CEMENT SLURRY DESIGN FOR WELL X-44 TRAJECTORY OF 13 3/8 INCHES

WITH OVERPRESSURE ZONE

Group 4
Petroleum Engineering Students UPNVeteranYogyakarta

ABSTRACT
Cementing operation is one of the most
important in drilling activities. Almost all
drilling cements are made of Portland cement, a
calcined (burned) blend of limestone and clay. A
slurry of Portland cement in water is used in
wells because it can be pumped easily and
hardens readily. Portland cements are usually
manufactured to meet certain chemical and
physical standards that depend upon their
application. In some cases, additional or
corrective components must be added to
produce the optimum compositions. Barite is a
heavy weigth additive that can used to increase
density of cement slurry. It is very usefull for
cementing
operation
when
working
at
overpressure zone to prevent contamination on
cement.
The purpose of this paper is to design
characteristics of cement slurry using barite to
depends at overpressure zone which on Well X44 that located the depth of 21,195 ft. Therefore,
barite as weigthing agent of cement slurry will
increase density of cement slurry, so that the
high- density cement can cope with high
pressure on the overpressure zone.
The outline of this paper is to determine how
much influence the function and the addition of
barite in the cement to cope with high pressure
zone, and get how many barite which can be
added to the cement slurry to cope with high
pressure in the overpressure zone, and also to
determine the volume of cement and water that
can be used.
PREFACE
Well X-44 is drilling by drill bit with diameter
of 17 inches until 2375 ft. As indications of
overpressure, it will require the installation of the
surface casing with a diameter 13 3/8 inches.
Drilling is known which is penetrating of
overpressure formation at the depth of 21,195 ft.
The lithology of formation is sandstone which
had over pressure of 2545 psi that is derived
from the underlying formation which are
fracturing and flow amount of gas to sandstone
formation. By Leak of test is known that
Fractured Pressure is about 3250-3500 psi. And
normal pore pressure is 0,456 psi/ft.

Its too risk to continue drilling operation

although using big mud density, so the driller
decide to isolation this zone by run surface
casing. The current well design can be shown in
Picture 1.

Picture 1
The current well design
As for run surface casing, we need to design
the cement slurry in order to hold the
overpressure whis associated with density of
cement slurry but still has another good
properties of cement such as rheolgy, filtration
loss and free water.
THEORY
Cementing Job
The basic principle of oil well cementing
involves displacing cement slurry down the
casing to a predetermined point in the well. The
slurry is formed by mixing water with Portland
cement, or with cement blended with additives.
This procedure controls gas/oil and water/oil
ratios, and is used in various types of liner jobs
and remedial work.
The casing must be cemented to exclude
water and other unwanted fluids. Cement slurry
is forced into the annular space between the
casing and the wall of the hole, where cement
can set and form a permanent barrier against
water and other fluids. Cement which is pumped
down to the casing and into the annulus
between the casing and wellbore is used as a
sealant to help protect:

 Casing and wellbore from external pressure

that could collapse the pipe or cause a
blowout
Oil and gas producing strata from extraneous
fluids
Casing from possible corrosion and
electrolysis caused by formation waters and
physical contact with various strata
Drillstring against loss in a key-seat or sticky
hole
Downhole production and drilling equipment
Pipe from
movement

the

stresses

of

formation

Cement also bonds the pipe to the formation

for support and minimizes the danger of
blowouts from high-pressure zones.
Cementing Job Mechanism
1.
2.

Mud Circulation (circulating mud to the

well bore)
Pressure Test (testing the leak of casing)

3.

Pumping Wash (pumping the brine water to

washing well bore)

4.

Pumping Spacer (giving a space between

mud and cement, usually use fresh water)

5.

Drop Bottom Plug (pushed by cement)

6.

Pump Lead Slurry (have a lower density

than pump tail slurry)

7.

Pump Tail Slurry (have a greater density

than pump lead slurry because pump tail
slurry related directly to formation pressure)

8.

