Squeeze Cementing

Squeeze cementing is the process of forcing a cement slurry through holes in the
casing. Its primary objective is to create a seal in the casing-wellbore annulus. The
basic components and concept of squeezing are illustrated in Figure 1 .

Figure 1

(concept of cement squeezing ).

The most common purposes for squeeze cementing are:
repair of a primary cement job that failed because of cement bypassing mud
(channeling) or insufficient cement height (fillup) in the annulus
elimination of water intrusion from above, below, or within the hydrocarbonproducing zone commonly called "block squeezing"
reduction of the producing gas/oil ratio by isolating gas zones from adjacent
oil intervals

repair of casing leaks caused by corrosion or split pipe

plugging of all or part of one or more zones in a multizone injection well to
direct injection into desired intervals
plugging and abandonment of a depleted or watered-out producing zone

Basic Concepts and Misconceptions

There have been persistent misconceptions about squeeze cementing, including the
following:
Cement squeezed through holes (perforations) in casing under high pressure
generally forms a horizontal cement pancake opposite the holes, thereby
developing a barrier to vertical fluid movement.
Injecting drilling mud into perforations at high pressure opens all
perforations.
High final squeeze is a positive indication of a successful job.
In zones with good permeability, cement penetrates the formation without
fracturing.
These have been disproved by field experience.

Filter Cake
A cement slurry consists of finely divided solid particles dispersed in liquid. Such
particles cannot be displaced into normal formation permeability, since a
permeability greater than 100 darcies would be required to allow a normal slurry to
penetrate a sand formation without fracturing.
Therefore, when slurry is forced against a permeable formation, solid particles filter
out on the formation face as filtrate is forced into the formation permeability. The
filter cake has much lower permeability than most sand formations and, as cake
forms on part of the formation, slurry may be diverted to other exposed zones.
A properly designed squeeze job causes dehydrated cement to fill the opening(s)
between formation and casing and, if allowed to cure, the dehydrated filter cake will
form a nearly impermeable solid.
In cases where slurry is to be placed in a fractured interval (either natural or
induced), cement solids have to develop a cake on the fracture faces and/or bridge
the fracture.
Most successful squeezes in fractured formations have used a staging technique in
which a highly accelerated slurry, or a slurry with bridging agents such as gilsonite or
sand, is followed by a second stage of moderate fluid-loss slurry. This system
encourages bridging and filter-cake development and helps divert movable slurry to
unsealed fractures.

Fluid Loss
If fluid loss is uncontrolled, cement may dehydrate and bridge off the upper portion of
a perforated interval before slurry is displaced to the lower perforations. Conversely,
very low fluid loss can result in very slow filter-cake development and unacceptably
long placement operations.
Slurry-fluid (filtrate) loss can be varied and controlled with cement additives as
required over the wide range of temperature and pressure conditions normally
encountered in oil and gas wells.
In formations with unimpaired natural permeability, slurry with a water-to-solids ratio
of 0.4 (by weight) and a low fluid loss of 50 to 150 cc in 30 minutes under 1000 psi
differential should provide satisfactory caking for most low-pressure squeeze jobs.
When squeezing against shales, dense limestones, dolomites or permeable
formations where natural permeability is plugged with mud a low-fluid-loss cement
may not be desirable. In these situations, a high-pressure squeeze job is usually
performed, and low-fluid-loss slurry could be undesirable because its restricted
filtrate loss could inhibit filter-cake development.

High-Pressure Methods
High-pressure squeeze cementing is defined as a job in which fluid pressure in the
wellbore exceeds formation-fracture pressure prior to, or during, the time that
cement slurry is in contact with the formation.
High-pressure methods are recommended only for squeezing relatively impermeable
zones, or where squeezing is conducted with drilling mud in the hole.
Fracturing of the formation permits displacement of mud or workover fluid through
holes in the casing. The slurry then displaces this fluid into the fractures, permitting
development of cement filter cake on the fracture surfaces.

