Innovative cementing meets increasing needs

摘要

In Mexico, drilling in increasingly challenging environments is taking the cementing industry into uncharted areas and stretching the limits of current technology. Current technology can't ensure successful circulation and an effective seal. Failure to achieve a seal can have a large impact on the cost of drilling a well and its productive life. Traditionally, the industry has relied on two very different technologies for the creation of ultra-light cement slurries - either using nitrogen or via the addition of low specific gravity microspheres into the cement. While both technologies are capable of producing very light cement slurries, neither have been used in an oil-well to form an effective seal at densities below 7.5 lb/gal. In these most difficult Mexican formations where fracture gradients range from 7.5 to 6 lb/gal, current cement densities have reduced chances of successful circulation.