Abstract
The Environmental Control Technology (ECT) approach is used in this chapter to discuss prevention of fluids migration outside oilfield wells resulting from the loss of external (mechanical) integrity (EMI) of the well’s outer annuli. (Integrity of the well’s production installation also known as internal mechanical integrity, IMI, is outside the scope of this chapter.) Discussed is the mechanism of integrity loss after well cementing that could be alleviated by modifications of cement placement technique. Also discussed is the problem of long-term leaking of wells affected by Sustained Casing Pressure (SCP) at their wellheads. Conventional downhole intervention techniques for SCP remediation have been improved and could be potentially replaced by modern surface intervention methods. The chapter also briefly addresses integrity of injection wells and the relevant testing methods.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Carter LG, Evans GW (1964) A study of cement–pipe bonding. J Pet Technol XVI(2)
Becker H, Peterson G (1963) Bond of cement composition for cementing wells. In: Proceedings of the 6th world petroleum congress, Frankfurt, 19–26 June
Smith KD (1976) Cementing, vol 4, SPE monograph. Society of Petroleum Engineers, New York/Dallas
Hartog JJ et al (1983) An integrated approach for successful primary cementa-tion. J Pet Technol 35(9)
Stewart RB (1986) Gas invasion and migration in cemented annuli: causes and cures. IADC/SPE 14779. In: Proceedings of the 1986 drilling conference, Dallas, TX, 10–12 February
Cheung PR (1982) Gas flow in cements. SPE 11207. In: Proceedings of the 57th annual fall technical conference and exhibition of SPE, New Orleans, LA, 26–29 September
Webster WW, Eikerts JV (1979) Flow after cementing – a field and labora-tory study. SPE 8259. In: Proceedings of the 54th annual technical conference and exhibition, Las Vegas, NV, 23–26 September
Sutton DL, Sabins FL (1990) Interrelationship between critical cement properties and volume changes during cement setting. SPE 20451. In: Proceedings of the 65th annual technical conference and exhibition of SPE, New Orleans, LA, 23–26 September
Cooke CJ Jr et al (1982) Field measurements of annular pressure and temperature during primary cementing. SPE 11206. In: Proceedings of the 57th annual fall technical conference and exhibition of SPE, New Orleans, LA, 26–29 September
Chenevert ME, Shrestha B (1987) Shrinkage properties of cement. SPE 16654. In: Proceedings of the 62nd annual technical conference and exhibition of SPE, Dallas, TX, 27–30 September
Sutton DL, Ravi KM (1989) New method for determining downhole properties that affect gas migration and annular sealing. SPE 19520. In: Proceedings of the 64th annual technical conference and exhibition of SPE, San Antonio, TX, 8–11 October
Sabins FL (1990) An investigation of factors contributing to the deposition of cement sheaths in casing under highly deviated well conditions. IADC/SPE 29934. In: Proceedings of the 1990 IADC/SPE drilling conference, Houston, TX, 27 February–2 March
Sykes RL, Logan JL (1987) New technology in gas migration control. SPE 16653. In: Proceedings of the 62nd annual technical conference and exhibition of SPE, Dallas, TX, 27–30 September
Beirute RM, Cheung PR (1989) 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. In: Proceedings of the 64th annual technical conference and exhibition of SPE, San Antonio, TX, 8–11 October
Harris KL et al (1990) Verification of slurry response number evaluation method for gas migration control. SPE 20450. In: Proceedings of the 65th annual technical conference and exhibition of SPE, New Orleans, LA, 23–26 September
Cooke CE Jr, Kluck MP, Medrano R (1982) Field measurements of annular pressure and temperature during primary cementing. SPE paper 11206
Cooke CE, Gonzalez OJ, Broussard DJ (1988) Primary cementing improvement by casing vibration during cementing casing time. SPE 14199
Wojtanowicz AK, Manowski W (1999) Pressure pulsation of cement for improved well integrity – field method and theoretical model. In: Proceedings of the 10th international scientific & technical conference: new methods and technologies in petroleum geology, drilling and reservoir engineering, Krakow, Poland, Vol 2, pp 421–436, 24–25 June