Drop Top Plug (pushed by mud)

9.

Pump Displacement Fluid (pumping

cement to annulus by drop top plug and
mud)

10. Bumping Pressure (when top plug collided

the bottom plug)

11. Waiting on Cement.

Cement Properties
1. Density
In field operations, slurry density is
customarily monitored with a standard mud
balance. Density is defined as comparison
between weight of slurry and volume of slurry,
usually stated in lbm/gal.
2. Rheology
Rheology is concerned with the flow and
deformation of materials in response to applied
stresses. The equations which describe the flow
of any fluid are the equations of conservation of
mass, momentum, and energy.
3. Free water
Free water is a free water content which is
separated from cement slurry. Free water is
measured by taking 250 ml of cement slurry
which is waited for 2 hours. Normal free water is
less than 3,5 ml of 250 ml of cement slurry.
4. Filtration loss
Filtration loss is the loss of cement slurrys
filtrate into the formation which is permeable.
Filtration loss is measured by using filter press.
At primary cementing, filtration which is allowed
to occur is about 150-250 cc, while at secondary
cementing, it is about 55-65 cc. This
measurement is done by using screen sized 325
Mesh with pressure as much as 100 psi for 30
minutes.
Additives
1. Accelerators
Accelerators are added to cement slurries to
shorten the setting time and/or to accelerate the
hardening process. They are often used to offset
the set delay caused by certain other additives,
such asdispersants and fluid-loss control agents
(Odler et al., 1978).
Example : Calcium Chloride, Sodium Silicate,
Sodium
Chloride
(low
concentrations),
Seawater, Hemihydrate forms of gypsum, and
Ammonium Chloride.
2. Retarders
Cement-thickening time is slowed primarily to
allow the slurry to be pumped and displaced into
position before setting. Example : Calcium
Lignosulfonate,
Organic
Blends,
carboxymethylhydroxyethyl cellulose (CMHEC),
Borax, Sodium Chloride (in high concentrations),
and most fluid-loss agents.
3. Extenders
Cement extenders are usually used to reduce
slurry density, increase slurry yield, water
extenders, low density agregates, and gaseous
extenders. Example : Bentonite, fly ashes,

sodium silicate, microspheres, and foamed

cement.
4. Weighting agents
High density cement sluries are often
necessary to offset the high pressures that are
frequietly encontered in deep or abnormally
pressured fromations. Example : barite, hematite
or ilmenite, and/or salt dissolved in the mix
water.
5. Dispersants
Dispersant additives are used to decrease
cement
slurry
viscousity.
Example
:
Polynaphtalane sulfonate.
6. Fluid loss control agents
When a cement slurry is placed across a
permeable formation under pressure, a filtration
process occurs. The aqueous phase of the
slurry escapes into the formation, leaving the
cement particles behind. Such a process
iscommonly known as fluid loss. To accomplish
such a reduction in the fluid-loss rate, materials
known as fluid loss control agents are included
organis polymers, carboxymethyl hydroxyethyl,
latex additives, and bentonite.
7. Lost circulation materials
The loss of circulation during a primary
cementing job isa serious problem which usually
results in having to performremedialc ementing.
Circulation losses tend to occuring vuggy or
cavernous formations, and particularly in highly
fractured incompetent zones, which break
downat relatively low hydrostatic pressures.
Example : blocky-granular materials (walnut
shells, gilsonite, crushed coal, perlite-expanded,
and perlite-semiexpanded) which form bridges,
and laminated materials (cellophane flakes)
which form flake-type mats.
8. Special additives
- Mud decontaminants : silica flour is
commonly
used
in
cementing
compositions to help prevent loss of
strength.
- Radioactive tracers
- Dyes for cement
- Hydrazine
- Gypsum additives
Normal Pore Pressure
Formation pressure is the pressure of the
fluid within the pore spaces of the formation
rock. This pressure can be affected by the
weight of the overburden (rock layers) above the
formation, which exerts pressure on both the
grains and pore fluids.
Normal pore pressure or formation pressure
is equal to the hydrostatic pressure of formation

