Balanced Cement Plug Example Calculations

This article gives an example of calculation for a typical balanced cement plug job.
Parameters to be Calculated
The following parameters shall be calculated for the setting of a balanced plug.
150 % of drillpipe/stinger contents.
required slurry volume taking all excess requirements into account.
tonnage of cement.
mixwater requirements.
spacer volumes.
theoretical TOC in balance.
TOC inside drillpipe when under-displaced by required amount between 250 - 500 ft.
top of postflush inside drillpipe when cement is under-displaced by required amount.
volume of mud to under-displace cement and afterflush by required amount
Hole Data
12.1/4in hole was drilled to 7 153 ft. The hole was logged and RFT measurements done. All logs
showed a good hole, in gauge, with an average hole size of 12.1/2in and a hole capacity of 0.1518
bbls/ft.
The RFT measurement showed the following:
Depth
(ft)

Reservoir
Pressure
(psi)

EMG
psi/ft

Mud Pressure
(psi)

Over balance
(psi)

4 167

1 823

0.438

1 970

147

4 856

2 103

0.433

2 295

193

5 332

2 333

0.438

2 522

189

6 480

2 864

0.442

3 065

201

7 153

3 161

0.442

3 382

221

It was decided to plug back to 6 660 ft. Minimum required overbalance is 102 psi above 4 922 ft
and 152 psi deeper down.
The plug will be set with the balanced plug method. A 591 ft 3.1/2in tubing stinger will be run on
5in DP.
Hole Size:

12.1/4in

Average size:

12.1/2in

Capacity:

0.1518 bbls/ft

Content:

mud

Gradient:

0.4686 psi/ft

Surface lines

2 bbls

Tubular Data
Tubing Weight:

9.2 lbs/ft

Capacity:

0.00863 bbls/ft

Displacement:

(open end) 0.00339 bbls/ft

(closed end) 0.01202 bbls/ft

Drillpipe weight:

19.5 lbs/ft

Capacity:

0.01776 bbls/ft

Displacement:

0.02492 bbls/ft

Cement Recipe
Cement Type:

Class G

Water requirements:

5 gals/sk

Slurry Yield:

1.14 cu.ft/sk

Slurry Density:

0.8223 psi/ft

Additives
D603:

0.0125 gal/sk

D080:

0.0287 gal.sk

D047:

0.0018 gal/sk

Calculations Pre-Flush and Post-Flush Volume

The formation pressure, EMG 0.442 psi/ft, needs to be overcome, with a safety margin of 152 psi,
in all circumstances. The depth at which the hydrostatic head of the mud column is just enough to
provide this safety margin is:
D x 0.4686 = D x 0.4421 + 152 gives D = 5 742 ft.
This means that, assuming pressure communication does exist from 6480 ft to
5 742 ft, any preflush/spacers is not allowed to rise higher than 5 742 ft. With a planned TOC at 6
660 ft yields a maximum spacer length of 919 ft. If however, the actual TOC, due to excess
cement being pumped, would be higher than 6 660 ft a spacer of exactly 919 ft could rise beyond
5 742 ft. The spacer is therefore limited to 656 ft annular length.
656 ft annular length occupies a volume of : 98 ft stinger:
398 ft x 558 ft x (0.1518 - 0.01202) bbls/ft = 13.8 bbls.
558 ft DP : 558 ft x (0.1518 0 - 0.0249) = 70.8 bbls
Total Pre-Flush volume = 84.5 bbls

To balance the plug the height of afterflush in the DP has to be 656 ft as well:
98 ft stinger : 98 ft x 0.0086 bbls/ft = 0.843 bbls
558 ft DP:

558 ft x 0.0178 bbls/ft = 9.9 bbls

Total Post Flush Volume = 10.8 bbls

Material Requirements
Slurry Volume
Slurry volume = plug back length x average hole size
= 493 ft x 0.1518
= 74.8 bbls (logs show 75.5 bbls)
Allowing for an excess of 10 %.
Total slurry volume = 1.1 x 75.5 bbls = 83 bbls = 466 cu.ft
An excess of 10 % means an additional 49 ft plug length, which is in agreement with the reduced
spacer length.

Dry Cement
Cement needed
= slurry volume/yield
= 466 cu.ft/1.15 cu.ft/sk
Total cement = 405 sk cement

Mixwater
Mixwater required:
for 405 sk cement: 405 sk x 5 gal/sk = 2025 gal = 48.2 bbls
excess 10 %: 0.10 x 48.2 bbls = 4.8 bbls
dead volume tanks:

18.9 bbls

Total Mixwater Required : 71.9 bbls.

