Dump Bailer Agitator Prevents Cement Slurry Hardening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dump bailers face challenges such as lodging or sticking in wells with large deviations, leading to cement slurry hardening within the bailer, which results in unsuccessful cement plug placement and requires costly remedial measures.
Innovation Solution
The development of advanced dump bailers equipped with agitators, including rotating paddles, turbines, roller wheels, and piezo strips, which agitate the cement slurry to prevent setting and extend running time, even if the bailer becomes lodged or stuck, allowing for controlled release and improved cement placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the bailer size is increased to reduce the number of runs needed, then productivity is improved, but frictional heating increases which causes the slurry to harden within the bailer
Solution Approach 1:
The agitator is activated before and during the cement slurry delivery to pre-mix and prevent hardening, allowing larger bailer capacity without the slurry setting during the extended running time
Solution Approach 2:
The agitator provides continuous dynamic mixing action within the bailer, converting the static slurry column into a dynamically mixed state that resists hardening even during prolonged descent in large-diameter wells
2Reliability
If the bailer is run deeper to deliver cement at greater depth, then the effectiveness of zonal isolation is improved, but the running time increases which allows the slurry to harden before delivery
Solution Approach 1:
The agitator is activated in advance during the descent to continuously mix the slurry, preventing hardening from occurring during the extended running time required to reach greater depths
Solution Approach 2:
The agitator provides continuous mixing action throughout the entire descent and delivery process, ensuring the slurry remains in a pumpable, non-hardened state from surface to the target depth regardless of the time required
3Adaptability or versatility
If the bailer encounters large well deviations, then the ability to access complex well paths is improved, but the bailer may lodge or get stuck which prevents cement delivery
Solution Approach 1:
The agitator is activated before lodging occurs to prevent hardening, and continues to operate if the bailer becomes stuck, maintaining slurry fluidity to enable successful delivery even after encountering well deviations
Solution Approach 2:
The agitator applies a preliminary anti-action against the hardening process by continuously mixing the slurry, preventing the adverse effect of hardening from occurring during periods when the bailer may be lodged or moving through complex well paths
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
The solution significantly increases the success rate of cement placement by preventing slurry hardening, allowing for greater depth of cement dumping without compromising cement strength, thus enhancing the efficiency and quality of well intervention and plug and abandonment operations.
Implementation Method 1
An agitator is operatively connected to the bailer body for agitating cement slurry in the interior space
Data Source
AI summary
A dump bailer includes a bailer body defining an interior space for conveying cement slurry downhole. A dump release mechanism is operatively connected to the bailer body for releasing cement slurry from the interior space. An agitator is operatively connected to the bailer body for agitating cement slurry in the interior space. In general, in another aspect, the disclosed embodiments relate to a method of delivering cement slurry to a downhole position in a well bore. The method includes a running a bailer downhole in a well bore, wherein cement slurry is housed within the bailer. The method includes agitating the cement slurry within the bailer and releasing the cement slurry from the bailer into the well bore.