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Quality Control

An important contributor to success


Collect all available data
Take time to analyze them thoroughly
Determine data gaps
Select treatment type
Design treatment
Test selected chemicals for the designed treatment
Select placement technique

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Presented on Oct. 18, 2001 West Coast PTTC Workshop
Quality Control (contd)

Compute pressure, time, and rate limits for the


treatment
Prepare (and clean) well for treatment
Monitor mixing of chemicals on site
Monitor job data during the treatment
Monitor fluid viscosity during the job
Note areas of improvement
Prepare a post-treatment analysis of results
Do cost/benefit analysis
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Presented on Oct. 18, 2001 West Coast PTTC Workshop
A Guide to Improved Conformance Treatment
The main reason for a conformance treatment is to increase flow of oil and gas by
reducing flow of un-wanted water. Many types of treatments and chemicals are in use by
the industry today. These range from a simple cement squeeze job for shutting-off water
break-through, to injecting complicated chemical mixtures in designated parts of the
reservoir to reduce their relative permeability to flow of water. Chemical formulation and
quality control of the injected fluids is therefore a very important part of the success of
the treatment.

A unique feature of conformance treatments is the critical importance of placing the


injected chemicals in the rights parts of the reservoir. Different placement techniques
include bullheading, use of packers and bridge-plugs for isolating parts of the wellbore,
and, dual injection and iso-flo techniques for controlling the fluid entry into the
formation. These treatments may be done with a workover rig, or rigless. The selection
impacts the cost of the treatment, as well as the details of the engineering design and
placement technique. Each of these require computation of injection rate, treatment
volume and time, and monitoring the surface fluid pressure to avoid fracturing the
formation or injecting it into the wrong parts of the formation, etc. All of them require
cleaning the wellbore before fluid injection to avoid damaging the reservoir.

Another important aspect of conformance treatments is avoiding use of chemicals which


can harm the environment. In addition to local and governmental laws regulating use of
these chemicals, many companies have their own more stringent in-house requirements.
Compliance with these regulations ensures doing business today and staying in business
tomorrow.

The foundation for successful control of un-wanted water flow is built on the following
information;

1. Oil and water bearing formation and reservoir data


2. Status of well completions and their integrity
3. Detailed analysis of production data
4. Well diagnostics, including borehole flow profiles
5. Proper selection of treatment types
6. Proper selection of treatment chemicals
7. Proper selection of placement technique
8. Detailed design of pumping schedule, including rates, pumping times, pressure
limits, etc.
9. Laboratory testing and validation of selected chemicals for specific formation
water and temperature, as well as treatment schedule
10. Well clean-up ahead of the treatment
11. On-site quality control of materials
12. Job execution according to plan
13. Post-treatment analysis of data for improvement of future jobs

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Daneshy Consultants International brings you many years of experience in design and
operations of water control treatments. Our experience spans the global oil and gas
operations, including US, Latin America, Western Europe and North Sea, Africa, Eastern
Europe, Middle East, Asia Pacific and Far East. Through our work in diverse global oil
fields we have learnt the specifics of different fields and are effective agents for transfer
of best practices. We have developed special checklists for reservoir and production data
collection, well diagnostics, and, for quality control of different phases of conformance
treatments. The checklists for engineering design and preparation phases provide a
comprehensive record of what is being planned and the associated results of laboratory
tests and engineering computations. They are also useful reminders of the important
elements of a successful treatment. The checklist for job execution is used to monitor job
progress vs. plan, and as a comprehensive record of its details. Our checklist for chemical
inventory records volumes of different chemicals on location before and after the
treatment, and the volume used at different times during the treatment. We also monitor
the level and viscosity of fluids held in surface tanks. Together, these checklists provide a
valuable record of the complete treatment. In addition to these, we also prepare a
comprehensive post-treatment report of the job, analysis of the production data to
determine cost effectiveness of the treatment, and special notes for changes in future
treatments to improve their outcome.

Types of Conformance Treatments

Conformance treatments can be divided into two general categories, mechanical and
chemical.

Mechanical Systems. Flow of water can sometimes be mechanically regulated from


within the wellbore. These can range from simple use of bridge plugs to isolate water-
producing parts of the wellbore to complex downhole tools to regulate flow of fluids
from clusters of perforation (flow control devices). The industry has developed systems
where all downhole controls can be automatically performed at the surface.

