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SMALL PARTICLE SIZE CEMENT
D.P. EWERT S.W. ALMOND W.M. BIERHAUS
this article begins on the next page FF
PETROLEUM SOCIETY OF CIM/SOCAETY OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERS PAPER
NO. CIM/SPE 90-117 THIS IS A PREPRINT - SUBJECT TO CORRECNON SMALL
PARTICLE SIZE CEMENT BY Davld P. Ewert Stephen W. Almond W.PL
Bierhous H@Wburton Serv@ PUBUCA71ON RIGHTS RESERVED THIS PAPER IS
TO BE PRESENTED AT THE INTERNATIONAL TECHNICAL MEETING JOINTLY
HOSTED BY THE PETROLEUM SOCIETY OF CIM AND THE SOCIETY OF PETROLEUM
ENGINEERS IN CALGARY, JUNE 10 TO 13,1990. DISCUSSION OF TMS PAPER
IS INVITED. SUCH DISCUSSION MAY BE PRESENTED AT THE MEENNG AND WILL
BE CONSIDERED FOR PUBLICATION IN CM AND SPE JOUR
WRITING WITH THE TECHNICAL PROGRAM CHAIRMAN PRIOR TO THE
CONCLUSION OF THE MEETING. ABSTRACT The particle size of Class G
oilwell cement has been responsible for limiting its use in
specific remedial cementing operations. E;ince the largest
particles in a typical Cla-c;s G cement are in the 100-150 micron
range, cement slurries will not penetrate fractures narrower than
about 0.4 millimeters (400 microns) or sand packs finer than abc)ut
10/20 mesh. Simply reducing the particle size of conventional
4@lass G cement was initially attempted to solve thi
The chemical and physical properties of Class G clinker ma de it
impossible to significantly lower the 'Particle size of the cement.
HoweNrer, by modifying the clinker chemistry and the resultant
physical characteristics of the material, a new small particle size
cement (SPSC) has been produced. The SPSC material has particle
sizes many times smaller than Class G cement, which allow it to
penetrate into areas inaccessible to conventionally sized cements.
References and illustrations at end of paper I 117-1 Some of the
new applications areas whichically addressed are: 1. Sealing off
vertical communication in a gravel packed completion by penetrating
the pack sand up to the formation face. If placed properly, steam
migration, unwanted water f low and low pressured, desaturated
zones can be isolated or eliminated. 2. Squeeze cementing into
narrow channels, microannuli, or narrow mud channels. 3. Depending
on formation permeability, actual penetration into the formation
itself. Labora
slurry design, placement techniques, and field case histories
are presented to illustrate the practical nature of SPSC.
INTRODUCTION Squeeze cementing consists of many job types;
squeezing off perforations, slotted liners or wire wrapped screens,
liner laps or holes in casing. Usually, conventional cements can be
designed to attain a successful squeeze, however, the squeezing of
liners or wire wrapped screens has proven
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PETROLEUM SOCIETY OF CIM/SOCIETY OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERS
PAPER NO. CIMISPE 90-117
THIS IS A PREPRINT - SUBJECT TO CORRECTION
SMALL PARTICLE SIZE
CEMENT
Y
David P. Ewert
Slephen
W. Almond
W.M. Blerhaus
HaJllburfon SGll \llca
PUBUCATION RIGHTS RESERVED
THIS PAPEII IS TO BE PIIESENTED AT THE INTEIINATIONAL TECHNICAL
MEETING JOINTLY HOSTED BY THE
PETROLEUM SOCIETY OF CIM AND THE SOCIETY OF PETIIOLEUM ENGINEERS
IN CALGARY, JUNE 10 TO 13 1990.
DISCUSSION OF THIS PAPEII
IS
INVITED. SUCH DISCUSSION
MAY
BE PIIESENTED
AT
THE MEETING AND WILL BE
CONSIDEIIED
FOil
PUBUCAnON IN
CIM
AND SPE JOUIINALS IF FILED IN WRITING WITH THE TECHNICAL
PIIOGIIAM
CHAIIIMAN PIIIOIl TO THE CONCLUSION
OF
THE MEETING.
