GB2290811A - Cementing process and apparatus - Google Patents
Cementing process and apparatus Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2290811A GB2290811A GB9410471A GB9410471A GB2290811A GB 2290811 A GB2290811 A GB 2290811A GB 9410471 A GB9410471 A GB 9410471A GB 9410471 A GB9410471 A GB 9410471A GB 2290811 A GB2290811 A GB 2290811A
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- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- liquid
- impulse
- cement
- passage
- pressure
- Prior art date
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- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 33
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 title claims abstract description 18
- 239000004568 cement Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 102
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 77
- 125000006850 spacer group Chemical group 0.000 claims description 7
- 241000251468 Actinopterygii Species 0.000 claims description 2
- 241000237519 Bivalvia Species 0.000 claims 1
- 235000020639 clam Nutrition 0.000 claims 1
- 230000008859 change Effects 0.000 description 5
- 239000003921 oil Substances 0.000 description 5
- 238000012360 testing method Methods 0.000 description 5
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 5
- 239000002002 slurry Substances 0.000 description 4
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 4
- 238000013459 approach Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 description 3
- 239000004576 sand Substances 0.000 description 3
- RTZKZFJDLAIYFH-UHFFFAOYSA-N Diethyl ether Chemical compound CCOCC RTZKZFJDLAIYFH-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 229910000831 Steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 230000004913 activation Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000000654 additive Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000012267 brine Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000005553 drilling Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000012544 monitoring process Methods 0.000 description 2
- HPALAKNZSZLMCH-UHFFFAOYSA-M sodium;chloride;hydrate Chemical compound O.[Na+].[Cl-] HPALAKNZSZLMCH-UHFFFAOYSA-M 0.000 description 2
- 239000010959 steel Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000004925 Acrylic resin Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920000178 Acrylic resin Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000010755 BS 2869 Class G Substances 0.000 description 1
- UXVMQQNJUSDDNG-UHFFFAOYSA-L Calcium chloride Chemical class [Cl-].[Cl-].[Ca+2] UXVMQQNJUSDDNG-UHFFFAOYSA-L 0.000 description 1
- 239000004215 Carbon black (E152) Substances 0.000 description 1
- DGAQECJNVWCQMB-PUAWFVPOSA-M Ilexoside XXIX Chemical compound C[C@@H]1CC[C@@]2(CC[C@@]3(C(=CC[C@H]4[C@]3(CC[C@@H]5[C@@]4(CC[C@@H](C5(C)C)OS(=O)(=O)[O-])C)C)[C@@H]2[C@]1(C)O)C)C(=O)O[C@H]6[C@@H]([C@H]([C@@H]([C@H](O6)CO)O)O)O.[Na+] DGAQECJNVWCQMB-PUAWFVPOSA-M 0.000 description 1
- 239000011398 Portland cement Substances 0.000 description 1
- ZLMJMSJWJFRBEC-UHFFFAOYSA-N Potassium Chemical compound [K] ZLMJMSJWJFRBEC-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000008186 active pharmaceutical agent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000996 additive effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000004888 barrier function Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000903 blocking effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 235000011148 calcium chloride Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 239000003795 chemical substances by application Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000011109 contamination Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000010779 crude oil Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000001514 detection method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000002283 diesel fuel Substances 0.000 description 1
- 150000002148 esters Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 239000008398 formation water Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000013505 freshwater Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000005484 gravity Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229930195733 hydrocarbon Natural products 0.000 description 1
- 150000002430 hydrocarbons Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 230000002706 hydrostatic effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000002198 insoluble material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910052751 metal Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000012188 paraffin wax Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000737 periodic effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229910052700 potassium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000011591 potassium Substances 0.000 description 1
- 235000011164 potassium chloride Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 238000005086 pumping Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000004080 punching Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000009467 reduction Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000011435 rock Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000013535 sea water Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910052708 sodium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000011734 sodium Substances 0.000 description 1
- 235000002639 sodium chloride Nutrition 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B33/00—Sealing or packing boreholes or wells
- E21B33/10—Sealing or packing boreholes or wells in the borehole
- E21B33/13—Methods or devices for cementing, for plugging holes, crevices or the like
- E21B33/134—Bridging plugs
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B47/00—Survey of boreholes or wells
- E21B47/005—Monitoring or checking of cementation quality or level