Chemical Systems. Chemical treatments are used either in conjunction with mechanical
systems or as complete solutions by themselves. These treatments can range from a
cement squeeze to pumping a complicated mixture of chemicals for modifying the
relative permeability of the formation to water.

Chemical treatments can be divided into three general categories;

Cement or Polymer Squeeze. In the simplest case, cement or polymer squeezes are used
for repair of cement channels outside the casing, plugging open natural fractures
connecting the water zone to the wellbore, shutting off a select cluster of perforations, or
closing off a specific portion of the borehole. Occasionally they are also used at the tail
end of a chemical treatment to prevent future flowback.

The main features of cement squeezes are their relatively low cost, ease of handling, and
the permanent nature of the treatment. Use of ultra fine cements increases the ability of

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the slurry to better penetrate into micro-annuli around the casing or inside small natural
fractures.

The advantage of use of polymers is in their higher liquidity and ability to penetrate
deeper into smaller size channels and pores.

Proper engineering design, well preparation, quality control of the materials, placement
details, and adherence to best practices for mixing and placement of these treatments
increases their operational and cost effectiveness.

Monomer or Polymer Treatments for Water Shut-off. Selective placement of these


chemicals in the watered-out parts of the reservoir will plug their permeability and
prevent flow of any fluid through them. Some of these treatments are based on reactions
between the injected fluid and reservoir water which result in formation of a very high
viscosity gel wherever the polymer has penetrated. Other treatments depend on delayed
cross-linking of the injected polymer after it has penetrated into the reservoir. The
chemical formulation of these systems is usually tailored for the specific reservoir water,
bottom-hole temperature, treatment duration, and the depth of penetration necessary to
achieve a cost effective treatment. Extensive laboratory testing usually precedes these
treatments to ensure their suitability for the bottom-hole reservoir conditions and the
specific formation water composition.

Proper wellbore preparation and placement technique are also very important for the
success of these treatments. In the right parts of the reservoir these chemicals stop the
flow of water. In the wrong parts, they can stop the flow of oil or gas! Quality control is
therefore an essential ingredient of success.

Relative Permeability Modifiers. When in contact with the pore space of the formation,
these chemicals reduce its relative permeability to water, thus slowing its flow, without
appreciable change in the relative permeability to flow of oil.

Important aspects of these treatments are selection of proper fluid for the reservoir
temperature and water composition, job volume and injection rate and pressure, depth of
fluid penetration and cost. Placement technique is also very important. For one thing,
since the fluid may enter the oil producing part of the formation, it is very important to
clean the wellbore and prevent permeability damage from casing corrosion or scale.
Control of the quality of the injected fluid and its compatibility with the formation water
and lithology will help ensure effective use of the injected material. Special laboratory
tests are usually designed and performed in preparation for these treatments.

Contact Information
Daneshy Consultants International Phone: 281 584 9444
15995 N Barkers Landing, Suite 201 Fax: 630 839 5167
Houston Texas 77079 Website: www.daneshy.com
USA e-mail: alidaneshy@daneshy.com
darrell@daneshy.com

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Form 5 page 1 Exmaple of one of chechlists used for conformance quality control

Conformance Job Preparation


Date 9/28/01 D aneshy C onsultants I nternational Rep.
Operator Service Company
Operator Rep. Service Co. Rep
Well Name Well No. Location

Well Data
ID, in. OD, in. Packer Type Depth Perforations
Casing at surface Packer 1 From To
Casing at Perf. Packer 2
Tubing
Top of liner
Tubing vol. Gal
Vol. Below Packer Gal.
Annular vol. Gal.
Plug back depth
BHP, psi
BHT, oF

T reatment Fluid Data


Fluid 1 Fluid 2 Fluid 3 Fluid 4
Base Fluid Volume/ Volume/ Volume/ Volume/
Type Amount Type Amount Type Amount Type Amount
Chemical 1
Chemical 2
Chemical 3
Chemcial 4
Chemical 5
Chemical 6
Total Volume
Pump Rate
Pipe Time
Total Pump Time
X-linker Delay Time

Special Notes Regarding Fluids

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Form 5 page 2 Conformance checklist example cont'd

Conformance Job Preparation (2)


Date
Operator Well Name Well No.

