Squeeze Cementing

Section 13

Printed: 6/10/2006

EDC, Tomball, TX

Overview
Squeeze Cementing
O If Primary Cementing can be considered a
science
O Squeeze cementing is more an art
O Squeeze cementing depends heavily on:
Experience in the field you are working in
Experience and skill levels of whomever is
operating the mixing equipment
Either or both of these factors can make the
difference.

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EDC, Tomball, TX

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 Squeeze Cementing
O Definitions
O Objective
O Terminology
O High vs Low Pressure
O Types of Squeezes
O Reasons for Squeezing
O Squeeze cements
O Placement techniques
O Tools
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EDC, Tomball, TX

Squeeze Cementing
(Squeezing): Defined
O Squeezing
Process of applying hydraulic pressure to
force cement slurry to a specific point in a
well, and the application of pressure to
dehydrate the slurry either in formation voids
or against a porous and permeable zone.
through perforations
through unintended leaks or holes in pipe
in open hole.

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EDC, Tomball, TX

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 Cement Dehydration:
Defined
O A cement slurry is composed basically of
cement particles and water
O The particles of "regular"* cement are too
large to enter the permeability of the
formation

* "Ultra-fine" cement particles are small enough to

enter the permeability.

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EDC, Tomball, TX

Cement Dehydration
Defined (cont.)

O Particles are separated from the water

under a differential pressure
O This process is called dehydration
O Filter cake of solid particles forms on the
face of the formation
O If excessive pressure is exerted, the
formation will fracture and some slurry
will be forced into the fracture(s) during
the squeeze job

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EDC, Tomball, TX

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 Objective of
a Squeeze
O Obtain a pressure fluid seal:
Between the casing and the formation
filling all the perforations, fractures, or channels
behind the casing with cement
or
Of the formation
filling voids, fractures, and unconsolidated
formations with cement to prevent the influx of
fluids into the wellbore, or to stop the loss of fluids
in the well to a "thief zone".

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EDC, Tomball, TX

Squeeze Terminology
O Breakdown Pressure
Pressure required to "break down" or fracture
the formation, to do a high pressure squeeze.
O Pump-in Pressure
Pressure above pore and below frac pressure
at which fluid pumps into formation for low
pressure squeeze.

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EDC, Tomball, TX

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 Squeeze Terminology (cont.)
O Injection Rate
Rate at which a high pressure squeeze job
may be started, following breakdown, or
Rate at which the formation will take fluid
below frac pressure, to do a low pressure
squeeze job.
O Fracture Gradient
Psi/foot of depth required to fracture the
formation.

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EDC, Tomball, TX

Squeeze Terminology (cont.)

O Bottomhole Treating Pressure (BHTP)
Pressure exerted on formation during a
squeeze, it is the sum of the surface treating
pressure (STP) plus hydrostatic pressure,
minus friction pressure.
O Hesitation Method
With some cement in formation, pumping is
stopped for a few minutes, off and on, while
displacing.

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EDC, Tomball, TX

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 Squeeze Terminology (cont.)
O "Running" Squeeze
Final squeeze pressure reached during
continuous pumping, with not all of cement
out in formation.

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EDC, Tomball, TX

High Pressure Squeezes

O Process
Formation is broken down (fractured)
Cement slurry is pumped into the fracture(s)
until a particular surface pressure is reached
and maintained
This pressure is usually decided on by operator
beforehand.

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EDC, Tomball, TX

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 High Pressure Squeezes (cont.)
O Advantages
Enlarges small channels
Allows better penetration of perforations
O Disadvantages
Uses more cement than low pressure work
Fracture location/orientation uncontrolled

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EDC, Tomball, TX

High Pressure Squeezes (cont.)

O Applications
Mud in the hole
Small single zone
No void to fill
Need large volume of slurry pumped into zone

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EDC, Tomball, TX

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 Low Pressure Squeezes
O Process
An injection rate is established that allows
sufficient time to get the cement mixed and
pumped to the formation without exceeding
the BHFP. In extreme cases in shallow wells
with small volumes, this rate may be as little
as one half barrel per minute or less.

Slide 15

EDC, Tomball, TX

Low Pressure Squeezes (cont.)

