SPE

SPE 15464 Mud a! 1 Cement for Horizontal Wells

by C. Zur JO and C, Georges, E/f Aquitaine, and M. Martin, h?st. Franqais du Petro/e

Copyright 1986, Society of Petroleum Engineers This paper was prepared for presentation et the 61s! Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition of the Society of Petroleum Engineers held in New Orleans, LA October 5-8, 1966. This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE Program Committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper, as presented, have not been reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the author(s). The material, aa presented, does not necessarily reflect any position of the Society of Pelroleum Engineers, its officers, or members. Papers preaenled at SPE mee!inga are eubject to publication review by Editorial Committees of the Socialy of Petroleum Errginaers. Permission to copy ia restricted to an abatract of not more than 300 words. Illua!rations may not be copied. The abalract should contain conspicuous acknowledgment of where and by whom the paper ia prasanted, Write Publicafiona Manager, SPE, P.O. Box 833836, Richardson, TX 75083-3838. Telex, 730989 SPEDAL.

ASSTRACT High-angle and horizontal well bores raise many questions concerning the characteristicsof mud and cement. This paper is a summary of our knowledge and work on these two subjects. For all research carried out, large or full-scale laboratorytest plants were used. Cutting tranaport la not only a problens horiin zontal conditionsbut hole angles of 25 to 65 can be even more critical when parameter cuch aa mud theological properties and velocities are not optf .zed. Drilling a long horizontaldrain createa a dynamic aanulus pressure unbalance. This can lead to a l.ossand kick situation. Two teat benches were thus used to obtain a good understandingof the inefficiencyof conventionalplugging methods and of the difficulties of gas migration control in subhorizontalwell bores. High concentrationsof LCM, high theologicalpropertiesof fluids and low flow rates increase the chances of solving the first problem. Tne results of the second bench demonstrate the difficulties of annulus gaa evacution for angles varying from 90 to 100 degreea, or from o~-er-gauged ections in horizons tal holes, Cementing horizontal casing strings is still a fairly new practice. However a good casing/formation cement bond is certainly the beat neana of obtaining correct well productivity.A successful horizontalcement job should prevent the formation of mud, water and gas channels and of a free water channel on the upper part of the drain hole.

Therefore, several full-scaletest benches (25 to 300 m in length) were set up in order to study the following cement placement parameters : caaing-hole eccentricity, drilling fluid rheological behaviour, hole geometry, spacer design (rheology and density), flow rate, etc. Furthermore, slurries without free-water were studied for varying downhole conditions. INTRODUCTION The successful dr?.llingand production of a horizontal well degends largely on the fluids used during the drilling and completionphases. If actual horizontal drilling techniques appear to have been perfected nowadaya in more or less favorableenvironmenta,it should neverthelessbe borne in mind that numerous difficulties may arise and that a well-designed mud will often solve such problems as : - poor borehole stabtlity, unconsolidated aand, awelling$ ruptures due to tectonic stress, shale sloughing,etc., - hole cleaning difficulties,incorrectappreciation of actual hole diameter and thus of mud velocity, difficult evacuation of cuttings according to angle, and possible build-u: on the underside of the well bore, etc., - annulus pressure instability in a pressure reservoir,etc. constm

Successful cementing in heavily inclined or even horizontal sections la often a necessary prerequisite for eased completion.

Referenc= and illustration at end of paper.

MID AND CEMENT FOR HORIZONTALWELLS

SPE 15464

To obtain this goal, cement slurry compositionand displacement will have to meet numerous criteria common to all cementing procedures but will also answer to much stricter theologicaland free water conditions. The followingchapters provide a global view of the problemswe encounteredand our attempts at dealing with these problems, taking advantage of standard practices, of our know-how, of our research~ and finally of our wide experience in horizontal drilling carried Out on our own behalf and for other companies. CHOICE OF MDD TYPE A combination of very high angle and poor quality reservoir 1 might require more complex drilling fluid specifications compared to those used when drilling conventional directional wells, not only because of the increase in angle, but above all because poor quality reservoirsdo not tolerateany further degradationand in order to avoid expensive and/or problematic stimulating treatments. Thus before talking about hole-cleaning techniques it should be pointed out that as we expect more from horizontal wells than from vertical wells, additionalprecautionshave to be taken to : avoid damage to reservoircharacteristics, avoid incompatibility between reservoir formation and fluid used, ensure bore hole stability (in inconaolidated formations), - provide lubricity to decrease torque and drag, and hence, the possibility of sticking of drill string and casing.