Borehole Cleaning T reatment


Fluid 1 Fluid 2 Fluid 3 Fluild 4
Voulme/ Voulme/ Voulme/ Voulme/
Type Type Type Type
Amount Amount Amount Amount
Chemical 1
Chemical 2
Chemical 3
Total Volume
Pump Rate
Pipe Time
Total Pump Time
Special Cleaning Requirements Including Mechanical System:

Treatment Placement Data


Fluid 1 Fluid 2 Fluid 3 Fluid 4
Pumped in Tubing
or Annulus?
Total Volume
Pump Rate
Pump Time
Wait Time after
pumping

Special Placement Requirements

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Guide to Improved Reservoir Stimulation
The financial viability of oil and gas operations strongly depends on rapid production of
the hydrocarbons and increasing the recoverable reserves. Well stimulation is an integral
part and very important contributor to both enhanced production rates, as well as
increased total recoverable reserves.

As part of our fracturing treatment quality control monitoring we have developed


several checklists for recording and monitoring all of the different parts of a
fracturing treatment. They begin with job preparation and end with a post-
treatment analysis of the real-time data and fracture geometry computations, and
include all the different steps in between. An example of one of these checklists is
shown here for reference.
Daneshy Consultants International (DCI) brings you many years of experience in
Operations as well as Technology of well stimulation. Our experience spans the global oil
and gas operations, including not only North America, but also most other regions of the
world where fracture stimulation is applied. We have been pioneers of developing new
technology, and drivers of their effective applications in the industry. Through our work
in diverse oil fields we have learnt the specific requirements of different regions and are
effective agents for transfer of best practices.
An effective hydraulic fracturing treatment requires integration of many products and
processes. With the introduction of modern technology, equipment and products, this
integration has become very complex. Fracturing fluids are a complicated mix of
chemicals, which need to be mixed and blended in a specific sequence and concentration
to yield the desired properties to create the fracture and carry the proppant inside it.
During the pumping operation, in addition to mechanical integrity, the equipment should
inject the fracturing slurry in the prescribed manner with very minor deviations from
plan. Success of the whole treatment depends on the quality of execution of each
individual part.
The main elements of a hydraulic fracturing treatment are candidate selection, treatment
design, job preparation, execution, and post-job treatment report. Our quality monitoring
process includes steps taken during every one of these phases. We have prepared quality
checklists as a guide and reminder of action items.
Candidate Selection. Production response to fracturing depends on many factors, among
them formation permeability and porosity, lithology, mechanical properties, well
completion details, as well as stress distribution within the pay zone and adjacent
formations. Technologies involved are logging, well testing, completion design, rock
mechanics, etc. DCI provides clients with years of hands-on expertise in each of these
fields. In addition, we bring our past knowledge of the field and how different wells have
responded to fracturing in the past.
Treatment Design. The objective is to create a fracture with sufficient length and
conductivity to develop a change in flow regime and yield an economical production
increase. . The three critical elements of a design are selection of frac fluid and its

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additives; type, and size of proppant; and, the necessary volumes of each to create a
fracture with desired length and conductivity. DCI staff have pioneered development and
introduction of new technologies into the design process and have their own proprietary
software for this purpose which is not accessible outside.
Another critical part of the design process is ensuring that the planned treatment falls
within the clients budgetary limits. Our long operational experience gives us a unique
perspective on the various elements of cost; materials, equipment and people, and how to
effectively use these resources to maximize benefit to cost ratio.
Another ingredient of our service is our close working knowledge of the capabilities of
the Service Companies and how to effectively take advantage of their full competencies
for the benefit of the client.
Job Preparation. Preparation for a fracturing treatment is a very critical element of
success, but often its importance is overlooked. Some fracturing chemicals are very
sensitive to small impurities. Mix water can be a source for these. In some treatments it is
important to mix and blend the fracturing fluid from actual batches of chemicals that will
be used during the treatment to ensure they meet the required specifications. Often this
step requires laboratory testing. We collect, review and compile these results before the
job to ensure conformance to job requirements. Logistics is another important part of
preparation. When needed, issues pertaining to equipment availability and usage, material
handling, fluid delivery, equipment rig-up and personnel can be handled through direct
contact with the Service Company Field Engineer and Operations Supervisor. Through
their long operational experience DCI staff know how to work with the Service
Companies and make sure every item on the checklist is available on site during job
execution.
Job site visits are often useful for determining best set-up of equipment and to enhance
safety during the job. DCI staff have the experience to review these issues and make
suggestion for enhancing job safety and quality of service delivery.
Job Execution. Quality control during job execution is the heart of a fracturing
operation. The key to success is attention to detail, ensuring that all materials are
prepared as planned, and mixed, blended and pumped as designed. The location of
storage tanks for liquid delivery must be such that fluid flow to the blender is not
restricted at any time. We make sure the equipment hook-up makes for smooth
changeover from one gel system to another, and the switch during the flush. We check
location of back-up blender and proppant storage to make sure they fit the job execution
plan. Equipment pressure testing is one of the items on our checklist. This includes the
steel lines to the wellhead as well as flow lines to the pit. Special emphasis is placed on
safety when using energized fluids (N2 or CO2).
Our many years of field experience have helped us prepare several effective checklists
for critical parts of the fracturing treatment. These are divided into two basic parts;
before, and, during the job. When needed, they are modified in advance to fit the
requirements of the specific job. During the job, we monitor use of different chemicals
and take fluid samples for immediate analysis, as well as testing after the job. We are