fluid extending from the surface to the surface

formation being considered. Normal pore
pressure is not a consant. Its magnitude varies
with the concentration of dissolved salts, type of
fluid, gases present and temperature gradient.
Over Pressure Formation
When a normally pressured formation is
raised toward the surface while prevented from
losing pore fluid in the process, it will change
from normal pressure (at a greater depth) to
abnormal pressure (at a shallower depth).
This process accounts for many of the
shallow, abnormally pressured zones in the
world. In areas where faulting is present, salt
layers or domes are predicted, or excessive
geothermal gradients are known, drilling
operations may encounter abnormal pressure.
Abnormal pore pressure (over pressured) is
defined as any pore pressure that is greater than
the hydrostatic pressure of the formation fluid
occupying the pore space. It is sometimes called
overpressure or geopressure. An abnormally
pressured formation can often be predicted
using well history, surface geology, downhole
logs or geophysical surveys.

Picture 2
Normal Pressure,
Abnormal

Pressure, and
Overpressure
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES
a. Density
1. Calibrate mud balance by:
- Clean mud balance
- Fill up the cup with water, put the lid on
the cup, clean the outside of the cup
- Put the mud balance back
- Put the rider at scale 8,33 ppg at
balance arm
- Take a look at the nouvo glass, see if
the buble is balanced, if its not
balanced yet, arrange the calibration
screw
2. Prepare the cement slurry which is going
to be measured.

3. Fill up the cup of calibrated mud balance

with cement slurry, close the cup by using
the lid, clean the outside of the cup.
4. Put the mud balance back, arrange the
rider until the nouve glass be balanced,
see the scale at balance arm. It will be the
value of cement slurrys density.
b. Rheology
1. Fill up the cup with cement slurry which
has been prepared till certain border.
2. Put the cup to its place, arrange its
placement scale so that the rotor and bob
will be gotten immersed into the cement
slurry till certain border.
3. Arrange the switch speed control at high,
so that the cup will be rotated till the dial
reading
reaches
balancing
scale
(constant). Note it as scale at 600 rpm
(C600).
4. Arrange the switch speed control at low,
see if the dial reading reaches balancing
scale (constant), note it as scale at 300
rpm (C300).
5. Calculated the value of plastic viscousity
(PV) and yield point (YP) by using these
equations:
P
= C600 C300
YP
= C300 - P
where:
P
= plastic viscousity, cp
C600
= dial reading at 600 rpm
C300
= dial reading at 300 rpm
YP
= yield point, lb/100 ft2
c. Free water
1. Fill up the measured cup with cement
clurry which has been prepared as much
as 250 ml.
2. Wait for 2 hours, so that will be free water
at the top of measured cup. Note it as
value of free water.
3. The free water which is formed is not
allowed to be more than 3,5 ml.
d. Filtration loss
1. Prepare the filter press, set the filter paper
at the bottom of cup before the lid. Put a
mesured cup above the cup to retain the
fluid filtrate.
2. Fill up the cup with cement slurry, close it
tightly using the lid. Allowed the air or N2
with pressure as much as 100 psi.
3. Note the filtrate volume at every 2 minutes
for the first 10 minutes, the at every 5
minutes for the next 20 minutes. Note the
filtrate volume at 25th minute.
4. Value of filtration loss will be known from
the filtrate volume which is retained in the

measured cup for 30 minutes of

experiments time. If the time is less than
30 minutes, filtration loss can be
calculated by this equation:
F30

= Ft

where:
F30
= filtrate volume at 30th minute, ml
Ft
= filtrate volume at t minute, ml
t
= time of experiment, minute
5. Stop the air or gas current. Pour the
residue of cement slurry into the breaker.