Additives
All additives are liquids and added to the mixwater. The use of the additives is calculated back to a
concentration mixed in the mixwater:

D603 =

0.707 gal/bbl

D080 =

1.615 gal/bbl

D047 =

0.101 gal/bbl

Thus to mix in 71.9 bbls of site water:

D603: 71.9 bbls x 0.707 gal/bbl = 50.83 gal in drums of 15 gal each; 3.39 drums
D080: 71.9 bbls x 1.615 gal/bbl = 111.8 gal in drums of 15 gal each; 7.74 drums
D047: 71.9 bbls x 0.101 gal/bbl = 7.26 gal in drums of 5 gal each; 1.42 drums

To obtain whole numbers of drums D080 to be used, the volume of mixwater is adjusted to 74.5
bbls, by increasing the percentage excess to 12 %. The numbers then become 3.5 drums of D603,
8 drums of D080 and 1.6 drums of D047, to be mixed in 74.5 bbls site water.
The total mix fluid to be held by the mix tank on the rig is:

74.5 bbls + (8 drums x 0.358 bbls/drum) + (3.5 drums x 0.358 bbls/drum) + (1.6 drums x 0.113
bbls/drum) = 78.8 bbls
Displacement Volumes
To calculate the volume to displace accurately, the TOC with the stinger in the cement, has to be
calculated.
String + annulus OH - tubing total capacity
= 0.1518 bbls/ft - 0.0034 bbls/ft = 0.1484 bbls/ft.
String + annulus OH - DP total capacity
= 0.1518 bbls/ft - 0.00783 bbls/ft = 0.144 bbls/ft.
83 bbls slurry occupies 83 bbls / 0.1484 bbls/ft = 559 ft annular height (i.e. 559 ft along the
tubular).
The highest estimate of TOC gives the maximum displacement volume allowed:
TOC = 7 153 ft -561 ft = 6 592 ft
Top of water, afterflush in DP, will be at 6 592 ft - 656 ft = 5 936 ft
Total volume to displace

= 5 936 ft + 3 ft overstand of DP + vol. Surf. Lines

= 5 939 ft x 0.0178 bbls/ft + 2 bbls

= 107.7 bbls
Allowing for under displacement of 1 stand of DP (2 bbls):
Displacement Volume = 105.7 bbls.

Displacement Rates
When the cement reaches the end of the stinger the pump rate has to be slowed down to meet plug
flow condition (< 30 ft/min annular velocity) during placement of the slurry.
The total string volume
= ( 6 562 ft x 0.0178 bbls/ft) + (591 ft x 0.00863 bbls/ft)
= 122 bbls
Thus pumping should be slowed down after string volume minus slurry volume minus afterflush
has been displaced:
= 122 bbls - 83 bbls - 10.8 bbls
= 28.2 bbls
Accepting an annular velocity of 30 ft/min yields (not taking any U-tubing effects into account) a
maximum pumprate Q of:
Q (max) = (0.1518 - 0.01202) bbls/ft x 30 ft/min = 4.2 bbls/min
Duration of the Job
Pump preflush:

84.6 bbls @ 9.44 bbls/min

9.0 min

Mix/pump slurry:

90 bbls @ 6.29 bbls/min

14.3 min

Pump after-flush:

11 bbls @ 9.44 bbls/min

1.2 min

Chase:

105 bbls @ 3.9 bbls/min

27.0 min

TOTAL

52.0 min

Total Job Time = 1 hr

Tips for the successful placement of cement plugs

(1) Set the plug on a firm foundation, if one is not available set the plug on an polymer retaining
spacer with the same weight as the mud.
(2) Always use a polymer spacer weighted to midway between the mud and the cement slurry. Use
a volume of spacer sufficient to give at least a 250 ft separation between the mud and cement.
(3) In order to maximise hole clean up the spacer should leave the stinger at a rate of at least 8
bbls/min. However as the spacer/cement interface approaches the end of the stinger the
displacement rate should be slowed so that the cement is displaced at a rate of 2 - 3 bbls/min
giving a annular velocity of < 90 ft /min.
(4) A batch tank should be used to mix cement plugs.
(5) Prior to mixwater make up the drillwater should be tested to ensure that it is free of salt and
solids contamination.

(6) Always underdisplace the cement slurry (4-5 bbls at 10,000 ft).
(7) Unless hole stability is a problem use a stinger fitted with a diverter tool.
(8) Good centralisation, rotation, and reciprocation of the stinger will increase the probability of a
successful cement plug.
(9) Once the slurry is in place minimise the risk of contamination by pulling the stinger slowly out
of the cement (30 ft /min max.).
(10) Pull the stinger well back above the cement before reverse circulating (200 - 300 ft above
ttoc)

