Annulus Cement Breaker for Wellbore Abandonment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies face challenges in efficiently breaking and removing cement from the annulus of a wellbore during plug and abandonment operations, which is crucial for environmental safety and effective wellbore sealing.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a cement compression tool that is disposed within the inner bore of a casing, which includes actuation elements that transition between unactuated and actuated states to radially expand the casing and compress, break, and fracture the cement layer within the annulus.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If cement is used to secure the casing within the wellbore, then the casing is firmly anchored and secured, but the cement creates a bonded interface that prevents easy removal of the casing during plug and abandonment operations
Solution Approach 1:
The cement compression tool is deployed through the casing before abandonment operations to pre-compress and fracture the cement sheath, creating separation planes that will facilitate subsequent casing removal. This preliminary action weakens the cement-casing bond in advance, allowing the casing to be pulled free during abandonment without excessive force or damage to the wellbore structure.
2Reliability
If the cement layer remains intact during abandonment operations, then the wellbore maintains its sealed structure, but the cement prevents effective perforation and wash operations to expose the rock face
Solution Approach 1:
The cement compression tool fractures the continuous cement sheath into segmented sections, creating gaps and channels between the casing and wellbore wall. This segmentation allows perforation fluid to penetrate through the cement and reach the rock face more effectively, while the remaining cement segments maintain sufficient structural support for wellbore integrity during the abandonment process.
3Device complexity
If conventional abandonment procedures are used without cement compression, then the process is simpler and requires less equipment, but the cement cannot be effectively broken and removed to allow proper sealing operations
Solution Approach 1:
The cement compression tool is designed as a nested structure that can be deployed through the existing casing using standard wellbore access methods. The tool contains collapsible compression elements that are compact during deployment but expand to apply radial compression force on the cement sheath. This nested design allows sophisticated cement breaking functionality to be integrated into existing abandonment workflows without requiring completely new equipment or procedures.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution effectively separates the casing from the cement, allowing for easier removal of the casing and more effective removal of cement during perforation and wash operations, thereby enhancing the exposure of the rock face for further operations.
Implementation Method 1
The one or more actuation elements are transitionable between an unactuated state and an actuated stated. The actuated state operable to engage the inner bore of the casing, thereby radially expanding the casing and compressing the cement layer.
Implementation Method 2
radially expanding the casing and compressing the cement layer
Data Source
AI summary
Implementations described and claimed herein provide systems and methods for breaking cement within an annulus of a wellbore. In one implementation, an annulus cement breaking system includes a cement compression tool operable to be disposed within an inner bore of a casing having a longitudinal length. The casing is disposed within a wellbore formed in a subterranean formation having a cement layer disposed within an annulus formed between the casing and the subterranean formation. One or more actuation elements are coupled with the cement compression tool, and the one or more actuation elements are operable to engage the inner bore. The one or more actuation elements are transitionable between an unactuated state and an actuated stated. The actuated state operable to engage the inner bore of the casing, thereby radially expanding the casing and compressing the cement layer.