CEMENTATION TECHNIQUES

FOR HIGHLY DEVIATED

/HORIZONTAL WELLS
 DRILLING TECHNOLOGY SCHOOL
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Introduction

Most of the horizontal wells are generally completed without cementing. The
horizontal section is often completed as an open hole without some method of lining or
sometimes lined with a slotted liner, perforated liner or in some cases, wire wrapped sand
control liners. However in such wells, the formation rock must have sufficient integrity to
prevent collapse or sloughing, particularly when approaching depletion. Though the
horizontal section is not cemented but the cementation of the previous intermediate casing
is very critical as this is frequently highly deviated and achievement of good quality
cementation against this casing for proper zonal isolation is must for successful completion
of the well. This is because the primary motive of drilling horizontal drain holes in the
producing interval are to achieve improved productivity and the failure to achieve proper
zonal isolation in the upper cased off zones in such cases can greatly upset the production
economics because of reduced production of hydrocarbon and the need to dispose of large
quantities of unwanted fluids/gas. For this reason it is essential to achieve good
cementation against the highly deviated intermediate section for successful completion of
horizontal wells.

Completion Procedure

At present most horizontal holes are completed without cementing. The

horizontal section is often lined with a slotted liner, perforated liner or in
some cases wire wrapped sand control liners. In such wells, the formation
rock must have sufficient integrity to prevent collapse or sloughing,
particularly when approaching depletion. Very rarely can horizontal wells be
completed as an open hole without some method of lining. The previous
intermediate casing, which is frequently highly deviated, must have good
cementation. This is necessary to protect the intermediate string from

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produced fluids and to provide isolation between the upper cased off zones and
the lower producing intervals. Often, however, there are horizontal well
completion and production circumstances which dictate that casing must be run
and some form of isolation initiated. Some of these are listed below: -

i. When subsequent multi-interval stimulation treatments of the reservoir

are planned. (If stimulation is anticipated or may become a necessary, it
is essential that the hole be cased and cemented. Otherwise there is no
control of the stimulation treatment).

ii. When "gas coning" and "water coning" control problems are foreseen
due to the borehole penetrating or being too close to the gas cap or
water table. This may result from loss of directional control causing the
bore holes to meander or simply penetration of the gas cap prior to
entering the oil producing zone.

iii. When current producing intervals may require remedial cementing to

prevent unwanted water or gas break through.

In general, the practices adopted for completion of a horizontal well are

listed as below: (Figure -1)

1. Open hole.

2. Slotted/Perforated/Wire wrapped sand control liner completion.

3. Multizone isolation using ECP and selectively placed sections of slotted

liners.

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4. A totally cemented liner with selected perforations at different intervals.

Figure-1: A schematic of various completions

Techniques for horizontal well

Techniques for cementation

Basic cementing techniques used for vertical wells are applicable to

some extent to horizontal/high angle wells. Completion techniques in
horizontal wells have been variable, yet experts agree that same cementing
fundamentals are required as in a vertical well viz. a well-drilled hole, proper
centralization, mud conditioning to remove gels or immobile fluids before

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cementing, use of proper spacer/flushes, use of good cementing materials with

emphasis on solids-settling control and nil free water, and pipe movement
where possible. But there are some potential problems associated with
cementing of high angle wells e.g. the occurrence of mud channels on the low
side of the annulus and water channels on the high side of the annulus. The
most serious potential problem affecting deviated well cementing appeared to
be the deposition of solids caused by settling of weighting agents or drilled
cuttings from the drilling mud. Occurrence of continuous mud channels in the
annulus can prevent mud displacement and defeat the purpose of cementing i.e.
to surround the casing with a complete sheath of cement that prevents fluid
flow in the annulus. In high angle wells where the primary motive may be
improved productivity, failure of the cement to provide zone isolation can be
very expensive. Therefore, good primary cementing is essential for good
completions in high angle wells.
Cementing horizontal or high angle well bores can be accomplished with
high success rates by adherence to procedures that eliminate high side
communication channels caused by free water from cement slurry and low side
channels caused by deposition of settled solids. Large-scale lab studies and
field applications indicate that these channels are the major cause of failure of
primary cementing jobs in deviated well bores.
Methods for prevention of these channels falls into two categories:
 Proper handling of fluids: Requires attention to drilling fluid
properties, slurry design, slurry pumping rates and pre job simulation of
the fluid flow expected during the job.
 Mechanical devices/actions: Include pipe movement, correct
relationship between casing and hole size, use of various casing
attachments to clean sides of the hole and proper casing centralization.
PROPER HANDLING OF FLUIDS