Potential Problems
High-pressure squeezes offer no control of either the location or orientation of the
generated fracture. The fracture will be oriented perpendicular to the least principal
stress
Horizontal fractures will not be created if fracture pressure is less than overburden
pressure. Thus, horizontal fractures containing cement pancakes cannot be
generated by high-pressure squeeze cementing in deep wells.
Fracturing during high-pressure squeezing may be counterproductive, since fractures
induced in formations deeper than 3000 ft are nearly always vertical. Even if the
casing-wellbore annulus is sealed, vertical communication between zones may be
established in the fracture
( Figure 1 , probable result of fracture-type squeeze-cement job).

Figure 1

Other problems are

large slurry volumes required to fill fractures: 100 to 150 sacks may be lost
in a job
resistance of mud-filled perforations to fracturing: many may not readily
receive cement

Recommendations
Generally, it is recommended that solids-free workover fluids be used whenever fluid
has to be displaced into the formation ahead of cement. Acid or chemical washes can
also be used ahead of the slurry.

Low-Pressure Methods

Low-pressure squeeze cementing jobs are those in which fluid pressure in the
wellbore is maintained below fracture pressure of exposed formations prior to, and
during, the time slurry is in contact with the formation.
Low-pressure squeeze cementing methods we generally preferred to high--pressure
squeezes, because they are more effective and less potentially damaging to the
formation.
In practice, safe squeeze pressure is usually specified as some value below
established fracture pressure 300 psi has been used in some areas.
Low-pressure squeeze cementing utilizes a small volume of low-fluid-loss slurry
placed against exposed permeable formations with a moderate squeeze pressure.
Filtrate from the slurry is forced into formation permeability, allowing buildup of
cement filter cake. Low fluid loss reduces dehydration rate and discourages bridging
as the slurry is forced along openings or channels.
A properly designed slurry will leave only a small cement filter-cake bump
(node) inside the casing after excess slurry has been circulated out. Improperly
designed slurries can result in excessive caking with enlarged nodes, or inadequate
caking and inability to hold pressure ( Figure 1 , cement filter-cake node buildup after
45-minute squeeze).

Figure 1

The casing can be left with cement nodes small enough that drilling-out is not
required. Also, the ability to reverse-out excess cement in many applications makes
low-pressure squeezing compatible with through-tubing techniques.

Field Practices
In low-pressure squeezes, perforations and channels must be clear of mud and other
solids. If the well has been on production, such openings may have been purged. If
the job is to be performed through new perforations, results may be enhanced by
perforating in a solids-free, nondamaging fluid with pressure underbalanced to permit
purging of perforation cavities. In existing perforations, pressure/ suction washing
with or without acid may be considered.

Summary
In practice, the following steps may be used as a guideline for conducting a
low-pressure squeeze job:
Initiate injection. Determine downhole injection pressure.
Circulate slurry to desired location in the casing.
Apply moderate squeeze (downhole) pressure.
Restore squeeze pressure by engaging the pump as bleed-off occurs.
Gradually increase downhole pressure to 500 to 1000 psi above the pressure
required to initiate flow. When bleed-off ceases for about 30 minutes, stop
displacing cement slurry and hold the pressure. Do not exceed safe squeeze
pressure.
Reverse-circulate excess cement from casing, or pull work string leaving
cement to be drilled out later, if necessary.

Squeeze Techniques
Hesitation Techniques
The most important principle of hesitation techniques is the alternation of pumping
and hesitation. The hesitation is to encourage cement filter-cake buildup. Hesitation
methods can be used in either high- or low-pressure applications.
Hesitation procedures are much more of an art than a science, since the operator
observes hesitation time and pressure changes during pumping and waiting, and

varies these on subsequent jobs, according to experience. The alternation of

pumping and hesitation is continued until the desired final squeeze pressure is
obtained ( Figure 1 , example pressure response to hesitation-type cement
squeezing).

