Relationship between operational variables, fundamental physics and foamed cement properties in lab and field generated foamed cement slurries

Abstract

14Foamed cement is a critical component for wellbore stability. The mechanical performance of a foamed 15 cement depends on its microstructure, which in turn depends on the preparation method and attendant 16 operational variables. Determination of cement stability for field use is based on laboratory testing 17 protocols governed by API Recommended Practice 10B-4 (API RP 10B-4, 2015). However, laboratory 18 and field operational variables contrast considerably in terms of scale, as well as slurry mixing and 19 foaming processes. Here, laboratory and field operational processes are characterized within a physics-20 based framework. It is shown that the "atomization energy" imparted by the high pressure injection of 21 nitrogen gas into the field mixed foamed cement slurry is -by a significant margin -the highest energy 22 process, and has a major impact on the void system in the cement slurry. There is no analog for this high 23 energy exchange in current laboratory cement preparation and testing protocols. Quantifying the energy 24 exchanges across the laboratory and field processes provides a basis for understanding relative impacts of 25 these variables on cement structure, and can ultimately lead to the development of practices to improve 26 cement testing and performance. 27 28

A new approach to improve mechanical properties and durability of low-density oil well cement composite reinforced by cellulose fibres in microstructural scale

“…The density of this type of slurry is affected by the density of base grout, the inflating capacity and the pressure at the bottom. The density of this product would be as low as 0.7 g/cm 3 in low depth to around 1.30g/cm 3 in deep wells [23].…”

Preparation and rheological properties of a stable aqueous foam system

“…Its unique structure determines that it has several excellent characteristics such as low friction, strong carrying capacity, low density and ltration loss, which allow it to be widely used in the eld of petroleum drilling, 1,2 well cementing, 3 prole modication, 4 water shutoff, 5 oil displacement [6][7][8] and drag reduction for viscous oil pipeline transportation. 9 For instance, foam with high stability can effectively prevent cuttings settlement and drilling rig sticking accident caused by accidental stopping of pump from occurring in the process of underbalanced foam drilling.…”

Displacement Flow of Compressible Non-Newtonian Fluids in Annular Geometries for Well Cementing Applications

“…, 𝜑) = { 𝜏 𝑦 (𝜑) |𝛾̇| + 𝐾(𝜑). |𝛾| 𝑛−1 , 𝑖𝑓 𝜏 > 𝜏 𝑦 (𝜑) ∞, 𝑖𝑓 𝜏 < 𝜏 𝑦 (𝜑)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19) Where the parameters K and 𝜏 𝑦 relate to the 3-parameter base fluid Herschel-Bulkley model (𝐾 0 , 𝜏 𝑦,0 , n) according to Eq. 3-20(Ducloué, 201), where 𝜑 is the gas volumetric fraction as Eq.…”