Interface debonding driven by fluid injection in a cased and cemented wellbore: Modeling and experiments

Lecampion, Brice; Bunger, Andrew P.; Kear, James; Quesada, Daniel

doi:10.1016/j.ijggc.2013.07.012

Cited by 61 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…This contrasts with routine observations of stress gradients from industry data ( Fig. 1A) and the fact that these gradients are considered in the well design of industrial operations (Lecampion et al, 2013;Mair et al, 2012). When this gradient is included in formulations, stress intensity varies around the fracture's tip-line (Fig.…”

mentioning

confidence: 67%

Critical fluid injection volumes for uncontrolled fracture ascent

Davis¹,

Rivalta²,

Dahm³

2020

Preprint

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Hydro-fracturing is a routine industrial technique whose safety depends on fractures remaining confined within the target rock volume. Both observations and theoretical models show that pockets of fluid can propagate large distances in the Earth's crust, in a self-sustained, uncontrolled manner, providing that the fluid volume is large enough. Existing models that describe when self-sustaining ascent starts are difficult to use for predictions, as they are mostly twodimensional (2D) and depend on parameters (typically the fracture length) that are hard to assess, even a posteriori.Here we constrain, both analytically and numerically in three-dimensions (3D), scale-independent critical volumes as a function of only rock and fluid properties. We apply our model to laboratory, industrial and natural settings, showing that our critical volumes are consistent with observations and can be used as a conservative estimate in geological applications. We find typical injection volumes exceed the limit we define for the start of self-sustaining fracture ascent. We describe a number of other processes that may work to arrest fractures with volumes exceeding this limit.This appears to have resulted in a false sense of operational safety when working with large injection volumes. In Non-peer reviewed EarthArXiv preprint the context of our findings we outline the quantitative work that would be required to better elucidate the processes causing fracture arrest, which could help to assess more comprehensively the safety of such operations.

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mentioning

confidence: 67%

Critical fluid injection volumes for uncontrolled fracture ascent

Davis¹,

Rivalta²,

Dahm³

2020

Preprint

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“…Moreover, cement shrinkage upon hardening, inherent to some of the processes involved in hydration [117], produces radial contraction that may result in tensile fracturing of the cement or debonding at the casing-cement and cementformation interfaces [26,33]. In addition, fluctuations in temperature and stress state, endured by the wellbore during field operations, may further contribute to the accumulation of structural damage [77,80,83,93,102].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reaction-driven casing expansion: potential for wellbore leakage mitigation

2017

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It is generally challenging to predict the postabandonment behaviour and integrity of wellbores. Leakage is, moreover, difficult to mitigate, particularly between the steel casing and outer cement sheath. Radially expanding the casing with some form of internal plug, thereby closing annular voids and fractures around it, offers a possible solution to both issues. However, such expansion requires development of substantial internal stresses. Chemical reactions that involve a solid volume increase and produce a force of crystallisation (FoC), such as CaO hydration, offer obvious potential. However, while thermodynamically capable of producing stresses in the GPa range, the maximum stress obtainable by CaO hydration has not been validated or determined experimentally. Here, we report uniaxial compaction/expansion experiments performed in an oedometer-type apparatus on precompacted CaO powder, at 65°C and at atmospheric pore fluid pressure. Using this set-up, the FoC generated during CaO hydration could be measured directly. Our results show FoC-induced stresses reaching up to 153 MPa, with reaction stopping or slowing down before completion. Failure to achieve the GPa stresses predicted by theory is attributed to competition between FoC development and its inhibiting effect on reaction progress. Microstructural observations indicate that reaction-induced stresses shut down pathways for water into the sample, hampering ongoing reaction and limiting the magnitude of stress build-up to the values observed. The results nonetheless point the way to understanding the behaviour of such systems and to finding engineering solutions that may allow large controlled stresses and strains to be achieved in wellbore sealing operations in future.

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“…According to the previous research [1,8,9,[11][12][13]21,22,26,27], the combination of the coupling method of fluid-solid in porous media [19] and the Cohesive Zone Method [12,13,24] has succeeded in simulating the expansion law of plane/interface cracks during hydraulic fracturing. Since the physical processes such as fluid-solid coupling, fluid mechanics, seepage, and rock deformation involved in the expansion of plane/interface cracks and body microcracks are basically the same, this method can also be used to simulate the extension law of body microcracks in the cement sheath.…”

Section: Numerical Simulation Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical Simulation Study on Propagation of Initial Microcracks in Cement Sheath Body during Hydraulic Fracturing Process

Yan

et al. 2020

Energies

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Microcracks caused by perforating operations in a cement sheath body and interface have the potential to further expand or even cause crossflow during hydraulic fracturing. Currently, there are few quantitative studies on the propagation of initial cement-body microcracks. In this paper, a three-dimensional finite element model for the propagation of initial microcracks of the cement sheath body along the axial and circumferential directions during hydraulic fracturing was proposed based on the combination of coupling method of fluid–solid in porous media and the Cohesive Zone Method. The influence of reservoir geological conditions, the mechanical properties of a casing-cement sheath-formation system, and fracturing constructions in the propagation of initial axial microcracks of a cement sheath body was quantitatively analyzed. It can be concluded that the axial extension length of microcracks increased with the increase of elastic modulus of the cement sheath and formation, the flow rate of fracturing fluid, and casing internal pressure, and decreased with the increase of the cement sheath tensile strength and ground stress. The elastic modulus of the cement sheath had a greater influence on the expansion of axial cracks than the formation elastic modulus and casing internal pressure. The effect of fracturing fluid viscosity on the crack expansion was negligible. In order to effectively slow the expansion of the cement sheath body crack, the elastic modulus of the cement sheath can be appropriately reduced to enhance its toughness under the premise of ensuring sufficient strength of the cement sheath.

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Interface debonding driven by fluid injection in a cased and cemented wellbore: Modeling and experiments

Cited by 61 publications

References 21 publications

Critical fluid injection volumes for uncontrolled fracture ascent

Critical fluid injection volumes for uncontrolled fracture ascent

Reaction-driven casing expansion: potential for wellbore leakage mitigation

Numerical Simulation Study on Propagation of Initial Microcracks in Cement Sheath Body during Hydraulic Fracturing Process

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