Deepwater Cementing

What Makes Deepwater Different?

 Riserless drilling of top hole section

 Modeling and prediction of downhole temperatures
 Narrow margin between pore pressure and fracture
gradients
 Beyond the conductor
– Type of drilling fluids
– Drilling fluid rheology
– Tight clearances due to many casing
– Casing damage due to trapped fluid pressure
 General differences
– Cost of deepwater drilling rigs
– More planning required
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Deepwater Riserless Cementing

 Low seabed temperatures

 Narrow margin between pore pressure
and fracture gradients
 Shallow Water Flow (SWF) potential
 Gas hydrates
 Poor displacement mechanics

 What about ultra-deepwater?

– Further cooling effects
– Tighter fracture & pore pressure windows
– Increased trip times can increase mud gels

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Deepwater Riserless Solutions – BHCT & BHST
 Low temperature
– API temps not suitable
– WellCat modelling for slurry placement temps
– Consider effects of Heat of Hydration (HoH)
– Optimise TT & CS to minimise WOC
• Cement designs for low temps

Undisturbed Model (BHST)

MWD Measured Temperature
Gradient Prediction (API)
Model Prediction

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Deepwater Riserless Solutions – BHCT & BHST

 Summary of Temperature Study

– MWD / LWD BHCT’s frequently indicate BHCT well
above the simulated BHCT throughout the well.
– Predictions based on API tables are significantly
higher than simulated BHCT throughout the well.
• Over-predictions can affect the amount of retarder
and/or other additives required for a slurry.
• This can effect the set time of the cement based
on the use of additional additives and retarders.
• Incorrect temperature assumptions can ultimately
increase non-productive time.
Deepwater Riserless Solutions – Slurry Design

 Tight fracture & pore pressure window

– Low density slurries with low viscosity
• Tuned Light / Foam Cement / EconoCem

 Shallow Water Flow

– Cement with rapid transition time
• GasStop / FlowStop

 Gas Hydrates
– No documented cases of problems
cementing across formations
containing hydrates
• If risk is considered high, use
cement design with low Heat
of Hydration

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Deepwater Riserless Solutions – Mud Removal

 Poor Displacement Mechanics

– Mud removal should be analysed with
iCemSM Service
– If poor mud removal is a risk consider
ChannelSeal II
• Settable Spotting Fluid (SSF)
placed in the hole prior to running
casing
• Will set up faster when exposed to
cement’s HoH

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Managing The Interface

 Displacement Mechanics
– Gel strength measurements
– Aqueous and non-aqueous fluids
• Compatibility and wettability
– Erodibility models
– Rheological hierarchy
Non-Gelling Drilling Fluid A
Severely Gelling Drilling Fluid B
Specific Lab Testing for Non-Aqueous Fluids

 Apparent Wettability Apparatus and methodology have

been developed by Halliburton to provide the following:
– a simple, repeatable test that can be carried out in
any properly equipped cementing-service laboratory
– the study of emulsion behavior of spacer and mud
mixtures at any temperature up to 190°F
– a method for customizing surfactant blends on an
individual job basis for maximum performance and
minimum material volumes
– customization of phase inversion point for improved
compatibility
SBM containing a Water Phase and an Oleaginous Phase

Oil Phase Water Phase

Phase
Inversion
Water
Phase Oil Phase

Emulsifiers
Oil External Emulsion Water External Emulsion

Apparent Wettability Apparatus

Annular Fluid Expansion

 Fluid Trapped in the annulus at low temperature will

expand when exposed to the higher temperatures
encountered while producing the well.
 This pressure increase can be large enough to cause
severe casing damage
 Effective solutions:
– Leave cement short of previous casing
– Cement the entire annulus
– Controlled leak path or bleed port
– Compressible foamed fluids
– Syntactic crushable foam wrap
– Heavyweight casing design
Annular Pressure Buildup

Potential Pressure Increase on Trapped Annulus

due to Temperature Increase

12000
Tap Water
10000 10.3 CaCl2
10.3 CaCl2 & Foamed Spacer

8000
PSI

6000

4000

2000

0
40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180
Temperature
Foam Quality Vs. Pressure
Conclusions / Summary

 #1 time saver in deepwater:

– Do it right the first time!
• Proper planning
• Proper execution
• Follow best practices and industry standards
• Document lessons learned

 One squeeze job to remediate a poor primary cement

job in deepwater can cost > $1,000,000

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Case Histories / Best Practices

 “Deepwater Cementing Case History Using a High-

Strength Lightweight Blend” – DOT Conference
 “Deepwater Cementing Best Practices for Riserless
Section” – AADE-05-NTCE-70
 “Deepwater Cementing Challenges” – SPE 56534
 “Determination of Temperatures for Cementing in Wells
Drilled in Deep Water” – IADC/SPE 39315
 “Saving Expensive Offshore Deepwater Rig Time by
Modeling Accurate Subsea/Subsea-Floor Temperature
Modeling for Cementing Operations” – SPE 123738
 “The Importance of Hydration Heat on Cement Strength
Development for Deep Water Wells” – SPE 62894
 “Improved Deepwater Cementing Practices Help Reduce
Nonproductive Time” – IADC/SPE 99141
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Questions