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B47/00—Survey of boreholes or wells
- E21B47/04—Measuring depth or liquid level
- E21B47/047—Liquid level
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B47/00—Survey of boreholes or wells
- E21B47/09—Locating or determining the position of objects in boreholes or wells, e.g. the position of an extending arm; Identifying the free or blocked portions of pipes
- E21B47/095—Locating or determining the position of objects in boreholes or wells, e.g. the position of an extending arm; Identifying the free or blocked portions of pipes by detecting an acoustic anomalies, e.g. using mud-pressure pulses
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
- G01F23/00—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm
- G01F23/22—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm by measuring physical variables, other than linear dimensions, pressure or weight, dependent on the level to be measured, e.g. by difference of heat transfer of steam or water
- G01F23/28—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm by measuring physical variables, other than linear dimensions, pressure or weight, dependent on the level to be measured, e.g. by difference of heat transfer of steam or water by measuring the variations of parameters of electromagnetic or acoustic waves applied directly to the liquid or fluent solid material
- G01F23/296—Acoustic waves
- G01F23/2962—Measuring transit time of reflected waves
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- G01N29/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves; Visualisation of the interior of objects by transmitting ultrasonic or sonic waves through the object
- G01N29/02—Analysing fluids
- G01N29/024—Analysing fluids by measuring propagation velocity or propagation time of acoustic waves
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- G01N2291/00—Indexing codes associated with group G01N29/00
- G01N2291/01—Indexing codes associated with the measuring variable
- G01N2291/011—Velocity or travel time
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- G01N2291/00—Indexing codes associated with group G01N29/00
- G01N2291/02—Indexing codes associated with the analysed material
- G01N2291/025—Change of phase or condition
- G01N2291/0251—Solidification, icing, curing composites, polymerisation
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- G01N2291/00—Indexing codes associated with group G01N29/00
- G01N2291/02—Indexing codes associated with the analysed material
- G01N2291/028—Material parameters
- G01N2291/02836—Flow rate, liquid level
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- G01N2291/00—Indexing codes associated with group G01N29/00
- G01N2291/10—Number of transducers
- G01N2291/101—Number of transducers one transducer
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- G01S15/00—Systems using the reflection or reradiation of acoustic waves, e.g. sonar systems
- G01S15/88—Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications
Landscapes
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Geology (AREA)
- Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
- Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
- Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
- General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
- Geophysics (AREA)
- Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Thermal Sciences (AREA)
- Electromagnetism (AREA)
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Quality & Reliability (AREA)
- Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
- Biochemistry (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Immunology (AREA)
- Pathology (AREA)
- Geophysics And Detection Of Objects (AREA)
Abstract
The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for cementing a passage underground. The process comprises forming a layer (13) of liquid above uncured cement (9) in the passage (1) above a bottom (2) to the passage (1). A pressure impulse is applied to the liquid at a place remote from the cement (9) to cause the impulse to travel through the uncured cement (9) and be reflected by the bottom (2) back into the liquid (13) towards a recorder (7) for registering the pressure impulse. When the cement (9) is set, a further pressure impulse is applied to the liquid (13) resulting in reflection of the impulse from the upper surface (10) of the cement (9). The reflected impulse is then registered at the recorder (7). <IMAGE>
Description
CEMENTING PROCESS AND APPARATUS
This invention concerning a cementing process and apparatus particularly for cementing oil or gas wells.
When it is desired to abandon a well or no longer to pursue a particular direction of a well, or to stabilise a hole with cement or workover the well, the well is usually sealed with a cement slurry. The present approach is to run the cement into place down hole e.g. to above or around perforations and then to let it set. However, there is no reliable accurate method of determining the setting time down hole.Usually a sample of the cement is allowed to set at the surface and an approximate down hole set time is assumed from laboratory testing of the surface sample, which is often inaccurate since down hole temperatures and pressures and cement concentrations and the presence or absence c; other fluids are different from those on the surface; testing the actual cement slurry at the surface is expensive and still inaccurate for the above reasons and is difficult to do on an off shore rig. The other approach is to allow the cement to set for a period usually well in excess of the actual set time and then to do the next desired operation.Sometimes this operation is to run drill string; if the cement has not set then it is necessary to withdraw the drill string and re-cemnt. This approach is wasteful of time if the cement has set and very expensive if the cementing has to be done twice; it also needs some form of well.
