Plug

Cementing
Objectives
 Identify the purpose of setting cement plugs
 Identify the three different placement techniques
 Identify the advantages and disadvantages of each technique
 Explain step by step the balanced plug job procedure
 Job design consideration
 Slurry properties versus objective
 Techniques to improve plug success
 Balanced plug calculations
Cement Plugs Introduction
A cement plug is a certain volume of
cement slurry placed in the wellbore
for various purposes
Purposes:
 Side track above a fish or to initiate
directional drilling
 Plug back a zone or well
– (abandonment or later re-entry)
 Solve a lost-circulation problem
during the drilling phase
 Provide an anchor for OH tests
 Protect / isolate a low pressure
zone during a work over
treatment
Side Tracking & Direction Drilling
 Reasons
– Sidetrack above a fish
– Drilling program may call for a pilot hole
(for exploration purpose) that will be
plugged back afterwards
– During directional-drilling operations
through soft formations it may be
difficult to achieve the correct angle
– Missed target
– Section milled window to sidetrack from
a cased hole (work-over)
Plug & Abandonment
 Reasons
– To prevent flow of formation fluids inside
a wellbore between formation zones
and/or to surface/seabed
 Types of Abandonment
– Undesired perforations
– Depleted zone
– Permanent or temporary well
abandonment
Lost Circulation
 Reasons
– To place cement slurry in a thief zone
where it will harden and plug the pore
spaces making the zone stronger and
more consolidated to withstand
hydrostatic pressure until fresh formation
is drilled
– Cement needs to bond and consolidate
the formation; otherwise, losses may
reoccur once the cement plug is drilled
out
Hydraulic Isolation Plug
 Reasons
– Prevent communication between an
upper productive formation and a deeper
depleted zone (permanent isolation)
– Reduce excessive gas or water
production
– Safely perform a workover treatment
above a productive interval (temporary
isolation)
– Provide a competent seat for an
openhole packer when a mechanical
bridge plug would not provide it (e.g.
because the formation is too weak)
Job Design Workflow
Plug Placement Techniques
Some of the most common techniques for placing cement plugs are:

 Balanced Plug
 Pump & Pull Method using Drill Pipe
 Dump Bailer
 Pump & Pull Method using Coiled Tubing
Balanced Plug
 Most common method
 Work string run to desired bottom of
plug
 Fluids heights balanced in annulus
and string
 Under-displacement by a barrel or
two to avoid wet pull
Balanced Plug
 Preferred method for KOP and P&A except for cases with horizontal sections
and low fluid density hierarchy
Balancing Reverse Circulating

Displacing Fluid

Spacer

Cement Slurry

Plug
Length
Job Procedure - Balanced Plug
 Pressure test treating lines
 Pump spacer or wash ahead of cement slurry
 Mix and pump cement slurry
 Pump spacer or wash behind cement slurry to balance plug
 Displace calculated amount of displacing fluid
 Under displace by 1 - 2 bbl to avoid wet pull
– PlugAdvisor required to optimise fluid tops while POOH
 Open return lines to the displacement tank on the unit and allow plug to
balance itself either by return flow or vacuum
 Pull drill pipe or tubing above the top of spacer/wash (30ft/min)
 Reverse circulate at least 1.5 DP volume if conditions allow
– (500 ft above TOC or 100 ft to 150ft above expected TOC for cleaning excess cement)
 POOH and WOC (500 psi for most plugs unless for a KOP)
Pump and Pull Method
 Applicable for cases where fluids are not balancing themselves when POOH,
therefore, mud needs to be pumped in the drill pipe for every stand pulled out,
to “force” the cement slurry out of the drillpipe

 Horizontal sections
 Non Horizontal sections
– Very close density between mud, spacer and slurry
– Use of dart or a mechanical separator behind the slurry
Dump Bailer Method
 Advantages: WIRELINE