Figure 1

Final squeeze pressure may be misleading. Years ago, high final squeeze pressure
was one primary indicator used to measure success. However, high final pressure
may occur because dehydrated cement has bridged off the casing or perforations;
and mud-cake-filled perforations are also capable or withstanding high differential
pressure, particularly in the direction of the formation. Thus, high final squeeze
pressures can be achieved where the squeeze was unsuccessful.

Bradenhead versus Packer Methods

The Bradenhead squeeze technique is normally used on low-pressure formations.
Usually, the interval to be squeezed is at or near the bottom of the well. The
operational steps of the general procedure ( Figure 2 , Bradenhead squeeze method
applicable to competent casing strings) are as follows:
Circulate cement across the zone to be squeezed.

Figure 2

Pull drillpipe (or tubing) above cement.

Close BOPs or annulus valve and apply pressure to cement through drillpipe.
Reverse out excess or WOC and drill out.
Squeeze pressure is limited by casing-string and wellhead-burst strength, so the
technique is usually used with a low-pressure squeeze. It is not a precise cementplacement technique, and is not generally recommended with several open intervals
and only one to be squeezed, or where casing is not pressure-tight.
Packer-squeeze techniques permit precise slurry placement and isolate high pressure
from casing and wellhead while high squeeze pressures are applied downhole. A
packer squeeze can be conducted with either drillable or retrievable squeeze
packers.
Wellbore fluid below the packer is usually displaced through perforations ahead of the
cement when this method is used. Dirty fluid may block flow of cement to a portion of
any exposed permeability. Figure 3 (cement squeeze using retrievable packer and
bridge plug ), is one example of the many tool configurations possible with packer

squeezing.

Figure 3

Packer location should be carefully considered and may vary depending on the type
of job. If set too far above perforations or holes to be squeezed, excessive volumes of
either workover fluids or mud must be displaced into the formation ahead of the
cement, or the slurry may channel through the mud ( Figure 4 , possible problems
caused by setting squeeze packer too high).

Figure 4

Conversely, a packer set too close to perforations or holes could become stuck if
pressure on the outside of the casing is transmitted above the packer and causes the
casing to collapse.
Usually, the packer should be set 30 to 60 ft (9.14 to 18.28 m) from perforations. If
corrosion holes or split pipe are being squeezed, more space is recommended.
It is desirable to test and then maintain some pressure on the casing annulus above
the packer. Observation of this pressure can be a check for leaks in squeeze string,
packer, or casing. Annulus pressure can also prevent casing-collapse pressure during
high-pressure jobs.
Squeeze cementing in permanent and tubingless completions requires some special
precautions, but basic techniques are similar to those used in conventional wells, and
normally only low-pressure jobs are attempted.
A permanent completion is one in which tubing and welihead remain in place during
well life. Squeeze cementing can be performed with concentric small-diameter
tubing. Through-tubing tools such as inflatable bridge plugs and packers can be run

on wireline or small-diameter tubing strings to permit conventional but small-scale

operations.
Squeezing through small tubing uses very small slurry volumes which are susceptible
to contamination. Maintaining accurate volume control is particularly important in
ensuring proper slurry placement.

Job Evaluation
Proof of a successful squeeze comes when we apply pressure to the set cement. It is
best to test the squeeze job before removing the rig, just in case the test fails and resqueezing becomes necessary.
Squeeze jobs are most commonly tested by applying pressure from the rig or
cementing unit pumps. A better way to test the squeeze however, is to create a
pressure differential in the wellbore by swabbing, by artificially lifting fluid from the
well, or y circulating a lighter fluid down the tubing and closing the circulation ports
above the packer. The pressure differential should be less than or equal to the
expected drawdown pressure under producing conditions.
In some production wells, it may be impractical to unload the wellbore without
returning the well to production. In these cases, a positive pressure test that does not
exceed formation-fracture pressure should be conducted after cement has set and, if
required, after drillout.
In squeeze jobs where cement is to be drilled out, the way the cement drills is an
indication of success. If it drills hard all the way, results may be good. Soft spots or
voids usually indicate an unsuccessful job.