We have found a method of accurately determining the setting time down hole, which does not usually require the need to run drill rig, tubing, coiled tubing or wire line.
The present invention provides a process for cementing a passage under ground, which comprises forming a layer of liquid above uncured cement in said passage above a bottom to said passage, applying a pressure impulse to said liquid at a place remote from said cement to cause said impulse to travel through said uncured cement and be reflected by said bottom back into said liquid towards a recorder for registering the pressure impulse, and preferably repeating the process at least once while the cement is setting to form a solid set cement plug with an upper surface, and then when the cement is set applying the pressure impulse again to the liquid resulting in reflection of said impulse from said upper surface and registering the receipt of said impulse at the recorder.
The present invention also provides an apparatus for use in cementing an underground passage, comprising a well head having attached thereto tubing or casing for defining said passage, means for generating a pressure impulse in a liquid extending into said passage and means for detecting a pressure impulse from said liquid.
The passage which is to be sealed with cement may be a portion of tubing, e.g. above or around perforations punched therein or in a tubing below to allow in flow of formation fluids such as oil water and/or gas, or a portion of casing, or an annulus between tubing and either tubing, casing or open hole, or between casing and either casing or open hole. It may be a passage in a well which is to be sealed because the well is being abandoned or worked over, or may be a passage in a well which is no longer to be drilled in the present direction and the old passage has to be sealed before deviation in the direction is started uphole (e.g. kick off) or when cement is to be used to stabilise the wellbore by placing the cement, setting it and then drilling through it.The passage to be cemented may also be above a section of casing which has collapsed, at least partly blocking the casing or drill string.
The uncured cement may be an aqueous or organic cement.
Typical Aqueous cements may be slurries of API types e.g. A, G or
H; portland cements are preferred, optionally with additives to increase or retard the setting time. Setting times down hole may be 1-12 hours e.g. 4-8, such as 6 hr depending on the presence of the additive(s) and the downhole temperature, which may be 0 260"C. The cement is run to the desired place in open hole, casing or tubing e.g. production tubing, or an annulus of the above, the latter being used when a produced well is abandoned, for example by pumping cement down completion tubing by punching holes in the tubing and circulating the cement back up the annulus. The cement may also be an organic one for use with an organic liquid; preferred organic cements are acrylic resins.
Uncured cement may be placed in the passage when the latter is free of liquid but, conveniently before the uncured cement is run, the passage already contains the liquid which is aqueous or organic, which may depend on the nature of the cement. The liquid provides a hydrostatic pressure to counteract formation pressures.
The aqueous liquid may be water e.g. fresh, sea, or formation water, or a brine e.g. one containing soluble weighting agents such as sodium, potassium and/or calcium chlorides or a mud containing insoluble materials such as a drilling, workover or completion mud.
The organic liquid may be an oil, an oil based mud or crude oil, e.g. diesel oil or a light hydrocarbon such as a paraffin, or an ester or ether ("pseudo-oil"). If desired the passage can initially contain a first liquid, which may then have a second spacer liquid above it, followed by the uncured cement above that with a third spacer liquid on top, and then a fourth liquid up to the generator/detector. One or both spacer liquids may be omitted if desired. The first to fourth liquids are chosen to minimise contamination between the liquids, especially of the uncured cement, and may be chosen from the liquids mentioned above.While the liquids and the cement may be run in the above order, at the time of setting the cement the first liquid and second spacer liquid, if present, will have been displaced if the cement is to be set in contact with the bottom of the passage, but otherwise the cement is set with some liquid underneath it.
The passage contains uncured cement and above it the liquid up to a location or locations of the pressure pulse generator and detector. These may be down hole but are preferably at the well head, and attached thereto. The generator and detectors may be at the same distance from the base of the passage or one or the other may be higher; conveniently both are mounted on the well head.