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Drilling fluid properties

The most important aspect in achieving a successful cement job in any
well is the condition of the drilling fluid in the well bore. In vertical well
bores, by lowering the yield point of the mud and maximizing the pump rates
one could attain the highest mud-displacement efficiency. However, study of
deviated well cementing suggested that high yield point mud was required to
prevent solids settling and that low yield point mud deposited solids to such an
extent that complete mud displacement could not be achieved.
Large scale research to determine the effect that the rheology of the
drilling mud had on the displacement efficiency has resulted in values for a
drilling fluid yield point, measured at ambient (72 F) conditions, which
will control settling of debris to the low side of the annulus when pumped
in laminar flow 3 . Initial test conducted at 85  from vertical resulted in the
data presented in Table 1.

Table 1: - Drilling fluid yield point variation,

85  deviation

Yield point at 72 F Bottom half displacement

Efficiency (%)

4 23
6 14
9 50
17 79
23 58
25 67
28 99
36 100
47 100

At a yield point of 28lb/100 sq. ft, the solids channel was eliminated.
However lowering the value to 25 lbs/100sq.ft resulted in only 67% bottom

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half efficiency. Test were then conducted at 60  deviation to note what

effect angle would have on settling rate. At this angle a lower minimum
yield point (20 lbs/100 sq. ft) was required to provide solids transport
(Table 2).
Table 2: - Recommendations for minimum drilling fluid yield
point as a function of angle.
Angle Yield point at 72 F

45 15
60 20
85 28
90 30
A summary of the data collected to date has led to two major conclusions: -
1. There appears to be a thresh hold value of mud yield point below which
a continuous solid channel will occur.
2. The yield point value required preventing this channel from forming
decreases with a decrease in deviation angle.

Cement Slurry design

Several cement slurry properties need to be considered for successful

cementing. But two of the most important properties to be considered for
deviated/horizontal well bore cementing are slurry stability and fluid loss.

Slurry stability
Stability of the cement is always important, more so in a deviated well bore. Two
properties determine the stability of the slurry i.e. free water and sedimentation. It is well
known that good displacement practices minimizes the occurrence of inter zonal
communication channels, which are produced when cement bypasses the mud during

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primary cementing. Perhaps not so well known is the fact that communication channels can
also be created after the cement has been displaced but while it is still fluid. This channel
arises from cement slurries that are unstable and causes sedimentation and production of
large quantities of free fluid when static.
However, unstable slurry may also cause zonal isolation problem in vertical wells
but it will be particularly harmful in a deviated or horizontal well. In vertical wells, any
free water released by the cement will migrate to the top of the cement column, resulting in
potential formation of fluid channels and poor well bore isolation. Unless the free water
generation is very high, this effect does not greatly influence isolation in vertical well. In
high angle wells where the top of cement column runs the full length of the well bore, the
free fluid can collect along the high side of the annulus and sedimentation can result in a
highly porous, low strength & low density channel (Fig-1), which in turn may contribute to
zonal communication and gas migration.
Therefore by designing stable slurry the risk of annular communication and gas
migration can be minimized. Although free water and sedimentation can occur together
yet, one can occur without the other. Therefore testing should be conducted to assure that
neither occurs.

Figure-2: Effect of slurry stability on annular isolation

in High angle wells

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Free water

Free water should be maintained at zero. The earlier API procedure for
measurement of free water percentage at ambient conditions was illustrated to
be inadequate for horizontal/high angle well conditions. Slurries which are
tested to have close to 1% free water at ambient conditions were shown to have
as much as 7% when tested under heated deviated condition. The most realistic
evaluation can be made by preconditioning the slurry to bottom hole
circulating temperature and pressure for a simulated placement time and then
pour it into a test cylinder-deviated to at least 45 0 angle and placed in a oil
filled heating chamber maintained at BHCT throughout the duration of testing.
This realistic procedure for free fluid determination has been incorporated in
the latest API Recommending Practice for Testing Oil Cements API RP 10B,
1997.