RESULT OF EXPERIMENT
Normal Pore Pressure = 1083 psi
Fractured Pressure
= 3250-3500 psi
Over Pressure at 21,195 ft = 2545 psi
slurry at 2700 psi (because overpressure is 2545
psi)
= 21,86 ppg
EMW fractured pressure
= 26,32 ppg
Calculation of weights of cement slurry (trial and
error method):
1. Weight of Barite = 40 grams
cement
= 15,6 ppg
C300
= 104 cp
C600
= 155 cp
Plastic Viscousity = 51 cp
Yield Point
= 53 lb/100ft2
2. Weight of Barite = 100 grams
cement
= 17 ppg
C300
= 93 cp
C600
= 120 cp
Plastic Viscousity = 27 cp
Yield Point
= 66 lb/100ft2
Filtration Loss
= 88 mL
Free Water
= 7 mL
By using interpolation method, to reach 21,86
ppg of density, we need 308,28 grams of barite.
Volume of cement slurry at annulus of
intermediate casing at 2275 ft
=
281,58
bbl
Volume of cement slurry at annulus of conductor
casing at 10 ft
= 1,769 bbl
Total Volume Slurry
= 283,349 bbl
DISCUSSION
In this well, we found an overpressure zone
which had 2545 psi of pressure at 21,195 ft. It
was bigger than normal pore pressure as big as
1083 psi at the 2375 ft of the depth. If we
continue our drilling although using a big mud
density, its too risky because there are amount

of gas. So we have to run the surface casing to

avoid effect of amount of gas.
Thus, we had to make a cement slurry with
21,86 ppg of the density. But its better to
consider another properties like viscousity,
filtration los, and free water of cement slurry. So
we also made an experiment of Plastic
Viscousity and Yield Point using Fann VG
Viscoumeter, Filtration Loss using Filter Press,
and Free Water. In this experiment, we used trial
and error method. Density of cement slurry was
increased by 40 grams of Barite (1st) and 100
grams of Barite (2nd) and at the end, it was
resulted our need of barite as big as 308,28
grams. But we didnt have much barite to get an
experiment.
Then, we had an experiment of PV and YP
using Fann VG Viscoumeter, and we get 27 cp of
Plastic Viscousity and 66 lb/ft2 of Yield Point from
second experiment. By those two experiments,
we can conclude that every additional of barite
can decrease plastic viscousity and increase
yield point. Because we had no datas about
pressure (P) and flow rate (Q) of pump slurry, so
we can not determine the range of PV and YP
which we had to use.
Continued to make an experiment of Filtration
loss using a Filter Press, and result as big as 88
ml of filtrate loss. Based on API standart, its
good to be used because its less than 200 ml of
filtrate loss. Hereafter, we made an experiment of
free water, and result 7 ml of water. Its too big
because the standart of API is 3,5 ml of 250 ml
of cement slurry. It proved that Barite can
increase of free water.
From this experiment, we get that barite can
increase density of cement slurry, decrease
plastic viscousity and increase yield point, no
effect with filtration los, and increase volume of
free water. To hold the overpressure, Density of
cement slurry is 21,86 ppg which is needed
308,28 grams of barite. Based on the result of
Free Water, its not safe because free water
cause our cement to be channeling and get
unexpected skin factor. It can decrease the
compressive strength of our cement, and if
compressive strength is decreasing, casing May
be collapse. It will be more safe to use barite but
it should add amount of fluid loss control agent