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available on-site for consultation and help when job progress deviates from plan. Our
emphasis is on monitoring and advice, not supervision.
There are several aspects of the fracturing treatment where quality deserves special
attention. These are listed below, together with a brief discussion of the impact of quality
on the treatment itself.
Fluid mixing quality. Fracturing fluid serves two main purposes, it creates the fracture,
and, it carries the proppant and places it inside the fracture. Poor quality fluid manifests
itself by either too little or too high friction pressure. All fracturing fluids, when mixed
and hydrated properly, reduce friction. High or low friction pressures can be indications
of:
1. Gel not hydrating properly; hydration too early or too late
2. Delayed cross-linker not functioning correctly
3. Non-uniform gel concentration, resulting in part of the fluid being more viscous
and some less viscous than planned
Poor quality fluid results in two outcomes;
1. Lesser quality frac job because fluid is not functioning as planned and therefore
the job is not progressing as planned
2. Complicating the analysis of the real-time job progress and making corrective
decisions to deal with the unexpected fracture behavior, thus further reducing frac
job production increase.
There are several tools and techniques available for fluid quality control. Best methods
use on-site sampling of the mixed fluid and measurement of its viscosity. In our post-
treatment analysis, we base our judgment on two factors, difference between laboratory
measured fluid friction pressures and the actual fluid used during the job, and, deviations
in friction pressure during the job from the statistical least square fit of the same data.
Proppant mixing quality. Since the production increase from a fracturing treatment
depends on the amount and concentration of the proppant inside the fracture, therefore it
is very important to mix and pump the proppant according to the designed schedule.
Addition of the proppant also increases the fluid friction pressure inside the tubing,
perforations, and also inside the fracture. Thus improper mixing of the proppant affects
the surface pressure recorded during the job.
Poor quality proppant mixing has several negative effects:
1. Less than optimum proppant distribution and flow capacity inside the fracture,
thus reducing the production increase.
2. Very poor quality mixing can result in slugs of high proppant concentration
getting blocked in the perforations or near the wellbore inside the fracture, thus
causing early job termination.

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3. Complicating analysis of the real-time job progress in a manner similar to our
discussion regarding fluid mixing.
We base our judgment on differences between the actual and planned proppant
concentrations.
Job pumping schedule. Most main treatments are designed to execute at a constant rate.
Variable rates are scheduled during step-rate tests with the intent of analyzing effect of
rate on surface pressures. Variations in injection rate change the fluid friction pressure,
and thus the observed pressure at the surface.
Poor pumping rate control has the following negative impacts:
1. During the mini-frac jobs, the intent of changing the rate is to study its effect on
surface pressure. This requires crisp changes, followed by steady pumping at the
new rate. If this does not happen, then it compromises the ability to do the
analysis as planned.
2. During the main frac job, changes in rate change the surface pressure, thus
making it difficult to analyze fracture behavior. Furthermore, changes in rate
require other associated changes in gel and additive mixing, and proppant, further
creating conditions which can result in poor quality elsewhere.

Data acquisition equipment. Todays jobs use computerized hardware and software for
display and control of job progress. These are also used to perform real-time
computations of job parameters, mostly to project the surface recorded data to bottom-
hole conditions. Good quality equipment is essential for successful job execution.

Post-Job Treatment Report.