Sedimentation

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Even after designing for 0% free water, it is recommended that slurry

sedimentation tests be may conducted since settling of solids from the slurry
may still be a problem even though no free water is present. However no
method was available to determine the stability of slurry at elevated
temperature and pressure in the earlier API testing procedures.
In view of the above difficulty and because of a large number of high angle wells
are being drilled in ONGC, IDT has developed apparatus and testing facilities for
determining the stability of cement formulation at simulated bottom hole conditions as per
a method invented by BP which is also recently being incorporated in the API testing
procedures API RP 10B, 1997. In this method, the cement slurry is allowed to set hard,
permitting measurement of both free fluid and density variation along the length of the set
cement column. The apparatus for testing of stability of cement slurry consist of a brass
tube (Height= 200mm and I.D = 25mm) that is split into two halves so that the set cement
column can be removed. The two halves when closed and screwed into a brass base
becomes a leak proof cylinder which can hold cement slurry for allowing it to set under
simulated bottom hole condition in a curing chamber. A brass lid which is screwed at the
top of the tube prevent the cement column top from being disturbed while allows the
pressure in the curing chamber to be communicated to the cement slurry via a groove on
the under side of the lid (Fig-3). The dimensions of the settling tube were chosen so that
the test could be performed with convenience in the standard laboratory equipment and
also to be of sufficient size to allow clear distinction between stable and unstable
cementing formulations.

Figure –3: Settling tube

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TESTING PROCEDURE

 Condition the slurry by applying the pressure and heat as per the thickening time
schedule which most closely simulates actual field conditions.
 Poured the cement slurry in the settling tube which is preheated to 85 0C in the
curing chamber.
 Heat up the tube to the desired BHCT in curing chamber under sufficient pressure
to prevent boiling of the slurry.
 Cured for minimum 24 hours or until set.
 Free water and settling determined by observing the difference in the level of the
cement column before and after curing and by determining the density of the top,
middle and bottom portion of the set cement. The variation in density from the top
to the bottom of the tube gives a clear identification of the amount of settlement

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experienced. For high angle wells this variations must be less than 1.5% of the
design density.
The BHCT is used as the test temperature since settlement can only occur while the
cement is fluid. These development of the slurry stability testing facilities has now made
possible design of a stable slurry at elevated temperature and pressure condition which will
be of immense value in achieving zonal isolation in deviated wells.

Fluid loss

Fluid loss control is particularly important in ERD/Horizontal wells,

because slurry exposures to long permeable sections are more extensive than in
vertical wells. Loss of mix water from the slurry, during displacement, will
reduce the slurry’s thickening time and increase its viscosity. As the slurry
losses water it will lay down a filter cake, against the permeable formation
wall. If uncontrolled, this will change the flow regime of the slurry from the
calculated one to some unpredictable alternative and may result in excessive
ECD being experienced during displacement. Low fluid loss rates are
necessary to preserve the carefully designed rheological properties of the
slurry. To reduce the amount of fluid loss from the slurry to the permeable
reservoir section, API fluid loss of less than 80ml/30min tested with a
differential pressure of 1000psi and at bottom hole temperature is desired. 3
Other slurry properties

Cement slurry should have higher gel and yield strength than the mud
unless this prohibits use of turbulent flow. Density control of the slurry and
uniform additive concentration are particularly important to assure that the
cement properties will be consistent through out the cemented interval. Batch
mixing of the slurry should be performed if possible.

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Mud Circulation

Mud circulation prior to cementing is as important in horizontal

wellbores as it is in conventional wells. Proper circulation at the highest
allowable pump rate is necessary to break the gel strength of the mud, and
facilitate its removal by the displacing fluid. As in conventional wells,
circulation should be at least “bottoms up” (but preferably two hole
volumes), and should be continued until a minimum of 95% of the
circulatable mud is moving. Turbulent flow should be maintained provided
formation breakdown pressures are not exceeded. This can be verified with
computer simulators.
The use of top drive drilling system (TDS) is almost mandatory to
provide adequate hole cleaning in highly deviated and horizontal wells. The
TDS provides the ability to reciprocate and rotate the drill stem during
circulation for improve hole cleaning when conditioning the hole prior to
pulling out of the hole.

Spacers and flushes

Correct use of spacers and flushes is required for the most efficient
cement placement. The most effective results are obtained where large
volume of low viscosity spacers and flushes are pumped ahead of the
cement slurry. Experimental results indicate that a 40 bbl water spacer
resulted in 94% efficiency on the low side, where as a 40 bbl viscous
spacer attained only 66% efficiency. The additional flow energy at
equivalent rates makes the thinner fluids more effective due to their
turbulent action. Also the degree of centralization affects the velocities of
these spacers and flushes in the narrow side of the annulus. This low-side
velocity must be determined to characterize spacer efficiency for low side

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solids cleaning. The following points are recommended when considering

water based drilling fluid removal.