The pulse generator or transmitter is a device providing a pressure pulse which is often associated with sound energy of a wide range of frequencies. The generator may have a pump to pressurise the liquid e.g. to 100-2000psi (700-l4OOOkPa) such as 200-lOOOpsi (1400-7000kPa), and a valve which can move quickly between open and shut positions, the opening and shutting causing a pressure pulse. The activation of the valve may be manual or via automatic operation e.g. solenoid activated or may be automated with periodic activation e.g. once in a period of 0.05-5 hours such as every 0.25hr. The pressure impulse may be positive or negative.A positive impulse may be made by injecting a small amount of liquid rapidly into the liquid in contact with said bottom but at a location remote therefrom; preferably the latter is at low or atmospheric pressure The 2 liquids may be mutually immiscible but are preferably miscible. A negative impulse may be made by rapidly releasing the pressure on the liquid. Generally the same generator may be applied whichever cement is used.
The pulse detector has a detecting head which may be in the liquid or capable of receiving pulses therefrom, the head converting the arrival of the pressure pulse into a signal e.g. an electrical signal; a pressure transducer is preferred, such as a hydrophone, which tends to be sensitive from audible frequencies to higher frequencies e.g. at least 50KHz. The electrical signal then goes to a processor, which may or may not be part of the detector, to register and/or visualize the time of arrival of the pulse; an oscilloscope may be used to visualise the signal.
In the method of the invention, the pressure impulse is generated in the liquid and passes directly to the detector establishing a zero time and also passes down the liquid towards the cement. When the cement is uncured the pressure impulse may be slightly reflected by the uncured cement back into the liquid but most passes through it to the bottom of the passage underneath. This bottom may be formation rock or a lower cement plug or collapsed casing or liner or well "fill" such as produced sand or a mechanical device such as a casing shoe or a bridge plug. The impulse is reflected by the bottom up through the uncured cement and into the liquid.When the cement is not in contact with the bottom of the passage but is separated therefrom by a first liquid which is acoustically softer than the uncured cement, there can be also a reflection by the interface between the uncured cement and the said liquid. This reflection gives a signal of opposite polarity to those from the top of the uncured or cured cement and the bottom of the passage. The reflected impulses (if any) from the top and bottom of the uncured cement and the reflected impulse from the bottom are recorded by the detector. The time of flight of the impulse from the generator to the bottom and back to the detector is registered by the processor from the difference in the arrival times of the direct and reflected impulses.
As the cement cures, so the cement provides an increasingly effective barrier to passage of the impulse through it, resulting in changes in the time of flight and in the amplitude of the signals. The time of flight of the signal from the bottom of the passage reduces but the amplitude is reduced, while the time of flight of the signal from the top of the cement stays about constant, but its amplitude increases. The time of flight from the bottom of the cement becomes shorter while its amplitude is reduced. Thus on an oscilloscope, a combination of weak first signal and strong later signal changes to a stronger first signal and a weaker short signal; when the cement is not at the bottom of the passage, the weak time of flight signal from the bottom of the uncured cement becomes weaker and moves to shorter times.
Ultimately the cement has set sufficiently such that the impulse effectively cannot pass through it and is reflected substantially only from the top surface, which results in essentially only a single stronger signal than that from the top of the uncured cement.
The chief time of flight with the set cement may be 0.1-99% shorter than with the uncured material; the length of set cement may be 50-lOOOft or 15-300m long in a well 5000-l5OOOft or 16004500m deep.
The process may be monitored or controlled in a number of different ways. The detected signals can be visualised e.g. on an oscilloscope and the shape, and location of the signals compared with those previously calibrated for uncured and set cement in that location. The time of flight can be used for control, either the absolute time for the signal from the bottom of the cement or its time relative to the time from the top of the cement; both parameters reduce during setting and when there is no change between successive testing then the cement is likely to be set.
The amplitude of the signal from the top of the cement or the bottom of the passage can be monitored, and when it stops changing (larger for the former and smaller for the latter) between successive testings, then the cement is likely to be set. With a well having a number of reflective surfaces (such as a reduction in casing size) many signals will be formed but the ones whose location move and/or amplitude changes corresponds to the passage being sealed. Depending on the nature and shape of the material at the top of the liquid column, there may also be some reflection of the upcoming pulses back into the liquid and down and back up again giving second and third reflections (like first and second harmonics at progressively longer times. These other reflections may be used for monitoring or controlling the setting of the cement.