The post treatment report will be completed immediately following the job. The report
will contain the checklist, comments on the job performed as compared to design, and a
preliminary analysis of the effect of any deviation from design. The report will be a
document for evaluation of the procedure, the gel system, the equipment, and the well
completion. A review of the entire process will highlight areas for improvement for
future work.
Post Treatment Analysis of Real-Time Data
Design of hydraulic fractures is always based on the assumption of smooth and trouble-
free job execution, with a constant injection rate and a predictable pressure variation
during the job. Actual hydraulic fractures never satisfy these assumptions!
In the past the state-of-the-art technology was unable to design the treatment such that the
actual and computed fracture behaviors matched each other. The result was a disconnect

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between the two. Post job analysis has usually been limited to qualitative description of
events during the job.
A new proprietary analysis technique developed recently by DCI is capable of using the
actual data collected during the treatment for diagnostic as well as computational
purposes.

Obstruction Theory in Hydraulic Fracturing


The three main causes of deviation between the designed and actual hydraulic fractures
are; restrictions to proppant and fluid movement at or near perforations, restrictions or
lack of fracture height growth, and, restrictions to proppant movement inside the fracture
due to branching and non-uniform fracture surfaces. Some of these can cause rapid
premature job abortion or screen-out, while others persist for some time while fracture
seeks an alternate route for extension. Other causes such as formation anisotropy also
create deviations between theoretical and actual fracture behavior, but the magnitude of
their effect is much smaller.
Obstruction Theory in Hydraulic Fracturing provides a mathematical expression for the
growth of the fracture in the presence of these obstructions. It allows computation of
fracture width and length in such a way that the created and theoretical fracture behaviors
are exactly the same. The analysis results show an irregular fracture growth pattern and
point out the portion of the treatment volume which is contributing to production and the
portion that is not. The statistical method allows direct determination of fluid friction
pressure inside the wellbore, perforation friction pressure, perforation wash in the case of
limited entry treatments, and many other diagnostic results which will help improve the
outcome of the treatments.
The application of this theory has led to three new and innovative developments in
hydraulic fracturing;
1. Post treatment analysis of real-time data. The results are usually used to determine
the type and size of fractures created and determines what changes are needed in
order to get the desired fracture geometries and production increases.
2. Analysis of several fracturing treatments in a given field to identify pervasive
obstructions to fracture growth and develop ways of preventing or sidestepping
them in the future.
3. Real-time analysis of fracturing data. In this manner the frac operator gets a
continuous view of job progress and warnings of impending problems early
enough to be able to make real-time decisions.

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Comparison of fracture geometries computed with the new method gives very good
agreement with the numbers computed from analysis of production data. This points out
that the new method is substantially more realistic in its computations of fracture
dimensions

Closing Notes
With the treatment complete, it is time to use the lessons learnt for future design.
Daneshy Consultants International can complete the entire cycle of quality
improvement to give you, the customer, a greater return on investments

Contact Information

Daneshy Consultants International Office: 281 584 9444


15005 N Barkers Landing, Suite 201 Fax: 630 839 5167
Houston Texas 77079 Website: www.daneshy.com
USA e-mail: alidaneshy@daneshy.com
darrell@daneshy.com

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Form 1 page1 An Example of one of checklists for fracturing quality control

Job Preparation
Date 8 22 01 D aneshy C onsultants I nternational Rep.
Operator Service Company
Operator Rep. Service Company Rep
Well Name Well No. Location

Well Data

ID, in. OD, in. Packer Type Depth Perforations


Casing at surface Packer 1 Rtts From To
Casing at Perf. Packer 2 BP
Tubing
Top of liner
Tubing vol. Gal 0
Vol. Below Packer Gal. 0
Annular vol. Gal. 0
Plug back depth
BHP, psi
BHT, oF

Pre-Job Review
Safety Topic

Type/Name Quantity Units Rate: bpm


Base Fluid Fluid Pipe Time, min.
Salt Crosslinker delay, min.
Buffer 1 Total Pump time, hr: min.
Buffer 2 Max. Prop. Conc., #/gal
Bactericide
Gel
Crosslinker
Fluid loss additive
surfactant
proppant
Fluid Discussion:

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Form 1 page 2 Example checklist cont'd

Job Preparation (Cont'd)


Date
Operator Well Name Well No.

