Casing Rotation Tool for Uniform Cement Displacement in Horizontal Wells
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cementing operations in wellbore drilling face challenges in rotating the entire casing due to length and weight constraints, leading to two-stage cementing to prevent formation breakdown, which complicates the process and requires additional interventions.
Innovation Solution
A rotating tool system positioned above the kickoff point or build section of a well, featuring an inner and outer housing with a clutch mechanism that allows the inner housing to rotate and transfer forces to the outer housing, enabling the casing string to be rotated efficiently during cementing, and a sub with burst discs and sleeves to manage pressure and ensure annular cement integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the entire casing string is rotated during cementing operation, then cement slurry displacement efficiency is improved, but the operation becomes impossible due to length and weight constraints of the casing string
Solution Approach 1:
The casing string is divided into two functional segments: an upper rotatable section and a lower stationary section. The rotating tool assembly positioned at the kickoff point allows only the upper section to rotate during cementing, while the lower section remains fixed. This segmentation enables effective cement displacement without requiring rotation of the entire heavy and long casing string.
2Reliability
If two-stage cementing is performed to prevent formation breakdown, then formation integrity is maintained, but the process complexity and intervention requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating tool assembly is pre-positioned at the kickoff point before the cementing operation begins. This preliminary positioning enables effective single-stage cement displacement by allowing rotation during the cementing process itself, eliminating the need for a subsequent second-stage cementing operation and its associated complexity.
3Productivity
If the casing string is made longer to reach horizontal sections, then well productivity is improved, but the ability to rotate the casing during cementing is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The long casing string is functionally segmented into an upper rotatable portion and a lower stationary portion. The rotating tool assembly creates a rotation zone at the kickoff point, allowing the upper segment to rotate independently while the lower segment remains fixed. This enables effective cementing operation in long horizontal wells without compromising rotatability.
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
Enables efficient first- and second-stage cementing with improved annular cement well barrier element integrity, reducing intervention complexity and ensuring zonal isolation by uniformly displacing cement into the annulus, thus enhancing wellbore stability and production efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a clutch positioned between the inner and outer housing... the clutch transfer rotation forces to the casing string below the rotating tool
Implementation Method 2
pressure may be configured to build within the housing to burst the burst disc. When the burst disc ruptures a burst disc port may be exposed
Implementation Method 3
Cement may then circulate or be displaced at 6-8 bbbls/min into the annulus while rotating the upper part of the string at 15-30 rpm to uniformly displace the cement into the annulus
Data Source
AI summary
Rotating a casing during a cementing operation to ensure efficient displacement of cement slurry. More specifically, embodiments are directed towards a sub and rotating tool that are positioned above a first cement operation, wherein the rotating tool is positioned in a kickoff point or build section of a horizontal well.