HOLE CLEANING Once al,lother parameters have been studied and defined (mud weight, filtrate, salinity, solids content, etc..), it is necessary to adapt the rheology to provide a sufficient carrying capacity of the mud along the annulus varying in inclinationand size. As opposed to what happena in conventionalwells (increasing thixotropy improves cutting transport), in highly deviated wells and even more so in horizontalwells, the drilled cuttingshave to come up through variously inclined sections from 90 to 0 where the optimum parameters required for hole cleaning may vary greatly Zrom one section to the other. When drillinghorizontally, cuttings transportationphenomena can be classified in three different ranges of inclination separatedby two critical angle values Oa and o) . Why two critical angles ? (Fig. 1) When drilling a horizontal well from O to 90, the in~luenceof the axial component (V ) of the particle slipping (V ) decreases as %eviation increaaes. On the con rary the radial component $ (VSR) of he particle slipping velocity (VS) increaaestowards the low part of the well. 1. Sectionswhere the inclination ranges between 0 andllm . In this section the radial component of the slipping velocity (V ) is null and increases as O increases.tJasR ia the critical angle is sufficient to make the particles leave t here % e mud flow and lie on the low aide of the annulua with a tendency to slide down against the current due to Vaa.

When examining these specifications, it seems evident that an oil-base mud will be the aafeat ?. Sectionswhere the inclination ranges between @a ande~ . choice of drilling fluid. In fact, when oil-base mud haa not been the fluid used for drillizg As 6 increases from 8 w to 0/! , V contineighboring vertical wells, as for as we know this Sl$ nues to grow thus increasing the ten ency of mud type has never been chosen because of the high the particles to lay on the low side of the angle of deviation. The main reason for this is hole, but in the meantime V decreasesand that when properly designed (choice of salt and Ofl is the critical anglea%here V ia not concentration) and when enhanced with specific sufficient to make the cuttings s~~de back additives (lubricants,asphalts, diesel or mineral against the current. oil), low solids brine water-base mud has auccessftillycompeted with oil-base mud. Their characteristics are easily and rapidly adjustable to hole 3. Sectionswhere the inclination ranges between 6P and 90. requirements.In addition, leases can be prevented and cured more eaaily (sized calcium carbonate can Aa d increases from (7/3to 90 the influence be often used eitheir as a weighting agent or as a of the axial component of the slipping velotemporarypluggtng agent). This ability iS @f prime importance when drilling through fractured formacity decreasesand reachea a value of O when O equals 90. tiona and alao to build up a firm and acid-soluble cake againat unconsolidatedaand formations (i.e. Chateaurenard- 350 meters ( ..1150 ft) horizontal Discussionper Interval of Inclination through incosolidztedsand). Horizontal test benches, theoreticalcalculation, and field experience allow an estimation of the critical angles : 25 to 35 for @a 55 to 65 for 0~

SPE 15464 .

