Method to attain full annular coverage during cementing or mud circulation
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorsSiva Rama Krishna Jandhyala, Sunita Kadam, Rahul Chandrakant Patil, Wiliam W. Shumway
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems are directed to the uniform distribution of a fluid through an annulus between a pipe and a wellbore wall, primarily when there is a preferential flow in one side of the annulus relative to another side of the annulus. Generally, the methods and systems involve introducing a first agent into the annulus, wherein the first agent is configured to cause swelling of a cladding on the exterior of the section of the pipe. The swelling reduces flow in the annulus on the side of the pipe with preferential flow so as to reduce the preferential flow on that side of the pipe.
Claims14
A method of cementing a casing in a wellbore defined by a wellbore wall, the method comprising:
- introducing the casing into the wellbore such that an annulus is formed between the casing and the wellbore wall with a section of the casing having an exterior facing the wellbore wall, and wherein after introduction, the section of the casing has a first side farther from the wellbore wall than a second side of the casing opposing the first side so that a first portion of the annulus adjacent to the first side of the casing has a larger width than a second portion of the annulus adjacent to the second side of the casing;
- introducing a first agent into the annulus, wherein the first agent preferentially flows through the first portion of the annulus relative to the second portion of the annulus, and wherein the first agent is configured to cause swelling of a cladding on the exterior of the section of the casing;
- initially introducing a cement composition into the annulus wherein the swelling of the cladding results in the cement composition, at least when introduction of the cement composition starts, flowing equally through the first portion and the second portion or preferentially flowing through the second portion of the annulus relative to the first portion of the annulus, and wherein the cement composition causes reduction in swelling of the cladding so that preferentially flowing for the cement composition changes to the first portion of the annulus relative to the second portion of the annulus;
- and
- subsequent to initially introducing the cement composition, continuing to introduce the cement composition such that the cement composition preferentially flows to the first portion of the annulus relative to the second portion of the annulus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.