The invention provides a more accurate determination of the setting time of the cement thereby minimising the wait-on-cement time and avoiding the conventional over estimation of the setting time, resulting in substantial time savings. The determination can also be done without the need for expensive laboratory cement testing facilities, on the location of the well. In addition if for any reason the cementing fails, then the time of flight may slowly change or may not change at all, and this failure will be known much quicker than hitherto (without the need to run and withdraw drill pipe), so that the passage may be recemented, or the problem otherwise remedied.Particularly important with a production well to be abandoned, there is no need in the present invention for a rig above the well for handling the drill pipe, so the well can be sealed by passing in the cement via the completion tubing and monitoring the time of flight or signal location from the well head or even further (e.g. from the sea surface when the well head is underwater), all without the need to use a rig just to abandon the well. Finally the apparatus and method of the invention can also be used to determine the length of the set cement in the line, from the change in time of flight and prior calibration as described below.
The present invention provides a method of locating a reflective surface above a liquid in a passage under ground, which comprises applying a pressure impulse to said liquid at a place remote from said surface to cause said impulse to travel to said surface which is at a first location and be reflected back through said liquid to a recorder for registering said pressure impulse, causing a reflective surface to be generated in a second location, and then applying the pressure impulse again to the liquid resulting in reflection of said impulse from said surface in said second location and registering the receipt of said impulse at the recorder. The reflective surface may be the same one in both locations but which is moved or moves from the first to the second location or may be a different one in the 2 locations, the second one being generated e.g. by the setting of cement;the surface may also be the top of well fill e.g. produced sand. The reflective surface may be a fish, whose location before and after movement is needed. If desired, the impulse may be sent at least once when the surface is at an intermediate location, rather than at its initial or final one.
The apparatus of the invention may also be used for determining times of flight of pressure impulses, from surfaces down hole whose location does not change with time such as obstructions. Thus the location of sand in a well or a cement plug or a collapsed wall can be determined by sending the impulse down to that surface, e.g. the obstruction, which reflects it back to the detector. Based on prior calibration the time of flight of the signal in the liquid at that temperature and pressure can be converted into a distance of the surface from the detector.
Thus there is also provided a method of determining the location of a surface (usually a solid surface) down hole capable of reflecting pressure impulses, which comprises generating a pressure impulse by a generator, passing a pressure impulse through a liquid in contact with said surface resulting in reflection of said impulse from said surface and detecting the arrival of the reflected impulse at a detector in the liquid, preferably remote from said surface, as well as the arrival of the impulse directly from the generator, to provide a time of flight of the impulse, and converting said time to a distance of the surface from the detector/generator. The hole may be any passage as described further above. The surface may be of cement or metal or particulate solids e.g. solids from deteriorated mud.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing which is a schematic non scale representation of the apparatus of the invention.
The apparatus has a pipe 1 extending underground with a lower surface 2. Pipe 1 is closed at its top by cap 14 through which are a pressure line 3, joined via a T junction to a ball valve 4 capable of moving between an open and shut position and a pressure pump 5 capable of delivering a pressure of 200-1000 e.g.
500 psi. In the top 14 of pipe 1 is also a detection head 6 in communication with a pressure detector 7. Conveniently line 3, valve 4, pump 5 and detector 7 are mounted on the well head for which cap 14 is a schematic representation. Down hole pipe 1 has perforations 8, which it is desired to seal by means of cement 9, whose eventual upper surface is denoted by dotted line 10.
Perforations are not essential; what is needed is the need to seal the pipe 1. The eventual lower surface of the cement is denoted by dotted line 11, below which is a first liquid 12 down to the bottom surface 2. Above the eventual top surface 10 of the cement is a liquid 13, which is usually water or brine.
