Paper: MICROSPHERE BASED CEMENT SOLVES COMMON LOST CIRCULATION PROBLEMS IN THE PERMIAN BASIN AND SURROUNDING AREAS

Operators drilling in the Permian Basin and surrounding areas with low fracture gradients have long strived to achieve zonal isolation and prevent losses in primary cementing. Solutions generally involved two-stage cementing, water extended lightweight filler cement or foamed cements. Microsphere based cement provides additional solutions to problems associated with low fracture gradients. The addition of lightweight microspheres to cement slurries can create lightweight cement slurries without the early compressive strength development issues associated with water extended lightweight slurries. This allows microsphere cement to be placed across zones of interest as production cement without experiencing losses. Eliminating or minimizing losses helps to ensure zonal isolation with the primary cement job, eliminating the need for remedial work. This paper discusses case histories including both intermediate and production casing strings where these alternative lightweight cementing solutions have been used. Zonal isolation and minimization of annular losses on these wells will be illustrated.