Ch. ZURDO, Ch. GEORGES, M. MARTIN

1. Sections whe~.~ the inclination is less than (25/350) Laminar flow is convenient in the event of troublesomecoarse cuttings.The YP/PV ratio has to be increaaed.If required,the circulationof high viscosity pluga is suitable in this range of deviation. 2. Sections where the inclinationis greater than Om and less thanO/~ (25/350to 55/650) These sections are critical not only because cuttings build a bed on the low side of the hole but because the bed may have a tendency to slide downward by the effect of gravity at least when the pumps are stopped.This might eaaily lead to a stuck pipe situation,unless all the cuttings are circulated out prior to tripping. The best compromise to clean up these critical aectiona is to ensure a sufficientmud velocity (0,9 to 1 meter/second = 3,3 ft/s) associated with a high YP/PV ratio (greater than 1 with yp (lb/100 ftz) and PV (cp)). If the minimum velocity is not possible (rig pump capacity, bore instabilityor down hole motor limitation) the YP/PV ratio and circulating time have to be increased. 3. Sections where the inclination is greater than (55/650) Ovalizationof the bore hole should be expected and, in addition, the cuttings have a tendency to settle and concentrateon the low side of the hole around the drill pipes. In this range of angle, the bed of cuttings does not tend to slide downwards even when circulation is stopped. When acceptable, turbulent flow iS definitely recommended to prevent cuttings from settling andlor to erode them. If a bed still exists, it thickness will be related to velocity. Tle time of circulationmust be increased when turbulent flow is not permitted.Note that pipe rotation will help to unstaliblize such beds of cuttings. Before leavin~ the question of hole cleaning, we would like to point out that sophisticatedcalculations will bz useless if not backed up by common sense and empirical knowledge. The best way to monitor hole cleaning is to take a look at the shakers, to maintain a regular watch of solids concentrationin the mud (which is a good indication of solids regrinding) and to make a massic flow balance of solids control equipment, rather than relying only on theoreticalvelocity values. Table 1 gives a broad descriptionof which type of transportation will take place in a section of annulus characterizedby its inclination and the average flow velocity. This is purely a guide line and only represents a synthesis of literature 2,3,4, our experiments,and what we have suspected during the drilling of our horizontal and high deviatedwells.

This table does not integratethe effect : particle size distributionof cuttings *, cuttings concentration**, ahape of cuttings, tendencyof the cuttings to agglomerateor not, differenceof density between mud and cuttings (tulk density),

- ovalizationof bore hole, - pipe rotation. FLUID BALANCE IN HORIZONTALWELL BORES Horizontalwell borea often have to cross reservoirs of varying permeability (e.g. fracture production) but will remain in formations of approximatelyequal pressure. Given ;R JP2 reservoirpressure mud pressure under the bit annulus pressure in the horizontal part

We immediatelysee the difficulty in maintaining a fluid balance in a long horizontal well bore, above all when certain porosity and permeability characteristicsof the reservoir will not withatand a big difference between the reservoir preaaure and the equivalent circulatingpressure (see Figure 2). PR constant -IfPB=P B A!a < PR risk of kick at the beginningof horizontal well bore

-IfP

-APa = PR P: > PR

risk of circulation loss at bottom of horizontalwell bore

It is thereforeimportantto have a better understanding of LCM plugging and hydrocarbonbehaviour phenomena in horizontalwell bores. Lost CirculationPlugging Plugging difficulties encountered in certain horizontal drillings acrosa fracture-producing reservoirsled us to design a test set-up allowing the simulationof this type of loss for a better understanding of the phenomenon and to try to provide a solution to this problem. * a certain amount of cuttings are transported out of the hole as mud particleswhen eroded capacity of the mud is not ** when the Carryfng sufficientand high concentrations cuttings of are generated in the annulus, these plugs restrict the flow paasage and are iifted by the differentialpressure through them