In use pipe 1 has liquid 12 in it and aqueous uncured cement is passed into pipe 1 so that the cement is generally located between lines 10 and 11. Liquid 13 is then passed into the pipe up to its top. The liquid is then pressurised to 500 psi by pump 5 with the valve 4 shut. Valve 4 is then opened and shut quickly creating a pressure impulse which passes from line 3 into pipe 1 and down towards surface 2, from which it is reflected and the impulse recorded by the head 6 and detector 7. The process is repeated periodically while the cement sets at which time the impulse is chiefly reflected from upper surface 10. The time of flight of the impulse is shorter when the cement has set, corresponding to a path shorter by twice the height of the surface 10 above bottom 2.
Examples
A simulated version of the arrangement shown in the drawing was tested.
In a laboratory, apparatus based on that shown in the drawing was constructed with pipe 1 a steel pipe 10.4m long of 80mm ID and 90mm OD, closed at the top with a pressure flange cap 14, in which was pressure transducer 6 attached to an oscilloscope 7. The bottom of the pipe representing surface 2 was a steel flange. The near vertical pipe was filled with water and then the bottom 2m of water was displaced by Class G undiluted aqueous cement slurry of Specific Gravity 1.9. The pipe was sealed with the cap, and the liquid inside pressurised to 55+5 psi (380+34 Kpa) by means of pump 5 with valve 4 shut. The pressure in the pipe was momentarily reduced by rapidly opening and closing valve 4 to generate a negative pressure pulse mostly of 4ms pulse width.The pulse travelled directly to the transducer and also to the pipe bottom 2 and was reflected back to the transducer; in addition that first reflection was in turn reflected by the cap back to the bottom to return to the transducer creating a second reflection. A third weak reflection was also generated. The oscilloscope registered the time of arrival of the direct pulse and the first to third reflections. The pressure impulse was regenerated every hour for the next 6 hrs and then finally after 21 hrs from cement placement.
The first pulse generated just after placement of the cement gave a second reflection signal from the bottom of the pipe at 32 microseconds and a trace of a third reflection signal. After 1 hr, the cement had started to set and its top surface started to reflect the pulse giving a second reflection signal at 27ms, as well as the original signal now at 30ms corresponding to the second reflection signal from the bottom of the pipe through the cement. The lower second reflection signal from the cement increased in amplitude as the cement set over the 21 hr and the original signal was reduced in amplitude.
In a longer pipe the time difference between the direct and first reflections would be longer, so use could be made of these rather than the direct and second reflections.
Claims (21)
1. A process for cementing a passage under
ground, which comprises forming a layer of liquid above uncured cement in said passage above a bottom to said passage, applying a pressure impulse to said liquid at a place remote from said cement to cause said impulse to travel through said uncured cement and be reflected by said bottom back into said liquid towards a recorder for registering the pressure impulse, and then when the cement is set applying the pressure impulse again to the liquid resulting in reflection of said impulse from the upper surface of the cement and registering the receipt of said impulse at the recorder.
2. A process as claimed in Claim 1, wherein a pressure impulse is applied at least once during setting of the cement.
3. A process as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein a first liquid is located in said passage prior to adding the uncured cement.
4. A process as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the first liquid is aqueous.
5. A process as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the first liquid is organic.
6. A process as claimed in any of Claims 2 to 5, wherein a second spacer liquid is located above the first liquid and below the uncured cement.
7. A process as claimed in Claim 6, wherein a third spacer liquid is located above the uncured cement.
8. A process as claimed in any of Claims 2 to 7, wherein a fourth liquid is added on top of the uncured cement or third spacer liquid.
9. A process for cementing a passage under ground substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
10. An apparatus for use in cementing an underground passage, comprising a well head having attached thereto tubing or casing for defining said passage, means for generating a pressure impulse in a liquid extending into said passage and means for detecting a pressure impulse from said liquid.
11. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the means for generating a pressure impulse and the means for detecting a pressure impulse are both mounted on the well head.
12. An apparatus for use in cementing an underground passage substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
13. A method of locating a reflective surface above a liquid in a passage under ground, which comprises applying a pressure impulse to said liquid at a place remote from said surface to cause said impulse to travel to said surface which is at a first location and be reflected back through said liquid to a recorder for registering said pressure impulse, causing a reflective surface to be generated in a second location, and then applying the pressure impulse again to the liquid resulting in reflection of said impulse from said surface in said second location and registering the receipt of said impulse at the recorder.