Guidelines for Design of Cement Plugs

General Guidelines for Setting Cement Plugs (job design, volume and excess Requirements, slurry
requirements)
Job Design
In deviated wells (deviation > 30 , a solid base should be provided for the cement plug (bridge
plug or a highly viscous and pumpable pill).
In potential loss zones, it is better to set abandonment cement plugs in two stages. The bottom
cement plug should be have a relatively short thickening time to support the other abandonment
plugs.
If the hole is washed out, it is recommended to set two short plugs over the washed out section,
rather than a single large plug.
When setting cement plugs across a casing window (eg., for sidetracking) a technique has been
successfully applied using a ca. 20 ft blanked off slotted stinger which is reciprocated across the
window while setting the plug to create a jetting action at the window.
A kick-off cement plug should have approximately 25 ft of cement on top of the window,
however, enough excess has to be pumped and circulated out immediately after placing the plug.
Volume and Excess Requirements
The Drilling Supervisor and the Cementer shall calculate the relevant volumes (slurry volume,
displacement volume, etc.) independently.
As a minimum, plug size must meet or exceed the following requirements:

Casing Size
(In)

Hole Size
(in)

Minimum Slurry
lenght (ft)

500

9.5/8

8 1/2

400

13.3/8

12 1/4

300

For open hole plug backs, calliper information available should be used to calculate the slurry
volume and consider addinganother 10% exccess if long circulation times have elapsed since the
calliper has been run.
If no calliper is available, make a best guess of hole volume (suggest 2in - 3in enlargement),
depending on local experience.
If a cement plug has to be set over perforations, 15 % extra excess should be used.
To ensure that uncontaminated cement is placed across the zone of interest, 50 ft excess, inside the
open hole or casing, of cement slurry shall be pumped.
Plug lengths should be limited to 500 ft, although longer plugs can be accepted in special cases
(e.g. the last plug of a series).
Slurry Requirements for Cements Plugs
To ensure cement hardening within reasonable time after being placed, the cementing recipes shall
be formulated such that:
pumpable time = mixing time + displacing time + 60 to 120 minutes (depending on job total
duration and slurry thickening time repeatability)
A fluid loss control additive shall be used to prevent dehydration of the cement slurry, and
subsequent flash setting, when plugging back over very permeable formation, previous completion
intervals, etc. Losses must be cured before plugging back.
Slurry samples to be put in hot water bath.
The use of thixotropic cement may be considered in loss zones.
Inside casing or across massive shale sections the cement slurry shall contain no other additives
other than retarders and thinners, unless excess cement is to be circulated out across depleted
formations, in which case, fluid loss control additives shall also be added
Cement Plugs
A cement plug can be used to shut off a downhole flow. However, this generally involves
abandonment of the well and loss of most of the drilling tools. It is also likely that the string will
become plugged after pumping the cement, precluding any second attempt if the first should not
succeed. Therefore, cement plugging should be regarded as the final option.
Cement plugs are set by pumping a quantity of quick setting (accelerated) cement into the annulus
via the drillstring. The cement is usually displaced until the pump and choke pressures indicate
that a bridge has formed. Quick setting cement reduces the possibility of gas cutting.
If a cement plug has to be set off bottom with mud below it, then consideration should be given to

spotting a slug of viscous mud below the zone to be plugged. This precaution should be
considered in long or deviated holes or when the cement slurry is substantially heavier than the
mud.
5 7/8" hole balanced cement plug programme example
1. Make up 260m of 2 3/8", 6.65 lb/ft TBG cement stinger with mule shoe.
2. R.I.H. stinger on 3 1/2" drill pipe,circulate last18m down to bottom (3250m).
3. Halliburton: Rig up lines and pressure test to 200 bar.
4. Halliburton: Batch mix cmt. and spacers.
Volumes required:
SLURRY: 7646 ltrs cmt slurry.
-10,000kg class G cmt.
- 4400 lts deepwell water
- 440 kg NaCl
- 25 kg HR-4
SPACERS: 2540 ltrs TOTAL.
98 kg/m3 NaCl =250 kg.
5. Halliburton: Pump 2m3 spacer ahead.
Pump 7.646 m3 cmt. slurry.(Take three samples)
Pump 0.540 m3 spacer behind.
6. Displace cement with 8.30 m3 (437 stk) mud s.g. 1.17 using rig pumps (under displace by 780
lts = 225m of empty 3 1/5" DP).
7. Break out circ. head and check for backflow.
8. Pull up to 2925m.
9. Circulate drill pipe plus annular content , dump cmt.contaminated mud.
Have aquamagic at flowline.
Reym truck standby.
10. P.O.O.H. and lay down cmt. stinger.
11. Make up scraper assy: Bit(J3 No:T09HB,RR,3x18),NB,4xDC,JAR,DC,X/O,9xHWDP,3 1/2"
DP,X/O,7"SCRAPER,X/O,3 1/2" DP.
Distance between bit and scraper +/- 225m.
12. Tag top cmt. at 2925m (TTOC), weight test to 10 tonnes and pressure test to 50 bar.
13. Change out mud to KMg sd 1.49.

14. P.O.O.H. and lay down scaper.