GAS MIGRATION

CAUSES

AND CURES

Module CMT 102

June 2000

Gas migration: Causes and Cures

Consequences of gas migration
Gas migration paths
Root causes for gas migration
Schlumberger technology

Consequences of gas migration

Blow-out: surface or underground

Danger to personnel
Lost rig
Less dramatic but important consequences

Lost production
Treatment fluids injected in wrong zones
Annular pressure on surface
Damage to the environment
Repair required: prevention is better than cure

Gas Migration
A complex problem involving a hierarchy of potential

problems with a corresponding hierarchy of solutions

Den Flui
sity d
Con
tro
l

al
v
o
Rem
d
u
M

Cemen
t

s
n t rt i e
e
em rope
C
t
P
Se ical
an
h
c
Me

Hydrat
ion

C
Slu eme
nt
rry
De
sig
n

Gas migration paths

Mud channels
Mud cake
Channels due to free water development or

sedimentation in the cement slurry

Cement matrix during liquid/solid transition
Cement matrix fissures/fractures, cement/casing

or cement/formation interface once cement is set

Paths for gas migration

In the cement
slurry before it sets
or during setting
process

In a mud
channel or
mud cake

Paths for gas migration

FREE WATER CHANNEL

CEMENT

GAS ZONE

In a channel due to free water or

sedimentation of the cement slurry (highly
deviated wells)

Paths for gas migration

In the
cement after
it sets

At cement/casing or
cement/formation
interface once cement
is set

Paths in the drilling fluid

Mud removal is the KEY
Remove the bulk of the mud:
Centralize the pipe
Pipe movement
Apply adequate displacement
techniques: WELLCLEAN

Remove at least the soft part of the

mud cake

Mud properties requirements

Low rheology/gel strength
Low fluid loss and thin
impermeable mud cakes

Paths in the cement before it sets

Hydrostatic pressure transmission is the key
During the job

cement density is the key

After placement cement loses its ability to fully

transmit hydrostatic pressure due to:

Gel strength development
Downhole volume variations: fluid loss, temperature and
hydration volume reduction

Consequence
pore pressure within the gelling cement is decreasing and
may become smaller than formation pore pressure
Gas can now possibly invade the annulus

Cement slurry requirements

Appropriate density
Appropriate rheology for good mud/spacer removal
Good stability at downhole conditions
Very low fluid loss to minimize volume variations

downhole and hence slowdown hydrostatic pressure

decline: API < 50 mL/30 min
Ideally right angle transition from liquid to solid
In practice during the transition period:
Minimum gel strength development
Low permeability and low hydration volume reduction
Short transition time from 30 to 100 Bc

Paths in the cement after it sets

Set cement has a very low permeability:

it acts as a seal
But set cement may fail at providing a seal:

The cement itself may crack due to variations downhole

stresses:
changes in temperature, pressure, far field stresses

The cement may debond from the casing and/or

formation
These failure mechanisms provide paths for gas

from the formation to possibly invade and migrate

up the annulus

Example of cement sheath failure

rock

cement

P,T

casing

Radial crack: failure in tension (hoop stress)

due to pressure and or temperature increase

Example of cement sheath failure

rock
cement

casing

Cement debonding: failure in tension (radial stress)

due to pressure and or temperature decrease

Set cement requirements

Ductility is the key:

Requirement for a material that can better stand

downhole stresses variations than most cement
systems which are fairly brittle
Very important when large temperature or pressure
variations are expected during the life of the well
Very important when large variations in far field
stresses are expected during the life of the well e.g.
formation subsidence
Good bonding to the casing and the formation
Low long term shrinkage

SLB technology
GASBLOK Service has been proved effective in

a wide range of conditions:

Slurry density from 10 to 24 lb/gal (1.20 to 2.88 kg/L)
Temperatures up to 400F (204C)
Depths greater than 20,000 ft (6,000 m)
GASBLOK additives are used all over the world

in particular in area where gas migration

represents a significant hazard

Gas-migration-control slurries
GASBLOK (D600/D134) additives

Suspension of submicron latex

particles
Temperature range from 150 to 400F
(65 to 204C)
Works in a wide density range 10 to 24
lb/gal (1.20 to 2.88 kg/L)
Easy to design and to mix
Synergetic effect with CemCRETE
technology
Applications

Gas migration in low (D500), medium

(D600) to high (D134) temperature
wells

Gas-migration-control slurries
GASBLOK D600

Temperature range from 150 to 250F (65 to 121C)

Above typically 200F (93C) with D135 stabilizer

Density range 13 to 24 lb/gal (1.56 to 2.88 kg/L)

Can be mixed with fresh or sea water
Salt tolerance:
Up to 6% NaCl or KCl BWOV without D135
Up to 18% NaCl BWOV with D135

Concentration depends on BHST and slurry porosity

Stabilizer and dispersant: D65/D80/D604/D135

Gas-migration-control slurries
GASBLOK HT D134

Temperature range from 200 to 400F (93 to 204C)

Density range 15.6 to 24 lb/gal (1.87 to 2.88 kg/L)
Can be mixed with freshwater only
Stabilizer D135
Dispersants: D121, D65, D080
Concentration depends on BHST and slurry porosity
Use D066 above 230F (110 C) BHST