such as organic polymers, carboxymethyl

hydroxyethyl, latex additives, and bentonite.
CONCLUSSION
283,349 bbl is needed to bond between
casing and wellbore and between surface casing
and conductor casing. Cement should has a
density of 21,86 ml, the density is used to hold
the overpressure which is happened in
sandstone formation from fracturing in underlying
formation. So that for this formation, we use
308,28 grams Barite which has bigger SG than
another weighting agent. PV and YP should has
a value that turbulen flow making. Because there
is no caving so turbulen is a recommended flow
for this formation. And we absolutely use fluid
loss weighting agent because an increment of
Barite can increase free water excessively.
Filtration loss must be maintain, although an
increment of barite has no effect with filtration
loss. The drilling is safe if the density is
maintained above 21,86 ppg but no exceed
26,32 ppg.
SUGGESTION
To decrease free water, we can use water
reducer. Water reducers are special chemical ,
They are from the same family of products as
retarders. Water reducers offer several
advantages in their use, listed below:
reduces the water content by 5-10%
decreases porosity
increases strength by up to 25%
increases the workability (assuming the
amount of free water remains constant)
reduces the water permeability
reduces the diffusivity of aggressive agents in
the concrete and so improves the durability of
concrete
gives a better finish to surfaces
REFERENCES
1. Nelson,
Erik
B.,
Well
Cementing,
Schlumberger Educational Services, 1990.
2. Smith, Dwight K., Cementing, Society of
Petroleum Engineering Inc. : New York City,
1990.

ATTACHMENT
EXPERIMENTAL DETERMINATION
The well was drilled at 13 3/8 inches to the depth of 2375 ft, had gradient normal pore
pressure 0,456 psi/ft, fractured pressure 3250-3500 psi. In this well is identified in the depth
of 21,195 ft had overpressure zone which had a pressure of 2545 psi.
At the depth of 2375 ft,
Normal Pore Pressure
= Gradient normal pore pressure x Depth
= 0,456 psi/ft x 2375 ft
= 1083 psi
Fractured Pressure
= 3250-3500 psi
Over Pressure at 21,195 ft = 2545 psi
Because of Over Pressure, we use pressure above over pressure, its about 2700 psi, so
that:
slurry

=
= 21,86 ppg
EMW fracturedPressure

=
= 26,32 ppg
Then, normal density of cement slurry 15,623 ppg(1), thus we had to increase the density of
slurry which would use for the trajectory of 13 3/8 inches. Therefor we would add some
weighting agent to increase the density of cement slurry and we use Barite as weighting
agent.
For the calculation, it was used trial and error method:
Weight of cement slurry
= 600 grams
% BWOC of Barite
= 0,2 %
% WCR
= 46 %
First Experiment:
Weight of Barite
= 40 grams

% additive

=
= 6,6 grams
Total Volume of Water=

=
= 283,95 ml
Result of first experiment
cement
C300
C600
Plastic Viscosity

Yield Point

= 15,6 ppg
= 104 cp
= 155 cp
= C600 - C300
= 155-104
= 51 cp
= C300 - Plastic Viscosity
= 104 51
= 53 lb/100ft2

Second Experiment
Weight of Barite
= 100 grams
% additive

=
= 16,6 grams
Total Volume of Water=

=
= 295,92 ml
Result of second experiment
cement
C300
C600
Plastic Viscosity

= 17 ppg
= 93 cp
= 120 cp
= C600 - C300
= 120 - 93
= 27 cp

Yield Point

Filtration Loss
Free Water

= C300 - Plastic Viscosity

= 93 27
= 66 lb/100ft2
= 88 ml
= 7 mL

Then, to reach 21,86 ppg of density, we can use interpolation method:

x
100
40
21,86

17

15,6
=

=
(x-40) x 1,4
1,4x 56
1,4x
x

= 375,6
= 375,6
= 431,6
= 308,28 grams

Thus, to reach the density, we need 308,28 grams of barite.

Volume of Cement Slurry
Surface Casing (OD = 13 3/8 inches) Wellbore (Hole Diameter = 17 inches)
Length : 2375 ft 10 ft = 2275 ft
Volume of Slurry

=
= 281,58 bbl
Surface Casing (OD = 13 3/8 inches) Conductor Casing (ID = 19 inches)
Length : 10 ft
Volume of Slurry

Total Volume Slurry

= 1,769 bbl
= 281,58 bbl + 1,769 bbl

= 283,349 bbl