Carter G, Slagle K (1970) A study of completion pratices to minimize gas communication. SPE 3164. Central plains regional meeting of the society of petroleum engineers of AIME, Amarillo, TX, 16–17 November
Carter G, Cook C, Snelson L (1973) Cementing research in directional gas well completions. SPE 4313. 2nd annual European meeting of the society of petroleum engineers of AIME, London, England, 2–3 April, p 1
Christian WW, Chatterji J, Ostroot G (1975) Gas leakage in primary cementing – a field study and laboratory investigation. SPE 5517. 50th annual fall meeting of the society of petroleum engineers of AIME, Dallas, TX, 28 September–1 October
Solum KW et al (1971) Method and apparatus for vibrating and cementing a well casing. U.S. Patent 3,557,875, 26 January
Cooke CE Jr (1983) Method for preventing annular fluid flow. U.S. Patent 4,407,365, 4 October
Keller SR (1985) Oscillatory flow method for improved well cementing. U.S. Patent 4,548,271, 22 October
Bodine AG, Gregory YN (1987) Sonic cementing. U.S. Patent 4,640,360, 3 February
Rankin RE, Rankin KT (1992) Apparatus and method for vibrating a casing string during cementing. U.S. Patent 5,152,342, 6 October
Winbow GA (1994) Method for preventing annular fluid flow using tube waves. U.S. Patent 5,361,837, 8 November
Haberman JP, Delestatius DM, Brace DG (1995) Method and apparatus to improve the displacement of drilling fluid by cement slurries during primary and remedial cementing operations, to improve cement bond logs and to reduce or eliminate gas migration problems. U.S. Patent 6,645,661
Haberman JP, Wolhart SL (1997) Reciprocating cement slurries after placement by applying pressure pulses in the annulus, SPE/IADC 37619, March
Wojtanowicz AK et al (2002) Cement pulsation treatment in wells. SPE 77752. In: Proceedings of the annual technical conference and exhibition of SPE, San Antonio, Texas, 29 September–2 October
Newman K, Wojtanowicz AK, Gahan BC (2001) Improving gas well cement jobs with cement pulsation. Gas Tips (Fall):29–33
Newman K, Wojtanowicz AK, Gahan BC (2001) Cement pulsation improves gas well cementing. World Oil 89–94
Chimmalgi VS, Wojtanowicz AK (2005) Design of cement pulsation treatment in gas wells – model and field validation. J Can Pet Technol 44(6):36–45
Martin JN, Smith JR, Wojtanowicz AK (2001) Experimental assessment of methods to maintain bottomhole pressure after cement placement. ETCE’0117133. ASME engineering technology conference on energy, ETCE 2001, 5–7 February, Houston, TX
(2001) Shear bond/compressive strength testing. CSI final report on pulsation project submitted to CTES, Houston, TX
Kunju MR (2001) Post-treatment diagnosis of cement pulsation in wells. MS thesis, Chapter 4, Louisiana State University, May, p 33
Manowski WM, Wojtanowicz AK (1998) Oilwell cement pulsing to maintain hydrostatic pressure: a search for design model. J Energy Resour Technol Trans ASME 120:250–255
Kunju MR, Wojtanowicz AK (2001) Well cementing diagnosis from top cement pulsation record. SPE 71387. SPE annual technical conference and exhibition, New Orleans, LA, 30 September–3 October
Novakovic D, Wojtanowicz AK, Chimmalgi VS (2001) Cement pulsation design software. LSU final report submitted to GTI, August, p 42
Dusterhoft D, Wilson G (2001) Field study of the use of cement pulsation to control gas migration. Paper 2001–01 presented at the CADE/CAODC drilling conference, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 23–24 October
Dusterhoft D, Wilson G, Newman K (2002) Field study of the use of cement pulsation to control gas migration. SPE 75689. SPE gas technology symposium, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 30 April–2 May
Thornhill JP, Benefield BG (1986) Mechanical integrity research. In: Proceedings of the international symposium on subsurface injection of liquid wastes, New Orleans, LA, 3–5 March
Kamath KI (1989) Testing injection wells for casing leaks: theory, practice and regulatory requirements. In: Proceedings of the international symposium on class I and II injection well technology, underground injection practices council, Dallas, TX, 8–11 May, pp 505–519
Langlinais JL (1981) Waste disposal well integrity testing and formation pressure buildup study. Report for Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, September
McKay JE et al (1989) Static fluid sealed injection wells – an acceptable alternative. In: Proceedings of the international symposium on class I and II injection well technology, underground injection practices council, Dallas, TX, 8–11 May, pp 141–149