NIJD AND CEMENT FDR HORIZONTALWELLS

5PE 15464

The first phase of testing,using mesns classically employed in the field (60 kg~ms < LCM concentration [C] < 130 kg/m), showed that the upper halfcircumference cf the well bore is not at all or only slightly plugged, whereas the lower part is regularlyplugged as shown in Figures 3.1, 3,2. 1 Various solutions were then studied and a great number of tests performed measuring the influence of the followingmain parameters : choice of LCM (granulometry, ahape, density contrasts,etc.), rheology of the base mud, - LCM concentration[C], - placement flow regime. In this way, a certain number of interestingideas were developed,likely to help solve often specific problems encounteredin the field. 1. Light LCM, by floating, ought to have countered the effect of gravity previously encountered, but unfortunatelymost types were unsuitable for this type of loss. LCM shape and granulometry should be chosen as far as possible depending on formation and type of loss. In our own particular case, it turned out that granular LCM alone vas relatively inefficient (e.g. CaCo3 40 Mm, etc.). However, granular, fibrous, lamellar mixtures gave excellent results. Finally, the solution to fracture enlargement was found by simply adding elements of similar size to that of the fracture itself to the basic mixtures, these elements then serving as a support structurefor LCM. 2. As the supply of LCM to the upper part of well bores by floating proved unsuccessful,we found the followingsolutions (Fig. 4.1, 4.2) : - on the one hand theologicalmodifications,by increasing the carrying capacity of the fluid : yield value YP > 20 lb/100 ft2 plastic viscosity PV > 30 cp, - on the other hand statistically, by increasing the chances of LCM passing along the upper part of well bores by increasingLCM concentration [C] > 150 kg/ins. 3. The two previous ideas are the most important and plugging was achieved regardleas of the placement regime. But it is interestingto note that the slower the placement regime, the less time is needed for plugging. This is highly advantageouain the field, where flow rates tend to be reduced to avoid any further deterioration of the situation. Finallyp a number of squeeze placement teata showed that for rapid reaulta, the above-mentioned conditions would have to be increased even further : equivale.,trheology but with higher LCM concentrations, [C] >200 kg/ins.

Remarks The previous recommendations bring us to an important conclusion : the high parametersused in such a procedurewill call for serious precautionssuch aa turbine run-out, the running down of a specific plugging string, etc. Hydrocarbon in HorizontalWell Bores 1. Appearanceof Hydrocarbonsin the Static Mud Phase On all drilling sites, reference is commonly made to the gas bottom plug when drilling is resumed after a round trip, i.e. a long static period of mud in the well serving to provide a certain back pressure on the reservoir. This phenomenonexists even though PB is often greater than PR. The capillary forces are then apparently not sufficient to avoid an exchange simply due to the density unbalance of the fluids present, at equal pressure at the point of contact : hydrocarbon density d < mud density . Schematically speaking, tEe lighter paases a ove the heavier. % A horizontal well bore will then favorize this phenomenon in as much as the exchange surface is infinitely greater (lower halfcylinder)and due to the fact that the permeability may be of the fracturetype. e.g. Surface area of the bot~om of an 215,9 mm (8 1/2) hole : 366 10- m2 Surface area of the horizontalprojection of a long 8 1/2 well 300 m bore : 65.5 mz. A number of laboratory experiments enabled this phenomenon to be demonstrated and alao showed the importanceof the density unbalance as may be seen in Figure 5. Thus for an identical reservoir fluid, the back pressure exerted for the same vertical height will increase with increasingmud density, and yet the exchange will occur more rapidly and flow :atewill be higher. Likewise, if the reservoir fluid happens to be gas, the density unbalance will be very great and the phenomenon will be accentuatedeven more. Therefore, a sub-hydrostaticreservoir might, in certain circumstances (high permeability, fracture permeability,no cake, etc.), yield in static phase. To make the mud heavier might even be dangerous in this case, having the opposite effect to that desired. A better solution would be to form a relatively impermeable cake or to plug fissures aa seen previously.

