can cause 9 / ”, 47 #/ft 5

 #/ft(( (
)

8
5 / ”, 21.9 1

contamination of cement  
 bbl/ft)
(0.02218 '
2

   "
If stinger is used, use positive  $
means of displacement  
   &
 "
13,000’


The same is true for mixed sizes8 / ” Open "Hole

1
2

% " S
of drill pipe  $ S 3 / ”, 15.5 #/ft
(0.00658 bbl/ft)
1
2

"# 

  ! 
Top of Plug

 13,500’ S
  C Core of spacer left

  in cement
 C

 14,000’
 
Pull 2 stands

17 Copyright © 2001 – 2014, Schlumberger. All rights reserved

 Case Study - Stinger

)
+(
7 5/8 shoe
$*
()
5 in drill

16975’
pipe to (
13151’
  
17002’ – tagged cement
 (
17002’–12’– drilled hard cement
   –'42’ – void
17026’
   – samples hard
 "17075’
 $ Washed to 17086’

 
17091’–17280’ – drilled cement;
Spacer/mud

 "  & mud out 16.4 lbm/gal, w/ 1050 units gas

 "
3 1/2 in drill filled void


pipe to 17280’ – stopped drilling
 bottom for next plug
% "
16765’

17346’
16720’ – calculated top of  $ bottom of void
# 

7 5/8 shoe cement "

16975’
2 7/8 in 
   !
stinger   

17650’ Balanced 
cement 
plug
250 vis pill 

TD 18150’
 
Position of fluids when Positions of fluids
balanced when tubing pulled
Drill out

18 Copyright © 2001 – 2014, Schlumberger. All rights reserved

 Case Study - Compatibility

)
+(
) $*

 ' (
((
 
 
   "
 $


&

  
"
 "
 "

 % 
 $
"#
   !

  
 

 
 
 
 

19 Copyright © 2001 – 2014, Schlumberger. All rights reserved

 What’s new in plug cementing?

)
+(
$*
PlugAdvisor* software 
 ' (
((
)

 
 
   "
 $


&

  
"
 "
 "

 % 
 $
"#
   !

  
 

 
 
 
 

* Mark of Schlumberger
20 Copyright © 2001 – 2014, Schlumberger. All rights reserved
 PlugAdvisor* Features

)
New in-drillpipe fluid contamination simulation $*
+(
)
 ((

WELLCLEAN II simulation for annulus slurry contamination
  '  (
 
 "
Animated graphical representation of POOH simulation
 
$
Length of good cement prediction after POOH
 & 
  "
User workflow in line with other advisor   "software
 (GMA,
  "
 
CemSTRESS)    
 $%
Increased number of fluids 
"#allowed in simulation

   ! 

Annulus fill-up considered
 when balancing interfaces

 
Placement  best practices
 for each type of plug
 



21 Copyright © 2001 – 2014, Schlumberger. All rights reserved

 Physical Phenomena:
Rayleigh-Taylor Instabilities

)
Rayleigh-Taylor Instabilities +(
) $*

 ' (
((
 
 
   "
 $


&

  
"
 "
 "

 % 
 $
"#
   !

  
 
 
  
 Occurs even during pauses: leads to fluid by-pass


 
 While pumping: accelerates transverse mixing and reduces mixed length

22 Copyright © 2001 – 2014, Schlumberger. All rights reserved

 Fluid Mixing during placement

)
+(
) $*

 ' (
((
 
 
   "
 $


&

  
"
 "
 "

 % 
 $
"#
   !

  
 

 
 
 
 

23 Copyright © 2001 – 2014, Schlumberger. All rights reserved

 PlugAdvisor POOH output

 CemCADE before  PlugAdvisor$*+()

)

 (( (

(x 1000) ft
0 1 2 3 4 5 6

 
 '
 "  
Annulus Level
Lodo (Tube) $


CW-8 (Tube)

&
MUDPUSH II (Tube)


Lechada Unica (Tube)



Lechada Unica (Ann.)
MUDPUSH II (Ann.)

"
 
CW-8 (Ann.)


Pipe Shoe Depth

"
 
 % "


 $ 
"#
   !

  
 

 



Plug Interfaces



The under-displacement volume calculated by PlugAdvisor does not consider
interface contamination within the drillpipe.

24 Copyright © 2001 – 2014, Schlumberger. All rights reserved

 Guidelines for Kickoff Plug (1)

)
+(
$*
Design for well conditions )

 ' (
((
Minimize thickening time safety factor  
 
   "
Use PlugAdvisor  $

 Volume for 500 feet (highly deviated requires  &
 "longer)


 "

 "
 Underdisplace 
%
 Small diameter stinger ??  #$
 ! "
 Use appropriatespacer  and length
 
Test compatibility
   
 

 


25 Copyright © 2001 – 2014, Schlumberger. All rights reserved

 Guidelines for Kickoff Plug (2)

Condition the hole +(

)
) $*
Make a bottom 
 ' (
((
 
 
 Viscous pill    "
 $
 Mechanical 
  
  &
Use diverter  ""
  "
Batch mix slurry %
 $
#
Rotate pipe while placing  !
slurry
"

Use positive means of 
  displacing (wiper plugs)
  
WOC adequate   time
 
 
If can’t kick off, leave cement as bottom

26 Copyright © 2001 – 2014, Schlumberger. All rights reserved