– The depth of cement plug is easily controlled

– Reduced rig time for smaller volumes
DUMP BAILER
 Disadvantages:
– Not easily adaptable to use in deep and/or
highly deviated wells
– Quantity of cement limited to volume of dump CEMENT SLURRY
bailer. Volume per run varies with size and
length of Dump Bailer. Max. volume that can
ELECTRICAL/
be dumped in a single run is around 5.4 gal MECHANICAL
– Multiple runs may be required to dump DUMP RELEASE
desired quantity CASING

BRIDGE PLUG
Pump & Pull using Coiled Tubing
 Advantages
– Accurate depth control
– Less contamination
– No workover rig required to pull out completion
– Can perform operations on a live well
– Continuous pipe, faster operations
 Disadvantages
– Small volumes of cement
– Lower pump rates
– Special Slurry Properties
– Low PV & TY
– Zero Free Fluid
– Low Gel Strength
– Low Fluid Loss <50 ml/30min
– Long TT, tested at BHST
Pump & Pull using Coiled Tubing
 CT on bottom, pump washer
and cement
 Once 50 ft Cement Out, start
POOH with Coiled Tubing
 Maintain 50ft overlap during
placement
 Stop pumping when all
cement is out of CT, POOH
 Once CT is 100ft above
TOC, start pumping
bottoms up until returns are
clean
Placement Tools
 Mechanical Fluid Separators
– Two-plug method using Plug Placement Tool (PPT)
– Foam Balls
 Competent Bases
 Mechanical
– Bridge Plug
– Inflatable Packer
– Cement Support Tool
– Cement Plug
 Fluid
– Viscous Pills
– Reactive Pill (not recommended in horizontal sections)
Plug Placement Tool
 Benefits
– Positive indication of displacement
– Fluid separation
– Minimize cement contamination, due to
the pipe cleaning action of the wiper plug
– Ensure correct displacement volume WIPER DART
whatever the uncertainties on pipe ID are
– Leave a clean drill pipe inner wall - free
of cement - once the job is completed.

LOCATOR SUB
PPT - Operations

1st Wiper Dart 2nd Wiper Dart

Locator Sub 1st Wiper Dart

(Sheared)

Cement Stinger Mud

Spacer
Diverter Sub
Cement
STEP-1 STEP-2
PPT - Operations (Cont.)

Mud

Spacer

Cement
STEP-3 STEP-4 STEP-5
Foam balls and Wiper darts
 Necessity should be assessed by PlugAdvisor depending on contamination
ahead or behind
 Can be used during direct circulation after POOH to clean DP
 Wiper darts may be more efficient in cleaning the pipe but more complicated
to use than foam balls
 May prevent freefall of slurry while POOH so pump and pull method may be
required
Foam Balls
 Displacement & post circulation at
higher rates
 Use DP wiper darts / sponge balls
 Reverse the cement until the drill
pipe is clean or at least 2 drill pipe
volumes
 Abrasive Pills like Nut shelves,
LCM, sand, acid, etc.
 Even if using a wiper plug,
cement rings are expected to
be left at the pipe connections
Competent Base – Mechanical Support Open Hole

CST – Cement Support Tool

Competent Base – Viscous Pill
 Properties-
DRILLPIPE
– Optimum Density- MW + 1 ppg CENTRALIZED
– Thixotropic properties
9.0 lb/gal MUD
– Highest possible Ty(~ 100lbf/100ft2)
SPACER
 Placement DIVERTER TOOL
– Minimum pill length of 300ft, preferable = cement plug 16.0 lb/gal CEMENT
length
– Place with balance plug method 10.0 lb/gal VISCOUS
BENTONITE PILL
– Use PlugAdvisor for optimum placement volume and
contamination
 Extended slurry Cement plug with 50 psi CS can 9.0 lb/gal MUD
also be used
Competent Base – Viscous Pill