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MARTIN

2. Evacuation of Gas Accumulated in a Horizontal Well Bore Kicks during drilling or round trips will cause points of hydrocarbon accumulation in overgauged zones, in high points, even in the bottom of the well bore if this is a high point. This phenomenon will be even more worrying and difficult to deal with as the gas in question will not expand, being at equal pressur2. W[:carried out tests to study the behaviour of these accumulations during annulus circulation of various drilling fluids. By simulating overgauged holes and a slight angle (91 to ?2), regardless of the fluid (water, low rheology mud, high rheolok~ mud), an annulus velGcity greater than approximately 30 m(mn is sufficient to systematically evacuate the trapped gas. For lower flow rates of below 25 mlmn, flu~ds with W < lb/100 ftz and PV < 10 cp do not manage to tOtallY evacuate these accumulations. The logical conclusion may therefore be drawn that the higher the flow rate andlor rheology, the better the evacuation. Finally, a few tests were carried out for rising well bores at approximately 100. These tests showed that while at 90 the bubble moved at the same speed as the drilling fluid, at 100 this speed was around 10 times slower. Thus~ for 215,9 mm (8 1/2) pipe annulus circulation at 60 m/mn in a 300 m long well bore at 100, the fluid would take 5 mn to travel the whole distance, whereas the gas would only be evacuatedafter approximately45 m. HORIZONTALCENENTING As in vertical wells, good cementing of production casings in horizontal wells often results in improved yield (insulationof water in flow zone, varying permeabilityzones, etc.). A long research program was undertaken on the feasibility of such cementing with the main aims being to solve specific problems posed by horizontality, to understandthe influenceof each parameter,and, as far as possible, to perform surf:(cetests at or near scale 1. The principal preoccupations were thus concerned with : the reliabilityof cementingoutfits, the appearance and accumulation of free water along the upper part of the well bore, the best placementmethod(s), trapppingand fingeringat the level of reatrictions, the influenceof geometrichole accidents.

Cementing Outfits The cementingplugs (w?perplug + pump-downplug) and check valves were tested on a 300 m long test bench in a 177.8 mm (7) casing. A classicalliner cementingwiper plug was circulated over more than 900 m (2,950 ft) in water (no lubrication of the inner walls of the 7 casing), ti.ndhen a pressure5 t test was performed correspondingto P = 50 .10 Pa. No leakagewas observed and there were no signs of abnormalwear after dismantling.However, use of a float shoe or float collar proved inconclusive. The sealing qualitiesof these systems are unreliable due to the relative or total lack of annulus back pressure at the end of cementing.It is therefore safer to use spring-loadedvalves (e.g. flapper valves). Free Water The development of slurries without free water was extremelyimportantaa the appearanceof such a phenomenon in horizontal situations results in the formation of a water drain along the upper part of the annulus. This drain calla for a complete rethink on the seal required by cementing. In fact, full-scale cementing tests with slurries not perfectly meeting this free water cancellation criterion ahowed not only the accumulation of water on the upper part of the bore, but also migration of this water along the bore towards the high points of the annulus (the test benches presented inclinations varying between 88 and 920). Thus, a slurry with 0.5 cm API (0,2 %) free water in a 177.8 mm/254 mm (7/10) nnulus would result in a water drain of a from 2 mm to more than 1 cm. Numerous possible solutionswere tested, often dictated by temperature, in three directions :

- aid to rapid hydrationand aluminatecrystallization by the addition of certain diapersants creating oversaturation in sulfate ions. The combined action of sulfate and aluminate forms ettringite, a veritable support structure between the grains of cement. When possible, the addition of CaCl forma the same type of support structure an~ thus prevents aedimentation : viscosification of interstitialwater, e.g. with latex emulsions, resulting in increased water pressure loss in the event of migration, addition of solid inert microelementswhich, due to their very small size (10 to 100 times smaller than a grain of cement) and large number (representing5 to 25 % of the weight of the cement), would occupy to a large extent the gapa between the grains of cement and would greatly increase pressure loss in the event of interstitial water migration.