ABSTRACT
The p a r t i c l e s i z e
of
Class
G
o i lwe l l
cement has been respons ib le for l imi t ing i t s
use
in
spec i f ic
remedial cementing
opera t ions . s ince the
l a rges t
p a r t i c l e s in
a typ ica l Class G cement a re in the 100-150
micron range,
cement
s lu r r ies wil l
not
penetrate fractures
narrower than about
0 4
mil l imeters 400
microns)
or sand
packs
f i ne r than about 10/20 mesh.
Simply reducing
the
pa r t i c l e s i ze of
convent ional Class G cement was
i n i t i a l l y
at tempted
to
solve t h i s problem. The
chemical and physica l
proper t i es
of Class
G c l i nke r made t imposs ib le to
s ign i f i can t ly lower
t he
pa r t i c l e
s i ze
of the
cement. However, by modifying tne c l i nke r
chemist ry
and the resu l
t a n t phys ica l
charac te r i s t i cs
of the ma te r i a l ,
a
new
small
p a r t i c l e s i z e
cement SPSC) has
been
produced.
The
SPSC mater ia l has p a r t i c l e
s izes
many t imes smal ler than Class G
cement, which al low t to pene t r a t e in to
a reas
inaccess ib le to
convent iona l ly
s i zed
cements.
References
and i l l u s t r a t i ons a t end of
paper
1171
Some
of
the neW app l i ca t i ons a reas
which can now be
s p e c i f i c a l l y
addressed are :
1 Sealing of f v e r t i c a l
communicat ion in
a
grave l
packed complet ion
by
pene t r a t i ng the pack
sand
up
to
t he
formation
face .
I f placed proper ly ,
stearn
migra t ion ,
unwanted water f low
and low pressured , desa tura ted
zones
can be i s o l a t ed
o r el iminated .
2. Squeeze cement ing in to narrow channels ,
microannul i ,
or narrow mud
channels .
J . Depending on
formation
permeabi1 i ty
ac tua l pene t r a t i on
in to
the formation
i t s e l f .
Labora to ry development , s l u r r y des ign,
placement t echniques , and
f i e l d
case
h i s t o r i e s
are
presented
to
i l l u s t r a t e
the
prac t i ca l na tu re of SPSC.
INTRODUCTION
Squeeze cement ing
cons i s t s of many
job
types ;
squeezing
of f
pe r f o r a t i ons , s l o t t e d
l i n e r s
or
wire
wrapped screens , l i n e r l aps
o r holes in cas ing . Usual ly, convent iona l
cements can be designed to a t t a i n a
SUccessful squeeze , however, the squeezing
of 1
iners
o r wire
wrapped screens has proven
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i cu l t
The
primary reason
fo r t h i s
has been
t h a t
convent ional
cements wi l l
na t
pene t ra te
out
in to
he grave l pack and
s i g n i f i c a n t l y
reduce
or hor izon ta l pe rm eabi l i ty .
ecause
of th . ls , problems such
as
unwanted
product ion , desa tura ted
in te rva l s , and
breakthrough have
gone
la rge ly
ntrea ted_
convent ional
oi lwe l l
cements can
not
in to grave l packs because of t h e
d i s t r i b u t i o n
of t he cement p a r t i c l e s .
t he l a rges t
p a r t i c l e s are
in the
100-
150 micron range, br idg ing and
cement
wil l
occur when t he s lu r ry
t tempts
to
pene t ra te
f ra c tu re s
narrower
han about 0 4
mIn 4QO
microns) or sand
f in e r
than
about
10/20
mesh.
Since
cement
pene t ra t ion using
cements was 5 0 d i f f i c u l t
a t t empts to squeeze l ine rs
or
requi red perfora t ing
the
l i ner or
screen and squeezing cement out the holes . '
t h i s method
proved
accep tab le ,
it
equired not only p e r fo ra t in g , but placement
f viscous polymer p i l l s pr io r
to
t h e
SPSC was
developed to so lve
the problem
f
inadequate cement
pene t ra t ion by
smal l
p a r t i c l e s i z e and proper
ion. This
combination
alloWS t h e
to pene t ra te
the
pack by e i t h e r
of a plug (using a dump
ba i le r )
r by squeezing through a
too l .