DRILLPIPE
CENTRALIZED

9.0 lb/gal MUD

SPACER
DIVERTER TOOL
16.0 lb/gal CEM NT

12.5 lb/gal VISCOUS

BENTONITE PILL Determine pill yield stress and
density

9.0 lb/gal MUD

Sacrificial Tubing
 To eliminate contamination occurring when the drill string is pulled out of the
cement slurry after placement
 A hydraulic disconnecting tool is required to separate the sacrificial tubing
from the work string with the use of a dart that shears a set of pins
 Drillpipe/tubing that is past its life can be utilized and therefore disposed off
 Tool is designed to leave tailpipe in cement, therefore tubing for tailpipe
should be made from drillable material
 No sound contingency plan in case the tail pipe is not disconnected.
Placement String – Tail Pipe or Stinger
 Min. 1” gap hole and the max OD of
the tool joint Placement Pull 2 stands

 Min1.5 times cement height with 9 / ”, 47 #/ft

5
8
51/2”, 21.9 #/ft
pipe as stinger or 200 ft longer than (0.02218 bbl/ft)

the cement plug

 Smaller tool joint compared to DP, 13,000’
less perturbation while POOH
S
 Stinger can cause contamination of S 3 1/2”, 15.5 #/ft
(0.00658 bbl/ft)

cement with change in diameters, if Top 13,500’

of Plug
S
proper under-displacement not C Core of spacer
considered left in cement
C
14,000’
Diverter Tool
Drillpipe
 Minimize turbulent mixing Centralized
 Enhance displacement due to lateral jetting 9.0 lb/gal Mud
Spacer
 If the hole has sloughing shales, open ended Diverter Tool
stinger should be used to prevent further hole 16.0 lb/gal
Cement
enlargement 12.5 lb/gal Viscous
Bentonite Pill

9.0 lb/gal Mud

8 holes phased at 450

Bull Plug
Mule shoe Flow diverter
Job Design Considerations
 Volume Estimation
 Slurry Properties
 Mud Contamination vs. Compressive Strength
 WOC
 Horizontal Plugs
 Reason for Plug Failures
Volume Estimation
 Recommended plug length 500-800 ft
 Volume depends on
– Objective of the job
– Caliper availability
– 10 % excess over LWD or WL caliper
– Fluid caliper
– No caliper available
– 10-20 % in OBM
– 50-100 % in WBM
– 100-200% for deviated wellbores or destabilized shale sections
– If TOC is found too high it can be dressed off before the cement
setsBest Practices
– Local
Slurry Properties
 Density  Compressive Strength
– Lighter for Lost Circulation – Minimum 500 psi for drill out
– Heavier for Sidetracking – 50-100 psi for base plug
– Homogeneous - batch mixing – Some services companies recommend
>5000 psi for KOP, but ultimately
depends on the hardness of the formation
 Rheology
– Higher for Lost Circulation  Free Fluid
– Optimum (mud removal) for Sidetracking – Zero for horizontal plugs
– Lower for placement with CT
– Low gel strength
 Thickening Time
 Fluid Loss – Enough for placement
– Low for open hole plugs and squeezes
– Adhere to Thickening Time policy
including time to POOH and circulate out
the cement
Mud Contamination vs. Compressive Strength
Effect of Mud Contamination
Reduced Water Slurry
Class H Cement Conventional Slurry
(Eg. DensCRETE) @
Mud Contamination Slurry @ 16.5 ppg Mud Contamination 15.6 ppg
17.5 ppg
CS @ 170 ºF after 8 & 16 hr. CS @ 230 ºF after 18 hr
(%) (psi) (psi) (%) (psi) (psi)

0 4,647 5,862 0 4,082 8,600

5 3,512 5,300 10 2,950 8,237
10 2,619 4,538 40 2,426 3,850
20 2,378 2,331 60 593 2,967
50 245 471
Not only mud but spacer contamination can also
lead to lower CS Development
WOC
 Should be based on compressive strength results from laboratory testing
– UCA or Crush Test
 50% safety factor should be applied over time recorded in lab
 Minimum 500 psi CS to tag or pressure test the cement plug
 Use CemCADE to predict the correct BHCT for UCA testing
 Most cases 12-24 hrs to build CS is a reasonable target
 Compressive strength should be tested with contamination between spacer
and cement besides mud
Horizontal Plugs
 Challenges
 Slumping
 Plug can’t balance
 Plug disturbed while POOH
Horizontal Plugs
 Mitigation
– Pump-and-pull method with DP or coil tubing
– Sacrificial Tubing
– Enough cement volume compensate for slumping
– Mechanical retainer or viscous pill at bottom
– If possible place TOC in inclined section (not horizontal)
– POOH extremely slow
– High yield point of slurry( ~30 lbf/100ft2)
– Zero free water and stable slurry
– String rotation for 360 degrees coverage
– Design of spacer with density close to slurry