14. A method as claimed in Claim 13, wherein the reflective surface is moved from the first to the second location.
15. A method as claimed in Claim 13, wherein a different reflective surface is at each of the first and second locations.
16. A method as claimed in any of Clams 13 to 15, wherein the reflective surface at the second location is generated by the setting of a cement located in the passage.
17. A method as claimed in any of Claims 13 to 16, wherein the passage lies within a well and the reflective surface at the second location is the top of well fill.
18. A method as claimed in Claim 14, wherein the reflective surface is a fish moving between the first and second locations.
19. A method of locating a reflective surface above a liquid in a passage underground substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
20. A method of determining the location of a surface capable of reflecting pressure impulses, which comprises generating a pressure impulse by a generator, passing a pressure impulse through a liquid in contact with said surface resulting in reflection of said impulse from said surface and detecting the arrival of the reflected impulse at a detector in the liquid, preferably remote from said surface, as well as the arrival of the impulse directly from the generator, to provide a time of flight of the impulse, and converting said time to a distance of the surface from the detector/generator.
21. A method of determining the location of a surface capable of reflecting pressure impulses substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB9410471A GB2290811A (en) | 1994-05-25 | 1994-05-25 | Cementing process and apparatus |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB9410471A GB2290811A (en) | 1994-05-25 | 1994-05-25 | Cementing process and apparatus |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
GB9410471D0 GB9410471D0 (en) | 1994-07-13 |
GB2290811A true GB2290811A (en) | 1996-01-10 |
Family
ID=10755689
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
GB9410471A Withdrawn GB2290811A (en) | 1994-05-25 | 1994-05-25 | Cementing process and apparatus |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
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GB (1) | GB2290811A (en) |
Cited By (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP1205632A2 (en) * | 2000-11-09 | 2002-05-15 | Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. | Method of locating a cementing plug in a subterranean well |
WO2003069329A1 (en) * | 2002-02-15 | 2003-08-21 | Concordia University | System and method for measuring shrinkage behaviour and modulus change during solidification of a polymeric resin |
WO2019156742A1 (en) | 2018-02-08 | 2019-08-15 | Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. | Wellbore inspection system |
Families Citing this family (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN106643967A (en) * | 2017-02-21 | 2017-05-10 | 广西蓝天科技股份有限公司 | Protecting hole for monitoring underground water level, hole sealing device and combination method thereof |
Citations (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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US4934186A (en) * | 1987-09-29 | 1990-06-19 | Mccoy James N | Automatic echo meter |
US5117399A (en) * | 1990-07-16 | 1992-05-26 | James N. McCoy | Data processing and display for echo sounding data |
-
1994
- 1994-05-25 GB GB9410471A patent/GB2290811A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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US4934186A (en) * | 1987-09-29 | 1990-06-19 | Mccoy James N | Automatic echo meter |
US5117399A (en) * | 1990-07-16 | 1992-05-26 | James N. McCoy | Data processing and display for echo sounding data |
Cited By (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP1205632A2 (en) * | 2000-11-09 | 2002-05-15 | Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. | Method of locating a cementing plug in a subterranean well |
EP1205632A3 (en) * | 2000-11-09 | 2003-03-12 | Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. | Method of locating a cementing plug in a subterranean well |
WO2003069329A1 (en) * | 2002-02-15 | 2003-08-21 | Concordia University | System and method for measuring shrinkage behaviour and modulus change during solidification of a polymeric resin |
WO2019156742A1 (en) | 2018-02-08 | 2019-08-15 | Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. | Wellbore inspection system |
EP3749837A4 (en) * | 2018-02-08 | 2021-04-07 | Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. | Wellbore inspection system |
AU2018408340B2 (en) * | 2018-02-08 | 2023-08-10 | Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. | Wellbore inspection system |
US12060786B2 (en) | 2018-02-08 | 2024-08-13 | Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. | Wellbore inspection system |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
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GB9410471D0 (en) | 1994-07-13 |
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