Abstract: A system for cementing a tubular member in a well bore includes a cementing plug. The cementing plug includes at least one sensor. The system transmits a value measured by the sensor to a surface location. The system may transmit the value measured by the sensor through a cable connected between the plug and the surface location. Alternatively, the system may transmit the value measured by the sensor acoustically to the surface location.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for plugging a well. The apparatus includes a well barrier which may be connected to a pipe string and lowered into a well to a selected plug location. The barrier is held in place by the pipe string at the selected plug location. The well barrier will engage the well at the selected plug location. A plugging fluid is displaced through the pipe string and is communicated into the well above the barrier. The well barrier will catch the plugging fluid. After the plugging fluid gels sufficiently to support itself in the well, the pipe string which was utilized to lower the well barrier can be disconnected from the well barrier and removed from the well after the plugging fluid has been allowed to set to a sufficient gel strength. The well barrier consists of a support pipe connected to the pipe string, and a fluid barrier connected thereto.

Abstract: A method and system is shown to passively monitor cement integrity within a wellbore. Different types of sensors (pressure, temperature, resistivity, rock property, formation property etc.) are “pumped” into place by placing them into a suspension in the cement slurry at the time a well casing is being cemented. The sensors are either battery operated, or of a type where external excitation, (EMF, acoustic, RF etc.) may be applied to power and operate the sensor, which will send a signal conveying the desired information. The sensor is then energized and interrogated using a separate piece of wellbore deployed equipment whenever it is desired to monitor cement conditions. This wellbore deployed equipment could be, for example, a wireline tool.

Abstract: A method is provided which, in an embodiment described herein, permits a location and/or displacement of a cementing plug to be determined during a cementing operation. In this embodiment, one or more pressure pulses are transmitted through displacement fluid being used to pump the plug through the casing string. The pressure pulses are reflected off of the plug and received by a pressure sensor. Information regarding the timing of the reflected pressure pulses may be used to determine the location and/or displacement of the plug.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for efficiently packing proppant in an open hole annulus. The method provides at least one combination of a plurality of parameters which will provide an efficient and safe packing operation for extended reach horizontal open holes. For a given set of fixed parameters, such as the wellbore size, screen size and formation fracture pressure, the method provides a combination of values of critical parameters, including the proppant density, the mix ratio of proppant and liquid and the pump rate which will yield the most efficient and effective placement of the proppant in the annulus.

Abstract: A method for locating a drill bit when drilling out cementing equipment from a casing of a wellbore. A first step involves placing in the casing of the wellbore at the time of placing cementing equipment, at least one coloured marker member. A second step involves monitoring cuttings during drilling for traces of colour. Penetration of a drill bit into the cementing equipment is indicated by coloured cuttings from the at least one coloured marker member.

Abstract: A method of maintaining the integrity of a sheath, in particular a cementing sheath in a well consists in calculating or estimating variations in well pressure and/or in well temperature and/or in the variations in in-situ stresses, which may occur during the lifetime of the well, evaluating the stresses in the sheath as a function of the above variations, determining the nature of the stress likely to be first in causing deterioration of the sheath, and the risk thereof, and evaluating the influence of the elastic properties of the sheath, of the rock and/or of the casing on this stress, in order to select a sheath which is capable of attenuating this deterioration. The method is of particular application to oil, water, gas, and geothermal wells.

Abstract: A distributed pressure monitoring system is disclosed for monitoring formation pressure along substantial lengths of a casing in a borehole. The monitoring system has a communications line connected to surface facilities on one end which leads down the casing on the other end. A plurality of pressure sensors are spaced along the casing, each connected in communication with the communications line. A sensor housing encloses each sensor and an open pressure tentacle is attached to the sensor housing in communication with the pressure sensor. Another aspect of the present invention is a method for simultaneously monitoring the formation pressure in multiple zones of a borehole. The formation pressure is substantially separated from overburden pressure and pressure sensors adjacent selected zones of the formation are substantially isolated by filling the borehole with a cement selected to provide less hydraulic diffusivity than that of the formation.

Abstract: Methods of cementing subterranean zones penetrated by a well bores are provided. In accordance with the methods, a cement composition is prepared comprised of a hydraulic cement, sufficient water to form a slurry and an effective amount of a liquid fluid loss control additive comprised of an emulsion having a copolymer of N,N-dimethylacrylamide and 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid or a salt thereof contained therein. The cement composition is placed in a subterranean zone and then allowed to set into a hard impermeable mass therein.

Abstract: An inverter fluid that intermixes with a non-aqueous (e.g., oil) external/aqueous internal fluid to cause external/internal inversion is designed. This includes testing a selected inverter fluid with a test fluid having a composition nominally equivalent to the composition of the non-aqueous external/aqueous internal fluid. A quantity of the designed inverter fluid is made and placed in the annulus of a well, such as an oil or gas well, to remove the non-aqueous external/aqueous internal fluid on at least a portion of one or more surfaces of the annulus. This can include pumping the inverter fluid along with a stream of cement. The inverter fluid displaces at least part of the non-aqueous external/aqueous internal fluid in the annular region and inverts the coating of non-aqueous external/aqueous internal fluid sufficient to remove the coating ahead of the cement.