Abstract: A system for monitoring downhole cement quality in a cased well includes an active acoustic source that generates acoustic waves, a distributed acoustic sensor, and a controller. The distributed acoustic sensor includes an optical fiber disposed on an outer surface of a casing of the cased well; a pulsed laser coupled to the optical fiber and that transmits pulses of laser light along the optical fiber; a sensor that detects light that is backscattered and reflected by the optical fiber; and a processor that controls the pulsed laser, receives signals from the sensor, and converts the signals into acoustic information. The controller receives the acoustic information from the processor and identifies well integrity loss.

Abstract: Cement slurries are prepared that comprise water, a hydraulic cement and particles of an oil-absorbent material. The particles are present in an amount sufficient to alter a property of a non-aqueous drilling fluid. The cement slurry is placed in a subterranean well, whereupon the slurry contacts residual drilling fluid on casing and formation surfaces. The oil-absorbent material in the cement slurry may reduce the mobility of the drilling fluid, thereby improving zonal isolation. The oil-absorbent material may be a polyolefin block copolymer.

Abstract: A method for moving fluid through a pipe in a wellbore includes placing at least two different fluids in the pipe and in an annular space between the pipe and the wellbore. Fluid is pumped into the pipe at a rate to achieve a desired set of conditions. Using a predetermined volume distribution of the annular space, an axial position of each of the at least two fluids in the annular space during the pumping the displacement fluid is calculated.

Abstract: A flow assembly is deployed downhole in a casing for a cementing operation. The flow assembly has a spool with an optical cable. As cement is pumped downhole and through the flow assembly, a dart attached to the optical cable on the spool is dragged with the flow of cement. Cement flow is stopped based on signals along the optical cable that the dart is at a desired location downhole.

Abstract: A method of generating a wellbore treatment fluid comprising: obtaining a target Young's modulus; calculating a compressive strength requirement from a correlation comprising compressive strength and Young's modulus using the target Young's modulus as an input; classifying a plurality of solid particulates using correlations; calculating a reactive index and/or a water requirement for at least one of the solid particulates; and selecting two or more solid particulates from the plurality of solid particulates to create a wellbore treatment fluid, wherein two or more solid particulates are selected such that when the wellbore treatment fluid is prepared and set, the set wellbore treatment fluid has a 24 hour compressive strength greater than or equal to the compressive strength requirement.

Abstract: Methods and systems for modifying a plug container to permit a fiber pass-through allowing data to be communicated from a pressurized environment into a non-pressurized environment. The systems and methods including surrounding a communication line with a protective sheath coupled with a top plug and a cap of a plug container including an elongated body having a flow path therethrough. The cap including a pass-through for receiving the communication line and obtaining data corresponding to one or more wellbore conditions including at least a temperature, a pressure, and a top plug location.

Abstract: A downhole well system can use a fiber optic cable that can be positioned downhole along a length of a wellbore. The well system may include a top plug, a bottom plug, or both that are used to contain a cement slurry during a cementing operation. The movement of the top plug and bottom plug may cause acoustic noise along the downhole portion of the casing. A reflectometer may detect the acoustic noise from strain in the fiber optic cable and determine a location of the top plug or bottom plug downhole.

Abstract: A method of designing a cement composition may include: minimizing an objective function subject to a plurality of constraints to produce a cement composition including at least one cement component and water; and preparing the cement composition.

Abstract: A system for monitoring downhole cement quality in a cased well includes an active acoustic source that generates acoustic waves, a distributed acoustic sensor, and a controller. The distributed acoustic sensor includes an optical fiber disposed on an outer surface of a casing of the cased well; a pulsed laser coupled to the optical fiber and that transmits pulses of laser light along the optical fiber; a sensor that detects light that is backscattered and reflected by the optical fiber; and a processor that controls the pulsed laser, receives signals from the sensor, and converts the signals into acoustic information. The controller receives the acoustic information from the processor and identifies well integrity loss.