As a
s lu r ry
design was
being
developed,
fol lowing t e s t s were conducted.
Size
Dis t r ib u t io n
Pa r t i c l e s i z e analyses were performed
a Malvern
Par t i c le
SiZer
3600E
Ir
by
f i r s t
co l l ec t i ng
a background
spectrum
of
f lu id . Cement was added
by
to an
appropr ia te
l evel ;
the
suspens ion was sub jec ted to a
30
ul t r a son ic
t r ea tment , then
c i r cu l a t ed
the
measuring
ce l l fo r
30 seconds .
co l l ec t i on
and reduc t ion func t ions were
and re su l t s were
recorded
and
to
a p r i n t e r / p l o t t e r .
Test s Gravi ty
A column of
sand
approximate ly 6
in .
was
prepared
by plac ing e i t h e r 20/40
r 40/60 mesh
sand i n to
a 1.25
in .
diameter
tube .
The
tube
was
t apped
on i t s s id e
a cons tan t he igh t of
sand
was
An equiva len t he igh t o f cement
was
poured
i n to the tube
and t h e
capab i l i t y to pene t ra te the
Plow
Tes ts Pr e s s u r e
A
colUmn
of
sand
approximate ly
high
was prepared
by plaCing 20/40
o
mesh sand
i n to
a
60cc
syr inge
(diam
approximate ly 1.0 i n . ) . A 2.0 in .
of
cement
s l u r ry
was
poured
i n to
t he
the plunger Was placed onto
the syr in
pressure
was
appl i ed by hand, a
s l u r r y ' s
capab i l i t y
to pene t ra t
sandpack ~ a s monitored. Al l t e s t s w
a t room temperature (approximate ly 7
Slur ry Prepara t ion
and Test ing
s l u r r i e s
eva lua ted
fo r t h i s
stud
mixed in a
Waring
Blender,
fol lowing
S
5 of API
Spec
10 . '
Procedures used to
obta in
th ic
t imes , f l u id l os s , f ree water ,
comp
s ~ r e n g t h and rheology
da ta were
ob
from API
Spec 10, also_
RESULTS
ND
DISCUSSION
Labora tory
Test ing
Three of t h e most
commonly
c r i t e r i a
fo r
determining plugging e f f i
are p ar t i c l e s i z e , p a r t i c l e
d i s t r ibu t ion , and number of p a r t i c l
u n i t
volume
(concen tra t ion) .
parameters were t h e re fo re
used a
c r l t e r l a fo r developing a cement
pene t ra t ing e f f i c i ency . For example
cement
s lu r ry
did
not pass thro
par t i cu la r sandpack,
the
p ar t i c l e s i ze
be
reduced, the
p ar t i c l e s i ze
dis t r ib
could be
narrowed,
or
more
water co
added to
a id in s lu r ry pene t ra t ion
sandpack.
The cement samples obta ined fo
pro jec t were
qui t e
var ied in na ture
both source and composi t ion.
The
C
sample ~ a s obta ined
from
a de l ive ry
as
the cement was being o f f loaded
s to rage s i l o . This sample
~ a s
bel ie
be
r e p re se n ta t iv e of a typica l
C
cement. Sample A
was obta ined
from a
su p p l i e r
a f t e r
a
c l as s
G
c l in k e r
was
in a j a rmi l l in
the labora tory
t
smal les t
s i z e
poss ib le . Sample
B
cements
were ground
from a
c l inke
d i f f e r e n t
chemical
makeup
t han C
cement. Chemical composi t ion determin
resu l t an t phys i c a l c h a ra c t e r i s t i c s ,
t h i s case , i t s gr indab i l i t y . For
reason ,
a smal le r
p a r t i c l e
s i z e co
obta ined .
Sample
D was obta ined fr
overseas
manufactUrer
and was ground
mixture
of
cement
and s lag to
obta
extremely smal l p ar t i c l e s ize . sam
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