Equipment Review
HHP requirement Standby HHP
Blender requirements
No. of Frac Tanks
Blender Suction Hookup Discussion
No. of hoses from each tank No. hoses to blender
Proppant delivery system discussion:
No. of tanks (Prop) Rate of prop per unit (lbs/min)
Discharge from Blender to pumps discussion:

High Pressure discharge to wellhead discussion:

Wellhead fangled description


Manifold Y/N Number of lines to wellhead
Size of high pressure lines Description
Wellhead protection tool Y/ N size/description

Energized Fluid Review:


Volume of gas required Type gas
Rate (scf/bbl)

Discussion of flowback and iron rig-up

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Quality Control for Successful Cementing

The idea of cementing steel casing in a drilled hole to construct a conduit from the surface
to the hydrocarbon reservoir has been a long established practice in the industry. The
methods and materials used have become more sophisticated as technology has advanced
the chemical design of the cementing material. Cementing procedures have also become
more integrated in the overall drilling process. The importance of engineering design for
the specific well conditions, the economics of the application, and on-site quality control
of the cementing job cannot be overemphasized. The failure to isolate the productive
interval during the primary cementing job will reduce the economics of the well by
production of unwanted fluids, uncontrolled stimulation treatments, inadequate reservoir
evaluation, and possible loss of the productive hydrocarbons into other zones.

Daneshy Consultants International (DCI) staff have a long history of hands-on


experience with technology of cementing materials and equipment, and their successful
field execution. Our extensive operations skills and experience is our main strength and
give us a unique ability to quality control the cementing process from design through
execution. Checklists have been developed to guide and monitor the procedure and
to record data. These checklists are important in the quality improvement process.
An example of one of these checklists is attached here for information.

Cementing applications can be classified into three separate categories. 1) Primary


cementing 2) Remedial cementing and 3) Wellbore cement plugs.

Primary Cementing. The principal function of primary cementing is to support the


casing, control wellbore pressures, and most importantly, isolate the producing interval
from adjacent zones. A successful cementing job is essential for deriving best value from
a reservoir. Planning and design, laboratory testing of candidate slurries, and job
execution are all equally important for the success of a primary cementing job.
Temperature, mud density, and depth are the starting points in the design. Other
parameters to address are the specifics of mud removal, cement slurry density,
rheological properties of the mud, spacer and cement, effect of temperature on pumping
time and compressive strength, fluid loss control of the slurry, gas migration during
transition period of the slurry, and many other issues. The original design may be
modified during the testing process to assure the desired results. The testing procedure to
achieve the pumping time, compressive strength and other fluid properties required for
successful placement of the slurry can be complicated and time consuming. In addition to
the testing for design purposes, prior to job execution all critical cementing jobs should
have a verification test conducted on the actual materials that will be used on the job.

The execution of mixing and pumping of the slurry must be nearly flawless. The starting
point for effective execution is equipment checks on the job site. This includes surface
and subsurface equipment. The DCI staff understand the necessity of verification of the
downhole casing equipment and the correct matching of casing wiper plugs as well as the
surface hookup of the plug container. The surface mixing and pumping equipment must
be inspected to assure proper delivery of material and water to the system, and good

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operating condition of all equipment. The rate of mixing and pumping should be
maximized to improve mud removal, without exceeding the breakdown pressure of the
formation. The breakdown of the formation while cementing will generally mean a poor
quality primary cementing of the casing. The pumping rate is based on calculations using
the hole and casing size, frac gradients, fluid densities, and rheological properties of the
fluids. The calculation must support conditions observed during drilling. A complete
quality control cementing program will greatly increase the success ratio on primary
cementing.

Remedial Cementing. If for any reason the primary cementing has not been successful,
or when well repairs are required due to other conditions (casing failures, perforation
abandonment, etc.), then remedial cementing is used to establish formation isolation and
wellbore integrity. The slurry designs for these treatments are somewhat different than
the primary cementing. The use of spacers to protect the cement slurry from
contamination, and control of slurry fluid loss are important issues in the design. The
time required to place the cement and circulate out the excess slurry will determine the
design pumping time of the cement. To successfully accomplish a remedial cementing
job one must be experienced in the operation of the rig, the mud system, the cementing
material design and testing, down-hole tools used in the operation, the mixing and
pumping equipment, and other factors which influence the ability to get the cement to the
proper location in the well. As in the design of the primary cementing, the laboratory
testing of the cement slurry is a very critical aspect of the process. The quality control
check of the equipment is as important as in the primary cementing job, although less
equipment is generally used for the procedure.

