Gas / Fluid Migration

Causes of Gas Migration

Mud channel Free fluid channel Gas invasion of cement Microannulus Stress cracking of set cement

Mud Removal
Poor mud removal leaves channels Failure to provide isolation allows fluid/gas flow to lower pressured formations or to surface Flow may occur shortly after cementing or days/weeks later

Mud Channels
Mud Channel

Mud Cake Dehydrated, cracked cake

Free Fluid
Free fluid migrates up In deviated well, can cause continuous channel Can result in pressure loss in any well
Free fluid channel

Invasion of Liquid Cement

If overbalance is not maintained, gas can invade the unset cement

Gas

Depressurization
Caused by combination of phenomena: Volume losses:
Fluid loss Hydration volume reduction

Gel strength development selfsupporting a natural result of cement hydration

Onset of Gas Flow

Age at which balance reached is critical
Temperature

Cement Hydration

Hydrostatic Pressure Overbalance Pressure Pressure Pore Pressure

Balance point Cement Set: No Gas can Invade

Paths Created After Setting

Microannulus Stress cracking of the cement

Microannulus
From disturbance of cement prior to setting or casing shrinkage after setting.

Good Seal

Failed Seal
10

Flow normally low volume but could be high pressure

Stress Cracking of Set Cement

Cracks from stresses caused by expansion/contraction of casing due to temperature and pressure changes

11

Preventing Gas / Fluid Migration

All paths and mechanisms must be addressed Mud removal Free fluid control Pressure maintenance
Maximum overbalance Delayed gel strength development

Use of special slurries

Low permeability High durability

Controlling stresses after setting or using more durable cement

12

Good Mud Removal Practices

Requires engineered flow regimes Proper cementing practices:
Pipe movement Centralization

Fluids designed for mud removal Conditioned mud and wellbore before cementing Good wellbore for cementing (minimum washout)

13

Slurry Design
Free fluid control Rheology for mud removal and minimized gelation tendencies Fluid loss control < 50 mL/30 min Rapid setting Minimized thickening time (reduced opportunity for gas to invade) Special slurries
14

Special Slurries
Low permeability
Latex Microsilica

Controlled gel strength Compressible cement (foamed) Durable cement

15

Calculating Risk
Several methods have been developed to determine risk
GFP CWSS

Level of risk used to determine slurry requirements

16

CWSS
CWSS = 0.25 [S(rxgLxcosQ) - Pf] [Dh - Dc] / Lcmt where:
10000 Gel Strength (lbf/100 sqft)

1000

Impermeable Matrix CWSS

r = fluid density g = gravity L = length of column Q = angle of inclination Pf = pore pressure Dh = hole diameter Dc = casing diameter
L

100

10

Dc

1 Tc Time Tf

Gas
Dh

Stiles, OTC 8305, May 1997

17

Critical Wall Shear Stress

Indicates degree of hazard of gas flow Is a measure of the degree of hydrostatic pressure decay which will allow gas entry Is dependent on well geometry and pressures Lower CWSS indicates higher hazard

18

Gas Flow Potential

GFP = MPR / OBP

GFP = Gas flow potential (dimensionless) MPR = Maximum pressure restriction (psi) OBP = Overbalance pressure (psi)
MPR = 1.67 x L/D 1.67 = conversion factor L = Length of cement column (ft) D = Effective diameter (in) (hole casing diameter) For condition where static gel strength of 500 lbf/100 ft2 controls gas

19

Gas Flow Potential Factor

10

Flow Condition 1 Minor

Flow Condition 2 Moderate

Flow Condition 3 Severe

Sutton, Sabins, Faul, New Evaluation for Annular Gas-flow Potential, Oil and Gas Journal, 17 Dec, 1984.

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Model 7150 Fluid Migration Analyzer

Purpose
The Chandler Engineering Model 7150 Fluid Migration Analyzer (FMA) is a bench-top laboratory device to realistically test cement recipes for use in controlling formation flow (gas/brine) invasion after the cement job. The apparatus realistically simulates parameters such as temperature, hydrostatic pressure, fluid formation pressures, and pressure gradients driving the flow through a cement column.

Description
The FMA test cell has the same internal diameter as an API fluid loss cell. A hollow hydraulic piston at the top of the cell is pressurized with water to simulate the effect of the hydrostatic pressure on the cement. Filtrate from the cement slurry can be collected from the bottom of the cell through standard fluid loss screens (325 mesh) or other desired mesh size screens. The formation pore pressure and fluid inflow is simulated at the bottom of the cell. Fluid migration through the cement is monitored using pressure transducers and flow meters. All pressures, filtrate volumes, temperatures, and formation fluid inflow rate are automatically measured, logged, and displayed on a continuous basis.