Fluid exchange at 45° in 8”

pipe over 180 sec
Ref: SPE 56959
Reasons for Cement Plug Failures
 Lack of hardness (sidetracking).
 Poor isolation (plug back, abandonment).
 Wrong Depth (all plugs).
 Not in place due to sinking to the bottom (all plugs).
 Not in place due to loss to thief zone (lost circulation).
 Not in place due to fluid swapping between cement and fluid underneath.
Cement Plug Failures - Soft Cement or TOC too Deep
 Well Condition  Slurry Design
– Deep hole – Incorrect ramp time to temperature and
– Inaccurate open hole size estimation pressure for lab testing
– Inaccurate slurry design and lack of
– Inaccurate drill pipe ID
hardness
– Incorrect temp. and pressure estimation
– Losses, wellbore instability, potential flow
 Poor Client Communication
zone, etc – Drilling out too soon
– WS placement recommendations not
 Placement Technique and Design: followed
– Contamination with mud and/or spacer:
while in the pipe, annulus or during  Execution:
POOH – Job is not placed as designed by the WS
– Contamination with base fluid (HVP..etc.) team on the rig: small deviations of fluid
– Plug sinking through a lighter wellbore volumes, fluid densities, additives
fluid or lack of a competent base concentrations
– Losses due to high ECD while reversing
Cement Plug Failures - Cement Left in Pipe (CLIP)
 Very high cement gel strength development
 Longer pull-out time than expected
 Absence of circulation during the pull-out resulting in leaving the cement in
static condition for a long time
 Fluid contamination that accelerates gel development and/or decrease cement
thickening time
 Inaccurate estimation of BHCT from a BHST higher than expected or not
enough circulation prior to the job
Reasons for Failure Can be Traced to the Following
 Slurry not designed for enough compressive strength
 Not enough WOC time
 Inaccurate BHST
 Cement contamination during displacement and POOH
 Slurry not designed for the specific problem (lost circulation)
 Not enough volume of cement or spacer ahead for mud removal
 Difference between cement and hole fluids' densities too high, causing the
plug to sink
Techniques to Improve Plug Success
 Use of Cement Stinger  Sufficient Spacer or Wash
 Centralization of the Work String  Workstring movement (rotation
 Use of Diverter Tool preferred)
 Competent Base for plug  Allow ample time for the cement to
– Viscous Pill set.
– Mechanical Support  Use a drill pipe plug and a plug
 Condition the mud catcher (PPT)
 Module  Use CemCADE Plug Placement
 Use of Plug Placement Advisor*  Use PlugAdvisor
(Cement plug placement
optimization software)
Techniques
Good Poor

9.0 lb/gal Mud

Spacer

16 - 17.5 lb/gal
Cement

Bentonite Pill

9.0 lb/gal Mud

Plug Cementing
Calculations
Plug Calculation
Drillpipe/tubing

L
Ls
sp2
Spacer
TOP
Cement
L
Lcmt
c

BOTTOM
Mud

Desired Plug At End of Displacement

Plug Calculation - Example
Drill pipe/tubing
5” 19.5 lb/ft

O.H. 12 ¼”
L
Ls
sp2
Spacer
7000 30 bbl Water ahead

Lcmt
c
L

7500
Mud

Desired Plug At End of Displacement

Plug Calculation - Example
Plug Calculation - Example
Plug Calculation - Example
% Excess
Summary
 Purpose of setting a cement plugs
 Three different techniques for plug placement
 Advantages and disadvantages of each technique
 Balanced plug job procedure
 Job consideration
 Slurry properties to match plug objective
 Techniques to improve plug success
 Balanced plug calculations
Questions