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Dowells Plug Placement Tool
A key element for
successful cement plugs
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2 Initials

Effective Cement Plug Placement
Methods for Improving Cement Plug Placement
Cement Plug Usage
Reasons for cement Plug Failure
Design Consideration
Placement Technique
Successful Horizontal Placement
PPT Tool
Conclusions
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3 Initials

Cement Plug Usage
Abandonment
Suspension
Kick-off
Lost circulation
U.K. Sector North Sea Cementing
0
10
20
30
40
50
Primary Remedial Cement
Plug
Grouting
Side track
Casing shoe repair
Perforation isolation
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4 Initials

Cement Plug Failure Effects
Surface water contamination
Interzonal Communication
Customer Distribution of Lost Time
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Casing
Jobs
Cement
Plugs
% of Jobs % of Lost Time
% of
Total
Cement sheath in drill
pipe
future operation failures
Lost Time - $
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5 Initials

Effect of Mud Contamination
Mud Contamination (% by Volume)
C
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0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
0 10 20 30 40 50
8 Hour 16 Hour
Reasons for plug failures
Drilling out too soon
WOC as designed
Inaccurate well data
BHST, caliper
Insufficient volume
% excess, execution, losses
Sinking of plug
off-bottom placement
Poor mud removal
Contamination in-out
string
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6 Initials



Design Considerations
Plug length, depth,
volume
Spacer type
pseudo oil
based mud
weighted spacer
washes
quantity
Slurry design
density (differential)
CemCRETE
compressive strength
CemCRETE
rheology
stability
free water
fluid loss
All slurry properties including strength development
to be measured at BHCT and never at BHST
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7 Initials

Mud Removal
Pre-job circulation
minimum bottoms
up
Hole cleaning
Temperature
low PV, YP,
Homogeneity
Pipe centralisation
if not done, must be
compensated for
Can it be
achieved???
Pipe movement
rotation (20-40 rpm)
Displacement rate
turbulent flow
effective laminar flow
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8 Initials

Mud/Cement Interface Stability
Idealised case Experimental results
unstable interface
9.0 PPG Mud
Spacer
17 ppg Cement
9.0 PPG Mud
Bentonite Pill
Off Bottom Placement
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9 Initials

Off Bottom Placement
Suitable anchor
placed prior to cement
hi-vis mud pill
reactive mud pill
steel bridge plug
PROTECTOZONE*
ZONELOCK*
Divertor sub at end

* Mark of Schlumberger
Blanked Mule Shoe
2 7/8" or 3 1/2" Tubing Joint
1" x 6" Cut Slots
+/- 6 Ft
( 90 Phasing )
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10 Initials

Placement Technique
Multiple drillpipe sizes to be
avoided.
Tubing stinger for all plugs
3 1/2-in. O.D. preferred (most
cases)
1.5 times cement plug length
Divertor sub must be used
Correct underdisplacement
depends on stinger/plug
length
and on drill pipe/stinger
capacities
Correct displacement
rate
Raise Pipe out of Plug
Extremely slowly
Use of a drillpipe wiper
system
pipe cleaning
very precise control of
volumes
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11 Initials

Horizontal Placement
The most difficult cement job to
design and execute successfully
9 5/8
Casing
Hole Angle = 87
13 3/8
Casing
20 Casing
Slurry design
BHCT prediction
Spacer design
Spacer volume
Anchor design
Hole preparation
Mud removal
Execution
Pipe cleaning
Displacement
WOC
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12 Initials

BHCT Prediction
TD = 9100 Ft
13 3/8 Casing
20 Casing
9 5/8 Casing
T.O.C. = 8600 Ft
9 5/8 Casing
Hole Angle = 87
o
13 3/8 Casing
20 Casing
Horizontal Well
Vertical Well
API BHCT
Time (Hr)
140
150
160
170
180
190
200
210
0
5 10 15 20 25
Pre job
Circulation
W.O.C. Cement Job
B
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13 Initials

6 1/2-in. LOCATOR SUB
5-in. WIPER DART
PPT - Plug Placement Tool
Features
Effective drill pipe wiping
Durable steel, nitrile dart construction
350 oF Temperature rating
Unrestricted flow path
Multiple plug setting in one trip
Simple, low maintenance
Benefits
positive indication of displacement
Precise volume control
Separation of fluids during injection downhole
Cleans drillpipe for future operations
Consistent and accurate cement plug setting
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14 Initials

Simple
Unrestricted flow path
High torque rating
High yield rating
High pressure rating
Low maintenance
Multiple usage
Easy to handle
NC50 connection
4 3/4-in. tool available
Made in U.K.
6.5
52
3.00
2.50
PPT - Locator Sub
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15 Initials

Effective wiping
Durable steel, nitrile construction
350
o
F Temperature rating
Unrestricted flow path
Predictable pressures
Pressure indication NOT sensitive to
temperature or rheology
Reusable
Simple, low maintenance
0
PPT - Wiper Dart
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16 Initials