Kamath KI (1988) Significance of regulatory constraints on the operation of packerless waste injection well. J Pet Technol 40(11):1501–1505
UIPC (1986) Radioactive tracer surveys. In: Mechanical integrity testing seminar. Underground Injection Practices Council, Oklahoma City, pp 113–157
Dewan JP (1983) Mechanical integrity tests – class II wells: review and recommendations. Report for environmental protection agency regions II and III
Williams TM (1987) Measuring behind casing water flow. In: Proceedings of the international symposium on subsurface injection of oilfield brines. Underground injection practices council, New Orleans, LA, 4–6 May, pp 467–484
DeRossett WH (1986) Examples of detection of water flow by oxygen activation on pulsed neutron logs. In: Proceedings of the SPWLA 27th annual logging symposium, 9–13 June
Wieseneck JB (1989) Practical experience with oxygen activation logging in South Mississippi. In: Proceedings of the international symposium on class I and II injection well technology. Underground injection practices council, Dallas, TX, 8–11 May, pp 7–24
Lyle R (1989) Demonstration of mechanical integrity utilizing radioactive tracer surveys. In: Proceedings of the international symposium on class II injection well technology. Underground injection practices council, Dallas, TX, 8–11 May, pp 65–73
UIPC (1989) The Texas railroad commission, oil and gas division UIC program: a peer review. Report of underground injection practices council, pp 24–27
UIPC (1989) The Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, office of conservation, injection and mining division UIC program: a peer review. Report of underground injection practices council, pp 19–22
Gould LA, Landry DA (1987) Status of mechanical integrity testing in Mississippi. In: Proceedings of the international symposium on subsurface injection of oilfield brines. Underground injection practices council, New Orleans, LA, 4–6 May, pp 435–437
Poimboeuf WW (1989) Injection well with monitoring system installed in a single wellbore. In: Proceedings of the international symposium on class I and II injection well technology. Underground injection practices council, Dallas, TX, 8–11 May, pp 461–488
Tornhill JT, Kerr RS (1990) Injection well mechanical integrity. EPA/625/9–89/007. US Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC
Bourgoyne AT Jr, Scott SL, Manowski W (2000) A review of sustained casing pressure occurring on the OCS.LSU final report submitted to MMS, Baton Rouge, LA
Bourgoyne AT Jr, Scott SL, Regg JB (1999) Sustained casing pressure in offshore producing wells, OTC 11029. In: Proceedings of the offshore technology conference, Houston, TX, 3–6 May
(2003) Alberta energy and utilities board. Interim directive ID 2003–01, Calgary, 30 January
(2003) Alberta energy and utilities board, EUB guide 20: well abandonment guide, Calgary, August
US DOI, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (2011) BSEE 30 code of federal register, Part 250
API RP 90 (2006) Annular casing pressure management for offshore wells, 1st edn
Xu R, Wojtanowicz AK (2001) Diagnosis of sustained casing pressure from bleed-off/buildup testing patterns. In: Proceedings of the SPE production and operations symposium
Xu R (2002) Analysis of diagnostic testing of sustained casing pressure in wells. Doctoral dissertation, Louisiana State University
Xu R, Wojtanowicz A (2003) Diagnostic testing of wells with sustained casing pressure-an analytical approach. In: Proceedings of the Canadian international petroleum conference
Huerta NJ, Checkai D, Bryant SL (2009) Utilizing sustained casing pressure analog to provide parameters to study CO2 leakage rates along a wellbore. In: SPE international conference on CO2 capture storage and utilization. Society of Petroleum Engineers, January
Tao Q, Checkai D, Huerta NJ, Bryant SL (2010) Model to predict CO2 leakage rates along a wellbore. In: Proceedings of the SPE annual technical conference and exhibition. Society of Petroleum Engineers
Zhu H, Lin Y, Zeng D, Zhang D, Wang F (2012) Calculation analysis of sustained casing pressure in gas wells. Pet Sci 9(1):66–74
Kinik K (2012) Risk of well integrity failure due sustained casing pressure, Master thesis. Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, May
