STABILIZATION PLUGS

Objectives:

- Give formation stability.

- Stabilize unstable formations .
- Improve hole conditions.
- Made tripping pipe and running casing much easier
than before.
- Reduce the possibility of cement failure from
subsequent drilling activity.
- Assist in being able to drill wells successfully.
- Prevent further hole collapse.
STABILIZATION PLUGS

WHEN USE FIBER ?

Use plastic fiber if plug will be exposed during long

time in drilling new formation. **

** Fiber improves the cements’ resistance to impact and

therefore reduces the possibility of cement failure from
subsequent drilling activity.
 STABILIZATION PLUGS
Cement Properties and Design:

 Density: 14.0 - 16.0 lb/gal

(Depending on mud weight - minimum 1 ppg above)
 Use Fluid Loss additive in permeable formations.
 Silica should be used if the BHST is above 240°F.
 Fiber concentration should be 0.2% (0.25% if using silica).
 Use dispersant and retarder to provide a mixable, pumpable
slurry with appropriate thickening time, low gel strength.
 Use field temperature graphs to determine BHST and API
plug / squeeze schedules to determine BHCT.
 Hole volume: if a caliper is not available, use Super Volume
Estimator.
 STABILIZATION PLUGS
Cement Properties and Design:
 Maximum plug length should be 500' using S.V.E. plus 50%
excess or caliper volume plus 25% excess. If exceeds 600 ft. It
should be pumped as two or more plugs depending on height
and volume.
 Check that hydrostatic pressure does not exceed fracturing
pressure below the plug.
 Preflush/Spacer volumes: For small plugs (up to 50 bbls) use
100% of the cement volume. For large plugs (100 bbls +) use

50% of the cement volume.

 Spacer / Mud compatibility’s must be checked prior to job with
actual samples.
 STABILIZATION PLUGS
Slurry Tests and Properties

 Thickening time @ BHCT/BHP : Job time plus 1-2 hours.

 Fluid Loss @ BHCT/ 1000 psi : < 100cc’s.

(when required)
 Comp. Strength @ BHCT + 15°F : 12hrs: 500 psi
24hrs: Report Value.

 Rheology @ BHCT or 180°F : Report PV,YP, & gels.

Viscosity greater than spacer.

 Gel Strengths @ BHCT or 180°F : 10 sec and 10 min Gels

should be reported on samples containing fiber.
Visual observation for not thixotropy
 STABILIZATION PLUGS
Placement Design

 If there is nothing to support the plug use a viscous or reactive pill

to act as support.
 Use open ended drill pipe to prevent plugging with fiber.

 Circulate hole clean at highest rate possible at plug setting

depth (minimum 1 hole volumes) and check pressures.

 Ensure well is static. Reduce mud rheology as much as practical.

 Calculate volume of spacer ahead and behind the plug to balance

it based on gauge hole.

 Displace cement to bottom of drill pipe at maximum possible rate

and displace out of drill pipe at the rate designed based on hole
size.
 STABILIZATION PLUGS
Placement Design

 Displace with cement unit to physically count the displacement

volume.
 While displacing, rotate the pipe if possible to break the gelled

mud.
 Under displace plug 200 ft above top of plug.(3.5 BBLS. in 5" DP).

 Check back flow or suction effect to cement unit.

 Pull out of cement plug slowly at 50 ft/min above calculated

cement top rotating pipe.

 Circulate 50 bbl nut plug pill (low viscosity mud and 50 lb./bbl

walnut hulls) to clean DP.

 WOC minimum 24 hrs. RIH and tag plug.
 STABILIZATION PLUGS
STABILIZATION CEMENT PLUGS

CASES HISTORY

Length Volume Plug Compressive Successfully

WELL CEMENTING JOB of Density Strength Drilled
Interval ( bbls ) ( ppg ) 12 / 24

Cus TA-27 León Stabilization Plug @ 8964 ft 410 ft 350 14.5

Cus TA-27 León Stabilization Plug @ 8280 ft 280 ft 260 14.5 450 / 1180 Yes
Cus TA-27 C-8 Stabilization Plug @ 15148 ft 835 ft 150 14.5 520 / 1220 Yes
Liria YT- 8 León Stabilization Plug @ 6930 ft 650 ft 220 14.5
Liria YT- 8 León Stabilization Plug @ 6280 ft 650 ft 220 14.5 480 / 1140 Yes
Liria YT- 8 C- 2 Stabilization Plug @ 9500 ft 700 ft 300 14.5 *Partially

* Naturally Sidetracked in the last 230 ft

 STABILIZATION PLUGS
Cement Slurry Design:
 Cement Type: Boyacá, Class “G”
 Slurry Density: 14.5 ppg
 BHST / BHCT: 155°F/142 °F 198°F/ 148 °F

Slurry Composition:
Extender: Prehydrated Gel: 0.5% 0.0%
Fluid Loss: FL- 54B 0.25% 0.45%
Dispersant: CD- 31L 0.0 5.0 ghs
Retarder: R- 3 / R- 21L 0.32% 1.5 ghs
Defoamer: FP- 6L 1.0 ghs 1.0 ghs
Fiber: Tuf Fiber 0.2% 0.2%
Thickening time @ BHCT: 7:25 hrs 7:35 hrs
 STABILIZATION PLUGS
Cement Slurry Design:
 Rheology @ Tsuperficie: 10 / 15 / 64 / 105 / 142 / 240
BHCT : 15 / 29 / 53 / 76 / 95 / 159
Gels : 23 / 32

 Rheology @ Tsuperficie: 10 / 18 / 117 / 177 / 230 / NR

BHCT : 4 / 7 / 62 / 100 / 131 / 200
Gels : 8 / 12
 Comp. Strength @ BHCT + 10°F : 12 / 24 hrs: 520 / 1220 psi
12 / 24 hrs: 480 / 1180 psi
 Operating Free Water @ BHCT: 0.0 mls