 Provide 8-10 minutes contact time

 Use thin turbulent flow fluids
 Use reactive fluids (optional)

However if the well control point of view prohibit use of a non-

weighted spacer system then the design chosen for the weighted turbulent
flow spacer system should have minimal settling at high deviated angles.
Un-removed low side solids channels and cement slurry channeling will
probably result if the design is not correct.

Flow rate

Several studies have shown that regardless of flow regime present, the
higher the annular velocity, the better will be the displacement efficiency.
Maximizing flow rate during the cement job contributes to hole cleaning and
cement placement. Test data in the below mentioned table shows the effect of
velocity in displacement efficiency when displacing a 12ppg water base mud
with a 16.8ppg cement slurry.

Table – 3: Effect of velocity

Rate bbl/min Displacement eff. (%)
1 48
4 75
7 98

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Not every case will be this dramatic, but when holding all factors
constant except flow rates, increasing the flow rate causes increase in
displacement efficiency. Even though higher annular velocities are desired, it
is equally desired not to break down the well bore with excessive circulating
pressure. It is recommended that a pre job cement placement simulator be run
to optimize flow rates for these jobs so that well bore integrity is maintained.
Optimal placement of cement slurry for casing protection and zone
isolation requires enhanced planning of cement placement operations. Correct
physical and chemical design of all fluids (drilling fluid, spacer and cement)
pumped in the annulus does not completely guarantee adequate placement.
Thus the higher completion cost of horizontal/ERD wells with possibility of
greatly increased production warrant the use of a cement job simulator as a
design tool. Using the program prior to actually conducting a job can identify
any problems (such as lost circulation or fluid invasion) before they occur, and
provide an opportunity to modify the planned design. The simulators generate
critical information that provides the most efficient design of surface flow
rates, therefore allowing maximum mud removal downhole. Information
required for this analysis includes all fluid properties and well bore
geometries (casing and hole sizes, deviation and depths) as well as location
and value of weak formation zones. The program output provides downhole
circulating pressures at critical zones of interest through out the job, and
accounts for free fall and predicts flow rate out of the well with a given
input rate.
MECHANICAL DEVICES/ACTIONS

Centralization

Centralization is essential to provide an annulus with open flow paths. If

the casing is not centralized, the pipe will trap mud against the low side of the

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hole. Casing centralization which is a major factor in vertical well bore

cementing is even more important in deviated holes because the loads acting
on the casing tend to force it to the low side of the well bore.
In horizontal/high angle well gravity force the casing against the side of
the hole, trapping the gelled drilling fluid beyond the ability of any practical
flow rate to remove it. More over hydrostatic forces no longer contribute to
the displacement process in the high angle section.
Laboratory test and field experience indicate that a minimum of 67% stand off is
necessary to remove mud adequately from the narrow side of the annulus 4. Laboratory
studies observed that when the API standoff becomes less than 67%, mud contamination
and poor displacement efficiency resulted despite careful control of mud, preflush and
cement slurry properties. As the stand off drops below 67%, the difficulty of mud removal
increases drastically. The difficulty of maintaining turbulent flow around an eccentric
casing is shown in fig -4. Therefore regardless of well geometry, a minimum API standoff
of 67% is recommended to obtain a sound cement job. This amount of clearance from the
well bore allows sufficient access around the casing for good mud removal and correct
cement placement. Casing centralization is difficult when the angle of deviation is high
because of the increasing load on the centralizers. However, when cementing liners, many
operators and several service companies recommend a higher standoff, in the region of
80%, to ensure of attaining competent cement sheath around the entire circumference of
the casing. As the deviation angle increases, the number of centralizers required, to
achieve these standoff figures also increases.

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Figure –4: Effect of eccentric casing on turbulent flow

To maintain optimum stand off, a rule of thumb is to keep the spacing

between the centralizers below 20 ft (6.1 m). However spacing between

centralizers should be calculated by using a computer model to achieve the

best performance and to keep drag to a minimum while obtaining a given

amount of stand-off. The well condition largely determines the choice of

centralizer. One type specially designed for horizontal loading, the rigid

centralizer, slip on type (Fig-5) is excellent when well bore diameter is

consistent throughout the hole. Consequently, bow type centralizers, designed

to adjust to changes in hole diameter, are somewhat superior in enlarged well

bores. However the bow type centralizers have to overcome the down hole

forces which include the weight of the pipe (which is lying on the low side of

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the open hole with little or no buoyancy) along with the weight of high density

cement slurry before it leaves the casing. This extra strain on the restoring

Figure – 5: Solid centalizer

force results in each centralizer contributing less to the “lift” of the casing or

liner from the low side of the well bore and sometimes may cause the

centralizer to collapse or embed also.