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SPE 15464
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Unfortunately,horizontal well drillir,g often is due to difficult pay zone characteristicsas has Numerous 25 and 50 m (82 ft and 164 ft) teat already been underl~ned 1. Consequently,the moat frequentlyused placement regime will be of the benches and a 300 m (984 ft) bench allowed us to surface 177.8 mm/241.3 mm the S1OW flow type, thus avoiding the risks of perform on (7/9 1/2) annulus cementing.We were thus able to fracture and losses during cementing.A number of study the relative influenceof various parameters tests with poor centering, sloughing, etc, were such as centering, the presence of caving, etc.., carried out with slurries, high spacer density with a length equivalent to approximately200 m for suitable theologiesand displacementregimes. (656 ft) of annulus, and a cement excess repreA test bench w!:h variab?e annalar distance allowed senting 100 to 150 m (328 ft to 492 ft) of us, as will be seen later on, not only to study the annulus. Over-gaugi~g was well filled in, and proLlems of centering and fingering, but also the only a few highly restricted sections showed displacementof interfacesbetween mud, spacer a.ld intermittent trapping (between 2 m (6.5 ft) and slurry. In the case of turbulent displacement of 5 m (16.5 ft) in length) on the lower part of the all three fluids or even for only the mud and well bore, insufficient to affect the overall spacer, excellent hole cleaning was observed. seal of the annulus. However, slow flow displacement showed the very great influence of the density unbalance para- CONCLUSION meter between the fluids.As soon as this unbalance becomes large, a wedge phenomenon occurs during The aim of this paper is neither to solve nor displacement both inside the casing and in the demistify the problems created by horizontal annulus, resulting in the heavier fluid passing drilling, which is no longer an extraordinary below the lighter fluid. If this phenomenon is practice. It is simply a presentation of our admissible for the mud-spacer interface, this is approach with regard to uud and cementing, not the case for the spacer-slurry interface, as bearing in mind that today, cases of horizontal the combination of the two phenomena for a major drilling are guided by economic considerations cement job could lead to pollution of the cement by often related to difficult zones. Thus, our the mud or even trappingof the latter. This is why observationsat each well, our research, and our we opted rather for a relativelylong splcer design practical solutionsto each new case that arises, (200 to 250 m (656 ft to 820 ft) of anlulus, with have given us a know-how which will no doubt an intermediate rheology between that of mud and continue to evolue during future horizontal slurry, and a density near that of slurry. As in drilling jobs. vertical drilling, the casing string should be perfectly centered if a good cementation is to be ACKNOWLEDGEMENT obtained. The more the well is inclined, even horizontal,the less centeringand running down the The authors would like to thank Soci.5t6Elf casing string are compatible.However, restrictions Aquitaine and Institut FranCais du P6trole for prejudicial to correct mud displacement should be permissionto publish this paper. avoi~,.d much as possible.Our research led us to as two conclusions.On the one hand, a minimum annular REFERENCES distance is necessary,e.g. for a slow flow displa1. Reiss, L.H. : Horizontal wells production cement regime, there should be a passage of at least 2 x 2.54 cm 2 x 1 or even more to have any after five years, Society of Petroleum guaranteeof good cementing.Knowledge of centering Engineers 14338, Las Vegas, Sept. 22 1985. reactions in horizontal open holes being far from complete,reduced casing string diameters should be 2. Tomren, P.M., Iyoho, A.W., Azar, J.J. : An adopted for a given hole diameter. A 139.7 mm experimental study of cuttings transport in 5 1/2 liner will be preferred, for example, to a directional wells, Society of Petroleum 177.8 mm 7 or a 168.275mm 6 5/8 in a theoreEngineers 12123, San Francisco,Oct. 5-8 1985. tical hole of 215.9 mm 8 1/2 . On the other hand, even in the least favorable cases (casing string 3. Okrajni, S.S., Azar, J.J. : Mud cuttings lying on the bottom and slow flow displacement), transport in directional well drilling, fingeringwill remain very localized as opposed to Society of Petroleum Engineera 14178, Las that occurring in vertical wells. Here too, the Vegas, Sept. 22-25 1985. effect of density is preponderantand will rapidly MartiLautrec, J., tend to close up trapping. Finally, not only will 4. Martin, M., de this fingering often stop in line with well-cengnon, A., : Essaia doptimisationdes caractered sections, but the ensuing passage of cement t6ristiques boues pour le forage dea puits will tend to shorten it even more. horizontaux.Rapport Elf Aquitaine - Institut FranGais du P6trole Octobre 1981. Armed with all the above knowledge,we carried out a great deal of annulus cementing on the surface and at scale 1, using both gel cement and neat slurries and displacements corresponding to rheologiea. With turbulent slurry regimes, mud displacement occurs perfectly and trapping at restrictions or between shoe and well bottom (pockets)is totally cancelled out, but at the same time, the formulationof slurrieswithout free water is more difficult. Rheology and Displacement(Fig. 6.1, 6.2, 6.3)

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15464
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