--> Abstract: Innovative Approaches to Cement Evaluation in a Deepwater Setting, by Matthew Blyth and Iain Whyte; #90200 (2014)

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Innovative Approaches to Cement Evaluation in a Deepwater Setting

Matthew Blyth¹ and Iain Whyte²
¹Schlumberger
²Tullow Oil

Abstract

With the ongoing changes affecting the global drilling industry, well integrity has become an area of great engineering focus and develop-ment. Cement bond analysis is of key interest as the consequences of failed, or partially complete, cementing operations can, at best, be a costly delay in drilling operations and, at worst, an extremely hazardous safety issue. Traditionally, wireline acoustic tools have been used to analyze the quality of the cement bond between the casing and the formation. Wireline tools have been developed over many years to produce high-quality assessments of cement bond, which can then be confidently used to confirm well integrity. However, the conveyance method requires that the analysis be performed on the critical path and also that additional methods be used in high-angle wells. Logging-while-drilling (LWD) technology offers a potential alternative without these issues, provided the current limitations of the technology are understood and its applicability properly assessed as a fit-for-purpose solution. As a minimum, the LWD logging technique can provide a trigger as to whether more advanced logging techniques must be deployed or can be avoided. The applicability of LWD sonic tools to the analysis of cement in place will be explored, with case study examples of successful and unsuccessful operations compared with wireline results to show the range and potential benefits the method can bring. In addition recent developments in determining quantitative bonding measurements will also be covered.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90200 © AAPG Geoscience Technology Workshop, Fifth Annual AAPG-SPE Deepwater Reservoir, January 28-29, 2014, Houston, Texas