As a result, in extreme cases the standoff achieved may be dropped

below the minimum API recommendation. Because of this, the solid

centralizers that are not be limited by restoring forces, are mostly used in

highly deviated and horizontal wells.

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Pipe movement :

Movement of the pipe, during pre-job circulation and cementing, either

by reciprocation or rotation has long been accepted by the industry as

beneficial to primary cementing operations. The mechanical agitation created

due to moving the pipe has been shown to improve cuttings and filter cake

removal, and helps break down gelled pockets of mud. These advantages

continue to hold true when considering horizontal or highly deviated wells.

Because of this advantages pipe rotation and reciprocation are commonly

accepted methods for liner cementing in conventional horizontal and high

angle wells. Rotation is preferred in gauge holes because the rotational forces

on the fluid will cause it to be swept entirely around the annulus and thus

providing a mechanical means of ensuring that cement is placed under the low

side of the pipe. Reciprocation is an acceptable alternative, and should be used

in washed out holes as it provides the fluid velocity and pressure surges to

help break up gelled mud in washout zones.

However reciprocation in high angle wells raises a number of risks

including, high slack-off drag, which may prevent the casing from returning to

bottom, perhaps leading to a liner not being set where designed . In addition,

surge pressure greatly in excess of those experienced while running casing

may be countered and in long casing strings, movement at the drill floor may

not be transmitted to where it is needed due to pipe stretch. For this reason

worldwide, most liners in high angle/ horizontal wells are only rotated by use

of rotating liners. In addition, when the casing/bore hole relationship is

severely eccentric as is the case in most high angle wells, rotation appears to

be more beneficial than reciprocation (fig-6). Rotation should be at 10 to 20

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RPM, and reciprocation should be in 10 to 20ft (3-6m) strokes, with one to two

strokes every one to two minutes. Movement should begin with initial mud

circulation, and continue until the final plug is bumped.

Figure –6: Effect of rotation in mud removal in high angle wells

The effect of pipe movement for settling type-drilling fluid

determined in laboratory at 80  deviations are shown below at table-4.
However, in case of a non-settling mud across permeable zone large-scale
experiments shows that pipe movement alone does not significantly
increase mud removal during cementing.
Table - 4: Effect of pipe movement

Type of Movement Bottom half displacement

Efficiency %
None 50
Rotation 100
Reciprocation 99
Rotation & Reciprocation 100

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However dramatic improvement was noticed in results obtained with

cable wall cleaners. In case of wall cleaners used with pipe movement mud
removal was almost complete (98%) where as with no mechanical cleaners
only 67% mud removal was achieved (Table-5). This finding is potentially
significant because in an actual well, settling of larger size drill cuttings on
the low side of the annulus is likely to occur even if other mud solids do
not settle out.

Table - 5 Pipe movement/cable wall cleaner testing

Non settling drilling fluid, 88  deviation

Type of movement Displacement efficiency %
Without With Cleaner
Cleaner
Rotation 69 86
Reciprocation 67 98
Rotation & Reciprocation 92 99

Operators have indicated that key to pipe movement with in a

horizontal/high angle well is correct centralization. Casing that is poorly

centralized can contribute to differential sticking, increased drag and excessive

torque values due to the increased contact with the well bore.

Casing/hole sizes :

Hole and pipe sizes greatly influence displacement efficiencies in any

well bore configuration. For vertical wells, the optimum annular clearance has

been suggested as 0.75 inch (i.e. 7" linear in 81/2 inch hole). In horizontal

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wells, however reduction in centralization due to gravitational forces of pipe

and heavier cement in combination with the lack of hydrostatic driving forces

make it necessary to enlarge this clearance for the best narrow side cleaning.

Testing has shown that at least 1.5 inch of annular clearance should be
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maintained (5” liner in 8.5” hole) for high angle wells. Normally this will

provide ample clearance for displacement (assuming minimum 70% stand off)

and maintain minimum frictional pressure. Because of the difficulty in

obtaining adequate standoff in high angle wells, operators recommended a

minimum annular clearance of 1.5 inch between casing & hole to achieve

adequate mud removal and proper cement placement in the narrow side of the

hole.

Floating equipments :

For highly deviated/horizontal wells the floating equipment having

spring loaded or positive closure valve should be used. The other type of

floating equipment will not function properly due to high deviation angle.

Only flapper type float collar should be used.

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