Wellbore Plugs. Main applications of this process is to place a cement plug inside the
hole to either isolate two sections of the borehole, to force the drill bit to one side of the
hole in the case of side tracking, to abandon the well, etc. Although the industry often
views these applications as simple and straight-forward, failure to successfully execute
them can be very costly to the Operator, especially when they cause delays in the drilling
process. Attention to cementing best practices and details during the planning, slurry
design, and job execution will ensure success. The job mechanics and well preparation
have a big influence on achieving a successful plug. The mechanical movement of the
pipe during cement slurry placement aids in removing the drilling mud and reduces the
contamination of the cement. Contamination of the cement slurry with mud can have
major effects on the setting time and cement compressive strength. Other areas of
attention are the use of spacers or flushes to assist in the mud removal, and a cement
slurry that will develop high compressive strength. The cement lab testing and the
equipment review are as essential to these applications as they are to the primary or
remedial cementing.

All successful cementing applications require a specific sequence of steps that must be
understood and followed. These include casing design to address the many issues of
depth and hole conditions, cementing slurry designs, testing of these slurries using
specific batches of cement and additives, selection of spacers and flush fluids,
centralization of the casing, selection of floating equipment, possible use of multi-stage

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cementing tools, casing running procedures, casing movement during cementing,
preparation of cement mixing equipment and their hook-up to mix the selected slurry in
the field, proper manifolding and linking of the equipment on-site, and making sure the
slurry is pumped according to the plan. Once a cement slurry is mixed on location the
setting process begins. Every single aspect of the placement has to proceed exactly
according to plan to avoid costly consequences of cement setting in the wrong place!

Daneshy Consultants International will design the slurry, establish the lab test criteria
with the Service Company lab, verify the results, and follow up the preliminary lab test
with tests on samples of the bulk blend of the cement. Our staff are fully skilled to
understand the significance of each step in the cementing process and capable of making
critical recommendations involving the mixing and pumping equipment, downhole tools,
and placement techniques on site.

When performed correctly, the cementing process is not a major expense item. But when
a failure occurs, it can become very costly. Our quality checklist for cement testing
results, on-site inspection of the equipment, and help on other operational issues such as
safety will benefit the Operator with a successful cementing job. Our knowledge of the
needs of the Operator and how Service Companies work provides a win-win environment
for all parties concerned.

Daneshy Consultants International will provide a report on the completed work and will
give recommendations on the areas needing improvement. We will improve your success
ratio and save you money.

Contact Information

Daneshy Consultants International Office: 281 584 9444


15995 n barkers Landing, Suite 201 Fax: 630 839 5167
Houston TX 77079 Website: www.daneshy.com
USA e-mail: darrell@daneshy.com
alidaneshy@daneshy.com

Daneshy C-3
Consultants
International
Form 5 page 1 An example of one of the checklists for cementing services

On-Site Quality Control and Cementing Procedure


Date:
Name Representative Telephone No.
Operator 0 0 0
Service Co 0 0 0
D aneshy C onsultants I nternational 0 0
Rig Name
Well name 0 Well number 0 Well Location 0

Well Data at Job Time


Type Job 0 TVDepth 0 Measured Depth 0
Size Capacity Log Static Gradient TVDepth
Temperature
Casing
Tubing
Drill pipe Density Type Name PV YP
Total Mud

Cement Data
Number of Water Ratio Unit Vol. Total Vol.
sk. (gal/sk) (cu.ft/sk) (cu.ft.) Cement Blend
Slurry 1
Slurry 2

Equipment Checklist
Size Thread General Appearance
Casing Swedge
Plug Container
Plug Container valves operate freely Y/N
Number of turns to fully extract pin to launch plugs
Plug release indicator operable Y/N
Red, bottom plug loaded in plug container Y/N
Black, top plug on the rig floor Y/N
Pressure test lines
Verify the mixing system is clean and functional
Verify fluid measuring tanks have no leakage
Inspect the bulk cement delivery system
Mixing water supply rate to cementing unit
Mud rate to cementing unit
Recorders operable
Densometer operable

Daneshy C-4
Consultants
International
Form 5 page 2 Example Checklist Cont'd

Date
Operator 0 Well name 0 Rig name 0
Well Number 0 Well Location 0

Job Procedure
Max.expected Max. allowed Max. Annular Max.Reversing
Pressure

Pressure Volume Rate Annular


Time Plan Actual Plan Actual Plan Actual Pressure Comments

Daneshy C-5
Consultants
International

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