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Theory
The Model 7150 FMA is designed to perform the scale-down method testing described by Beirute and Cheung (SPE 19522) and provides flexibility for custom procedures.1 The scale-down method is designed to study migration through the cement column before the cement sets (short-term migration studies).

Beirute, R.M. and Cheung, P.R.: "A Scale-Down Laboratory Test Procedure for Tailoring to Specific Well Conditions, the Selection of Cement Recipes to Control Formation Fluids Migration After Cementing," SPE 19522, 64th SPE Annual Technical Conference, San Antonio, Texas, October 8-11, 1989.

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Scale-down Test Method

The Scale-down method tailors the test schedule to the specific well conditions using the properties of the specific cement slurry to be tested. The procedure addresses a "worst case" scenario. The method assumes that the offending gas zone (source of the invading gas) has enough permeability, thickness, and gas volume to fully invade the cemented annulus (cement column), if conditions allow it. In the laboratory procedure, the gel strength development of the slurry (using SGSA) is used to estimate the maximum potential pressure decline in the cement column. The maximum possible hydrostatic pressure decline with time due to gel strength development is normally calculated using the equation for hydrostatic pressure decline. 23

Hydrostatic Pressure Decline

DP = (GS/300) x (L/D)
Where: GS DP L D 300 = Gel strength vs. time in lbf/100 ft2 = Hydrostatic pressure decline in psi = Length of the cement column in feet = Mean diameter of annulus (hole-casing) in inches. = Conversion factor

The calculated pressure decline schedule is then used to allow dehydration from the cement into the simulated gas formation and to predict when a pressure differential needs to be applied across the slurry to potentially drive gas through the sample. The magnitude of the pressure differential placed across the cement specimen is calculated using Darcy's Law, assuming that equal "bulk permeabilities" exist in the well and in the test cell. The gas influx into the cement is measured. At the end of the test, it is possible to tell if the proposed slurry formulation will control the gas migration problem in the given well across the zone of interest.

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Test Design
Cement Slurry Gel Strength Measurements
In order to perform the needed calculations for the test, a measure of the gel strength development versus time at realistic down hole conditions should to be made prior to the scale-down test.
State-of-the-art acoustic technology allows measurement of the gel strength development of cement slurry at down-hole conditions using Chandler Engineering Model 5265 Static Gel Strength Analyzer (SGSA). Moon and Wang (SPE Paper #55650) describe this methodology. A copy of this paper is located in the Reference Materials section of this manual.

Fluid Migration Test Design

Table 1 shows an example of an FMA test designed using the scale-down method. The assumed well conditions are also given in the table. As indicated before, the test schedule calculated using the scale-down method is different for each set of well conditions and for different slurries with different gel strength development characteristics. In order to prepare the table below for a particular set of well conditions, it is critical to understand the path of migration that the invading fluid or gas will take.

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Example Well Conditions

Measured depth, high pressure zone: 14800 ft Pore pressure, high pressure zone: 10900 psi Measured depth, thief (lower pressure) zone: 13000ft Pore pressure, thief zone: 8800 psi Measured top of the cement: 8000 ft Pipe OD: 7 in Equivalent mud density (from fluid column lengths): 14.8 lb/gal Cement density: 15.8 lb/gal

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Simulated gas zone pressure to be used in the test, PSI: 300 (This is the backpressure bottom during the fluid loss portion of the test. During the fluid/gas migration portion of the test, this is the base inject pressure.) See Table 1 sections A and B below.
Table 1 Pressure Schedule Fluid/Gas Migration Test Designed Using the Scale-Down Method A. Fluid Loss Portion of the Test
Time (min) 0 Slurry Gel Strength (lb/100 ft2) 1.4 Cement pore pressure (PSI) 1128 Gas Zone Pressure (back pressure bottom) 300

6
10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

8.3
14 21 28 33 42 49 56 63 69

1050
985 906 826 770 668 588 509 430 362

300
300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300

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B. Fluid/Gas Migration Portion of the Test

Time (min)

Slurry Gel Strength (lb/100 ft2)

Cement pore pressure (PSI)

Gas Zone Pressure (Injection Pressure) 300

Back Pressure Top

55

75

300

288

57

98

300

300

286

59

113

300

300

285

60

128

300

300

284

63

166

300

300

281

65

181

300

300

280

68

265

300

300

280

To end of test

394

300

300

280

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Features and Benefits

Best features of the industry standard gas migration device developed by Dr. Robert Beirute. Accurate temperature control to 400oF (205oC). Accurate pressure control to 2000 PSI (14 MPa). Deviated wellbore simulation. Ability to test with standard fluid loss screens. Removable top and bottom of the test cell to simplify sample removal and clean up. Both liquid and gas flow monitored and recorded. Multichannel data acquisition by PC for real-time display.
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Data Acquisition
All pressures, temperatures, linear displacement transducer position, and filtrate volumes are recorded and displayed using the computer that comes with the instrument. The provided software continuously displays the data and is very flexible, allowing the display of all desired information at any time during the test.

