The Use of Swell Packers as a Replacement and Alternative to Cementing

摘要

Today the cement job is the most common technique used tornachieve the critical hydraulic seal between casing andrnformation to isolate individual zones and prevent annular flow.rnAs such, it is often considered one of the most importantrnoperations during construction of the well. However as anrnisolation mechanism, it can fail, and may not provide therndown hole zonal isolation needed during the life of the well.rnAnnular packers based on the swelling of rubber inrnhydrocarbons are being used by different operators to replacerncementing and provide the critical zonal isolation requiredrndown hole. The swell packer is able to overcome many of thernshortcomings associated with conventional cement operations,rnand provide superior zonal isolation in both simple andrncomplex well environments. Using swell packers alsornsimplifies and reduces the risk of the well construction processrnand provides significant cost savings due to reductions in rigrntime and materials.rnThis paper focuses on the application of swell packers tornprovide an effective hydraulic seal between the formation andrnthe casing as an alternative to cementing and perforating.rnSpecific case histories from Nigeria, Malaysia and the NorthrnSea are used to illustrate the success and application of thisrninnovative technology.