Caetano EF, Shoham O, Brill JP (1992) Upward vertical two-phase flow through an annulus – part 1: single-phase friction factor, Taylor bubble rise velocity, and flow pattern prediction. J Energy Resour Technol 114:1
Rocha-Valadez T, Hasan AR, Mannan S, Kabir CS (2014) Assessing wellbore integrity in sustained-casing-pressure annulus. SPE drilling and completion, March, pp 131–138
Kazemi M, Wojtanowicz AK (2014) Testing protocol and analysis method for wells with sustained casing pressure, SPE-170693. In: Proceedings of the SPE annual technical conference and exhibition, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 27–29 October 2014
BCO&GC (2008) Surface casing vent flow/gas migration testing. Reporting and repair requirements, British Columbia oil and gas commission, Vancouver, Canada, 12 November 2008
NORSOK Standard D-010 (2004) Well integrity in drilling and well operations. Standards Norway, Lysaker, Norway
Kinik K, Wojtanowicz AK (2011) Identifying environmental risk of sustained casing pressure. In: Proceedings of the SPE Americas E&P health safety security and environmental conference. Society of Petroleum Engineers
Wojtanowicz AK, Risk and remediation of irreducible casing pressure at petroleum wells, Chapter 8 in Risk analysis for prevention of hazardous situations in petroleum and natural gas engineering (2014) Matanovic D, Medimurec NG, Simon K (eds) OGI Global
Watson D, Brittenham T, Moore P (2003) Advanced well control, Richardson, Texas: SPE textbook series, 2003
David WR (2004) Microannulus leaks repaired with pressure-activated sealant, SPE 91399
Wojtanowicz AK, Nishikawa S, Xu R (2000) Diagnosis and remediation of sustained casing pressure in wells. Report submitted to mineral management service, Downloadable from http://www.bsee.gov/
Shoham O (2006) Mechanistic modelling of gas-liquid two-phase flow in pipes. SPE series: technology & engineering. Society of Petroleum Engineers, Richardson, Texas
Van Oort E, Vargo R (2007) Improving formation evaluation strength tests and their interpretation. In: Proceedings of the SPE/IADC
Peska D, Moos P et al (2003) Compressive wellbore stability analysis using quantitative risk assessment, Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering Special issue on wellbore stability, vol 38.B.S, Elsevier, pp 97–109
Liang QJ et al (2002) Application of quantitative risk analysis to pore pressure and fracture gradient prediction, SPE/IADC 77354. In: Proceedings of the SPE/IADC, San Antonio, Texas
Soter K, Medine F, Wojtanowicz AK (2003) Improved techniques to alleviate sustained casing pressure in a mature gulf of Mexico field. SPE 84556. In: Proceedings of the SPE annual technical conference and exhibition, Denver, Colorado, 5–8 October
Hemrick R, Landry C (1996) Case history: 13–3/8 casing stair step casing pressure elimination project. In: Proceedings of the LSU/MMS well control workshop, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 19–20 November
Nishikawa S, Wojtanowicz AK, Smith JR (2001) Experimental assessment of the bleed-and-lube method for removal of sustained casing pressure. Petroleum society, Canadian international petroleum conference, Calgary, AB, 12–14 June
Monjure NA (1998) Casing annulus remediation system (CARS). In: Proceedings of the LSU/MMS well control workshop, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 1 April
Ditta F (1999) Update on casing annulus remediation system. In: Proceedings of the LSU/MMS/IADC well control workshop. Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 24–25 March
(2005) Remediation treatment of Sustained Casing Pressures (SCP) in wells with top down surface injection of fluids and additives, U.S. Patent 6,959,767 B2, 1 November
Carpenter RB et al (2002) Alloy annular plugs effective for casing annular gas flow remediation. Offshore 72–74
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Wojtanowicz, A.K. (2016). Environmental Control of Well Integrity. In: Orszulik, S. (eds) Environmental Technology in the Oil Industry. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-24334-4_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-24334-4_3
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-24332-0
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-24334-4
eBook Packages: Chemistry and Materials ScienceChemistry and Material Science (R0)