PPT - Operation (1)
All fluids in pipe and

circulating downhole
Mud
Cement
Spacer
1st Wiper Dart
Locator Sub
Cement Stinger
Divertor Sub
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17 Initials

First dart in place

Placement continues
Locator Sub with
1st dart (sheared)
2nd Wiper Dart
Cement Stinger
Divertor Sub
PPT - Operation (2)
Mud
Cement
Spacer
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18 Initials

Second dart bump

Pressure increase
Cement Stinger
Divertor Sub
Locator Sub with
1st dart (sheared)
2nd Wiper Dart
PPT - Operation (3)
Mud
Cement
Spacer
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19 Initials

Pressure bled down

cement underbalanced
Locator Sub

with darts
PPT - Operation (4)
Mud
Cement
Spacer
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20 Initials

PPT - Operation (5)
Pull slowly

above cement

and circulate
Locator Sub
with darts
Mud
Cement
Spacer
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21 Initials

Stab-in Cementing
Benefits of wiper dart: (pipe stabbed-in or not)
Clean drillpipe after cementing
Indication of displacement
Reduce drillout time
Wiper Dart Launched,
Displacement Underway
Plug bump. Pressure to 500 psi over
Circ. Pressure. Bleed off to check float
Pull out of float collar/shoe and
pressurize to 1500 psi to shear disc
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22 Initials

Dart Launch Methods
Semi Top Drive dart launcher
TOP DRIVE CONNECTION
LINE FROM
CEMENT UNIT
DART PIN
PULLER
DART TELL TALE
Top Drive dart launcher
TOP DRIVE CONNECTION
LINE FROM
CEMENT UNIT
TOP DART
BOTTOM DART
REMOTE CONTROLLED
HYDRAULIC ACTUATORS
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23 Initials

Conclusions
Effects of failure can be more than lost time
Cement plugs require as much or more design
considerations than casing cementation
All aspects of fluids, tubulars, and wellbore
parameters must be considered to ensure
effectiveness
Setting of plugs in deviated hole sections can be
effectively achieved
PPT for every cement plug below 6,000 feet or
in deviated hole sections greater than 30
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24 Initials

Two Plug Method
1. Running In 4. Top Plug Landed
2. Bottom Plug Landed 5. Reverse Circulation
3. Cleaning of Aluminium Tail Pipe and Pulling Out
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25 Initials

Two-Plug Method: Tell-Tale Catcher Sub
System
Advantages of this method are:
Isolation ahead and behind the cement.
Pipe cleaned down to the lower end of the tail
pipe.
Breakable tail pipe that can be abandoned if
stuck.
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26 Initials

Diverter Tool
8 holes phased at 45
0
Bull Plug
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27 Initials

Drill Pipe Centralization & Diverter Tool
DRILLPIPE
CENTRALIZED
9.0 lb/gal MUD
SPACER
9.0 lb/gal MUD
SPACER
16.0 lb/gal
CEMENT
DIVERTER TOOL
9.1 lb/gal VISCOUS
BENTONITE PILL
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28 Initials

Bad Cement Placement Technique
9.0 lb/gal
MUD
9.0 lb/gal
MUD
SPACER
13.8lb/gal
15.8 lb/gal
17.5 lb/gal
CEMENT
BENTONITE PILL
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29 Initials

Job Design Considerations
Why is the cement plug being set?
At what depth will the plug be set?
Across which formations is the plug going to be set?
At what density should the slurry be mixed?
What is the BHT?
What volume should be pumped?
What is the required thickening time?
How to insure the cement will not be contaminated by the mud?
Are pipe centralization and rotation necessary?
Waiting on cement time?
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30 Initials

Slurry Properties
Density - lighter for Lost Circulation
Density - heavier for Sidetracking
Density - homogeneous - batch mixing
Rheology - higher for Lost Circulation
Rheology - lower for placement with Coiled Tubing
Compressive Strength - higher for Sidetracking
Compressive Strength - less important for Lost Circulation
Compressvie Strength - minimum 500 psi for drill out
Thickening Time - enough for placement - 1.5 to 2 hours
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31 Initials

Mud Contamination vs Compressive
Strength
* Compressive strength is 18hr at 230F
** Contains dispersant
Neat Class H Cement
16.5 lb/gal
Effect of Mud
Contamination*
Mud Contamination
(% by Volume)
Compressive Strength
(psi at 170F)
Mud
Contamination
(%)
Normal
Slurry
15.6 lb/gal
Reduced
Water
Slurry**
17.5 lb/gal
0
5
10
20
50
4,647
3,512
2,619
2,378
245
5,862
5,300
4,538
2,331
471
0
10
40
60
4,082 psi
2,950 psi
2,426 psi
593 psi
8,600 psi
8,237 psi
3,850 psi
2,967 psi
8 hr 16 hr