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Specifications
Operating Conditions: 24C - 204C (75F - 400F ) Maximum Temperature: 204C (400F) Maximum Pressure: 14 MPa (2000 psi ) Input Voltage: 200-240 VAC; 50/60 Hz Power: 1000 Watts Dimensions: (24) deep Shipping Dimensions: (48) deep Net Weight: Shipping Weight: 114cm (45) high x 160cm (63) wide x 61cm 119cm (47) high x 145cm (57) wide x 122cm

93 kg (205 lb ) 206 kg (455 lb)

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Safety Requirements
The Chandler Engineering Model 7150 Fluid Migration Analyzer is designed for operator safety. Any instrument that is capable of high temperatures and pressures should always be operated with CAUTION!!

32

7150 Schematic

Model 7150 FMA

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Static Gel Strength Analyzer Data

(lower temperature)
Instrument: SGSA/UCA R&D Prototype 100 Instrument Type: SGSA/UCA Initial Strength: 50 psi @ 6:09:30 Strength 1: 500 psi @ 16:11:30 Final Strength: 1352 psi Comments: @ 96:25:21 Test Start: 9/17/01 1:37:39 PM Test Stop: 9/21/01 2:03:00 PM T & P Schedule: Sampling Period: 30 seconds Initial SGS: 75 lb/100ft^2 @ 3:29:00 Final SGS: 1200 lb/100ft^2 @ 4:06:30

350

3000

1400

1200 300 2500

1000 250 2000

StaticGelStrength(lb/100ft2)

200

CompressiveStrength(psi)

800

Temperature(F)

1500

600

150

1000

400

100

500 200

50

0 0:00 2:00 4:00 Time(HH:MM) 6:00 8:00

CHANDLER
E N G I N E E R I N G

Test File Name: carHtest2sgs

Page 1

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Static Gel Strength Analyzer Data

(higher temperature)
Instrument: SGSA/UCA R&D Prototype 100 Instrument Type: SGSA/UCA Initial Strength: 50 psi @ 2:29:30 Strength 1: 500 psi @ 3:50:00 Final Strength: 3278 psi Comments: @ 96:09:43 Test Start: 9/24/01 10:15:24 AM Test Stop: 9/28/01 10:25:07 AM T & P Schedule: Sampling Period: 30 seconds Initial SGS: 75 lb/100ft^2 @ 1:14:30 Final SGS: 1200 lb/100ft^2 @ 1:43:30

350

3500

1400

3000 300

1200

2500 250

1000

200

1500

StaticGelStrength(lb/100ft2)

CompressiveStrength(psi)

2000

800

Temperature(F)

600

150 1000

400

100 500 200

50

0 0:00 2:00 4:00 Time(HH:MM) 6:00 8:00

CHANDLER
E N G I N E E R I N G

Test File Name: capHtest3sgs Printed: 2/18/03 10:23:03 AM

Page 1

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Pressure Data
Pressure is gradually decreased to simulate loss of hydrostatic pressure due to gel strength development. The pressure vs. time profile is determined from the Static Gel Strength Analyzer (SGSA) data.

36

Flow and Volume Data

100 100 4 10 900 3.5 80
Fluid Migration Volume (Scale A) (Atm-ml)

800

80 3
Formation Fluid Inflow Rate (N2) (Standard ml/min)

700

Cement Fluid Loss (Scale B) (ml)

2.5

60

60

Cement Pore Pressure (psig)

Piston Displacement (inches)

600

500

Fluid loss is through the standard screen during the first phase of the test. The blue line is the cumulative fluid loss. Gas inflow then occurs as gas is diverted to the base of the cell at the fluid loss screen. Gas flow into the cell is shown with the red line. This is not a gas tight slurry.

400

40

40

1.5

300

1 20 20 0.5

200

100

0 0:00 0:30 1:00 Time (HH:MM) 1:30 2:00

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Treatment Design
Pumping schedule to meet mud removal requirements Annular pressure Hydrostatics design by adjusting fluid densities Slurry height reduction to reduce rate of depressurization Slurry coverage above and below gas zones Lead slurries must be considered as well
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Operational Procedures
Well is static before cementing Density control for hydrostatics and slurry consistency Maintain overbalance
Stage collars Annular pressure maintenance

Special packers (use with care)

39