Advances in metering and control technology improves design and executionof foamed cement jobs

摘要

A renewed interest in utilizing foamed cement slurries in wells where conventional slurries pose difficulties has increased the need for equipment capable of accurately monitoring and reliably controlling the necessary additives. These addivitives typically include nitrogen and a foaming agent. The goal is to have a completely automated control technology for the liquid additives and nitrogen. A fully automated system will also incorporate a cement mixing unit with automatic density control, with the additives metered in proportion to the base slurry rate. Proper pumping equipment selection is essential, but it is the flow monitoring technology selected that ultimately determines the accuracy of the additives. While process control technology for liquid additives is well established, metering and control technologies for automating nitrogen addition are less mature, and are critical to the proper execution of a foamed cement job.