D600/D134 GASBLOK slurries

Excellent slurry rheological properties
Very good stability
Very low API fluid loss (lower than 50 mL/30 min)

Extremely low fluid loss rate

Thin and impermeable filter cakes
Low permeability during liquid/solid transition
Low hydration volume reduction in particular in

CemCRETE slurries
Short transition time from liquid to solid

D600/D134 GASBLOK cements

Conventional cement

GASBLOK cement

Improved bonding and mechanical properties (SPE 13176)

Improved set cement resistance to chemical attack

Example of D600 slurry design

Density : 20.1 lb/gal
API Class G cement
30% BWOC Silica flour
85% BWOC Hematite
0.8% BWOC D121
3.10 gal/sk D600
0.06 gal/sk D080
0.05 gal/sk D047
2.38 gal/sk Fresh water

Yield
Thickening time
Fluid loss
Free water
PV at 80 deg.F
TY at 80 deg.F
PV at 185 deg.F
TY at 185 deg.F
24 hours CS

1.76 ft^3/sk
5 hr 20 min
34 mL/30 min
Nil
260 cp
15.7 lbf/100ft^2
211 cp
34.8 lbf/100ft^2
> 6000 psi

Gas-migration-control slurries
GASBLOK LT (D500) additive

A liquid microgel (submicron particles) with a density of

1.0 kg/L
Environmentally friendly
Temperature from 80 to 165F (27 to 74C)
Slurry density from10 to 16.5 lb/gal (1.20 to 1.98 kg/L)
Easy to design and to mix
Compatible with all Dowell accelerators and retarders
Non-retarding
Synergetic effect with CemCRETE technology
Non-damaging to formations

D500 GASBLOK LT slurries

Applications of D500 slurries
Shallow annular gas migration
Gas migration in cold wells
Properties of slurries and set cements using D500
Excellent slurry rheological properties
Excellent stability
Extremely low API fluid loss (lower than 40 mL/30 min)
Extremely low fluid loss rate
Thin and impermeable filter cakes

Low permeability during liquid/solid transition

Low hydration volume reduction in CemCRETE slurries
Shorter transition times at low temperatures

Summary Slide
D500 Fluid-Loss Control Behavior

Examples of D500 slurry designs

15.8 ppg: 80F

16.4 ppg: 120F

15.8 ppg: 160F

Slurry design:

Slurry design:

Slurry design:

Dyckerhoff Class G +

Lonestar Class H +

Indocement Class G +

D047 (gps)

0.03

D047 (gps)

0.03

D047 (gps)

0.03

D080 (gps)

0.04

D080 (gps)

0.06

D145A (gps)

0.14

S001 (%BWOC)

D500 (gps)

1.00

D500 (gps)

1.20

D500 (gps)

0.80

Rheology @ BHCT
2

Rheology @ BHCT
2

Rheology @ BHCT
2

Ty (lbf/100 ft )

10

Ty (lbf/100 ft )

Ty (lbf/100 ft )

13

PV (cp)

49

PV (cp)

58

PV (cp)

28

10-min gel

24

10-min gel

24

10-min gel

25

API fluid loss (mL)

20

API fluid loss (mL)

26

API fluid loss (mL)

18

API free water (mL)

0.5

Free water (mL)

none

Free water (mL)

0.4

3:50

Thickening time
@ BHCT (hr:min)

3:30

Thickening time
@ BHCT (hr:min)

5:38

Thickening time
@ BHCT (hr:min)

Examples of D500 slurry designs

12.5 ppg: 80F

12.5 ppg: 120F

12.5 ppg: 160F

Slurry design:

Slurry design:

Slurry design:

Dyckerhoff Class G +

Dyckerhoff Class G +

Dyckerhoff Class G +

D047 (gps)

0.03

D047 (gps)

0.03

D047 (gps)

0.03

D075 (gps)

0.50

D081 (gps)

0.10

D081 (gps)

0.10

S001 (%BWOC)

D075 (gps)

0.50

D075 (gps)

0.50

D500 (gps)

1.50

S001 (%BWOC)

D500 (gps)

1.50

D500 (gps)

1.00

Rheology @ BHCT
2

Rheology @ BHCT
2

Rheology @ BHCT
2

Ty (lbf/100 ft )

29

Ty (lbf/100 ft )

16

Ty (lbf/100 ft )

PV (cp)

17

PV (cp)

13

PV (cp)

11

10-min gel

31

10-min gel

19

10-min gel

194

API fluid loss (mL)

28

API fluid loss (mL)

30

API fluid loss (mL)

34

API free water (mL)

0.2

API free water (mL)

none

API free water (mL)

Thickening time
@ BHCT (hr:min)

12:00

Thickening time
@ BHCT (hr:min)

4:22

Thickening time
@ BHCT (hr:min)

6:17

GASBLOK technology
A complete technique covering all aspects
of the gas migration problem
Encompasses WELLCLEAN

Superior slurries with

mud removal as the first key

element
Mud Removal

Fluid
Density Control

Cement Hydration
Set Cement
Mechanical
Properties

GASBLOK additives

Cement
Slurry Design

Thin, but stable (no

free water, no
sedimentation),
Non gelling
Excellent fluid loss
control
Short transition times
Impermeable to gas

Superior set cement characteristics for long term