O Advantages
Uses less cement
Does not make natural fractures worse
O Disadvantages
Large displacement volumes take too long
Cement doesn't go as deep into formation

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EDC, Tomball, TX

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 Low Pressure Squeezes (cont.)
O Applications
Squeezing a pay zone
Voids to be filled
Low BHP wells
Low permeability zone
Naturally fractured formation

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EDC, Tomball, TX

Notes on Squeeze Pressures

O Historically - high pressure squeeze
final squeeze pressure relatively high
7,000 psi (50 MPa) is not unheard of
O Did not guarantee success
O Low Pressure Squeeze now more common

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EDC, Tomball, TX

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 Types of Squeezes
O Perforation squeezes
O Top of liner squeezes
O Casing leak squeezes
O Shoe squeezes
O Open hole squeezes

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EDC, Tomball, TX

Types of Squeezes
(cont.)
O Perforation squeeze
Repair faulty primary cement job
Channeling
Annular voids from insufficient fill
Exclude formation water from a zone
Temporary abandon a productive zone
Permanently abandon a play-out zone
Isolate a zone -- a “block squeeze”

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EDC, Tomball, TX

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 Types of Squeezes
(cont.)
O Top of liner squeeze
Shut off annular gas flow
Between top of liner and upper casing
Repair faulty primary cement job
Channeling
Inadequate fill

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EDC, Tomball, TX

Types of Squeezes
(cont.)
O Casing leak squeezes
Repair parted casing or split joints
Repair holes caused by corrosion

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EDC, Tomball, TX

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 Types of Squeezes
(cont.)
O Shoe squeezes
Over-displacement of primary cement
Channeled cement
Casing set in weak unconsolidated sands

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EDC, Tomball, TX

Types of Squeezes
(cont.)
O Open hole squeezes
Curing lost circulation problems (out-go)
Shut off water, oil, or gas flow into the well (in-
flux) -- “kill squeeze”

Slide 24

EDC, Tomball, TX

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 Squeeze Cements
O Most perforation squeezing is done with
either class H or class G, depending on
where it occurs
Many operators like to densify the cement
Fluid Loss Control is recommended

Slide 25

EDC, Tomball, TX

Squeeze Cements (cont.)

O Lighter slurries are used for lost
circulation squeezes
For the major lost circulation problems, it is
common to use a so-called "gunk" squeeze;
this can be any one of several variations on
cement with diesel oil instead of mixing water
Flow Guard-L can also be used
half liquid sodium silicate and half water, pumped in
sequence with fresh water spacers to contact
calcium chloride water downhole, but not before.

Slide 26

EDC, Tomball, TX

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 Squeeze Cements (cont.)
O In the last twenty-five years, there has
been an ever-increasing use of fluid loss
additives in squeeze cements, especially
in perforation and casing leak squeezes
Following are some examples of the various
applications of high fluid loss cement (with
little or no fluid loss additive) and low fluid
loss cement (with a significant amount of fluid
loss additive).

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EDC, Tomball, TX

High Fluid-Loss Squeeze

Cement
O Do’s:
Dehydrate rapidly
Set up close to the wellbore
Cause nodes in the casing at the perforations
O Don’ts:
Penetrate well into fracs, etc.
Seal
Fractures
Long channels
Long perforated intervals.

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EDC, Tomball, TX

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 Low Fluid-Loss Squeeze
Cement*
O Do’s:
dehydrate very slowly
penetrate all available routes
seal better and further from the wellbore
O Don’ts:
form thick filter cakes
form appreciable nodes in perforations

* From 50 to 150 cc/30 minutes is considered good fluid loss

control.
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EDC, Tomball, TX

Low Fluid-Loss Squeeze

Cement

Cement Primary Formation

Node Cement

Dehydrated
Cement

Casing

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EDC, Tomball, TX

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 Placement Techniques
Bradenhead
Squeeze

PSI ON Bullhead
ANNULUS
Squeeze

Spot
Squeeze

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EDC, Tomball, TX

Placement Techniques (cont.)

O Without a tool
Bradenhead squeeze
Open-ended work string even with bottom perf
Spot cement like balanced plug
Pull up out of cement, close annulus at surface
Displace

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EDC, Tomball, TX

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 Placement Techniques (cont.)
O With tool(s)
Bullhead squeeze
Set packer, pressure up back side
Pump in
Mix cement
Displace
Spot squeeze
Circulate cement down near end of work string
Catch returns on annular ("back") side
Close tool, trap annular pressure
Displace

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EDC, Tomball, TX

Placement Techniques (cont.)

O With tool(s) (cont.)
"Circulating" squeeze
Set tool between two sets of perfs
Circulate slurry out bottom set, back in top set
Cement ("plant") work string and tool in hole

Slide 34

EDC, Tomball, TX

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