Abstract: A method includes attaching a fiber optic cable to a cementing tool configured to attach to a cementing plug displace cement in a hydrocarbon well. The method can also include deploying the cementing tool in the hydrocarbon well to cause the cementing plug to begin releasing cement to form to displace cement to form a cement sheath in the hydrocarbon well. Additionally, the method can also include receiving, by a sensor receiver at a wellhead of the hydrocarbon well, a signal with cementing data as the cement sheath cures. Furthermore, the method can also include determining whether the cement sheath is curing properly. A system and a non-transitory computer readable medium are also provided.

Abstract: A method to design a wellbore cement sheath in compacting or subsiding formations is provided. The method may include performing a field scale analysis on a formation surrounding a wellbore. The field scale analysis may output boundary conditions including a pore pressure of the formation and a three-dimensional movement of the formation. The method may also include performing a wellbore scale analysis based on the boundary conditions, a wellbore scale model, wellbore conditions, and cement material properties. The wellbore scale analysis may output an indication of stress applied over time to a cement sheath within the wellbore. Further, the method may include determining cement material properties of the cement sheath to withstand the stress applied over time output by the wellbore scale analysis, and the method may include installing the cement sheath within the wellbore. The cement sheath may include the cement material properties.

Abstract: A cement plug is for plugging an annular region between a first casing and a second casing in a well. A method includes: perforating the first casing to open a flow path to the annular region; providing a magnetorheological cementitious slurry; inducing a magnetic field for affecting the physical properties of the magnetorheological cementitious slurry and for defining a lower boundary for the cement plug; feeding the magnetorheological cementitious slurry into the annular region through a perforation in the first casing; and impeding the mobility of the magnetorheological cementitious slurry in the annular region by exposing it to the magnetic field such that the magnetorheological cementitious slurry may consolidate substantially at the lower boundary without the need for a base device in the annular region.

Abstract: Provided, in one aspect, is a method for performing a rock core flow performance test. The method, in this aspect, includes containing un-cured cement within an in-situ cement curing test fixture. The method additionally includes placing the in-situ cement curing test fixture with the un-cured cement within a pressure vessel of a rock core flow test system, and subjecting the in-situ cement curing test fixture with the un-cured cement within the pressure vessel to non-ambient temperature or pressure to form in-situ cured cement.

Abstract: A method of designing a cement slurry may include: providing a cement slurry recipe comprising water and at least one cementitious component; creating a model of a compressive strength of the cement recipe for a given time; preparing a cement slurry based at least in part on the model; and introducing the cement slurry into a subterranean formation.

Abstract: Systems and methods for formation characterization in a subterranean formation are disclosed. A set of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) devices may be disposed in a circulating fluid. Each MEMS device in the set may have a machine-scannable designator. A MEMS scanner may be configured to scan the designator of a MEMS device in response to circulation of the circulating fluid in a wellbore surrounded by the formation. A MEMS analysis subsystem communicatively coupled with the MEMS scanner may store the designator of each MEMS device in the set, detect a subset of MEMS device by receiving the designators of MEMS devices from the MEMS scanner, and determine a characteristic of the formation based on the subset of MEMS devices.

Abstract: Example apparatus, methods, and systems are described for performing bottom hole measurements in a downhole environment. In an example system, a bridge plug is deployed at a downhole location of a cased well, An optical fiber cable is deployed exterior to the casing of the well. The bridge plug includes a sensor and an acoustic signal generator, which transmits acoustic signals through the casing to the optical fiber cable.

Abstract: Centralized control of a cement head using a pumping unit control device is provided. The control device, located at the pumping unit, is communicably coupled to the cement head and pumping unit via a wired or wireless link. Using the control device, the pumping unit operator sends control signals to the pumping unit and cement head to control the cementing operation from outside the red zone, thereby removing the need for a rig hand to operate the cement head.

Abstract: A well advisor system for monitoring and managing well drilling and production operations. The system may be accessed through one or more workstations, or other computing devices, which may be located at a well site or remotely. The system is in communication with and receives input from various sensors. It collects real-time sensor data sampled during operations at the well site, which may include drilling operations, running casing or tubular goods, completion operations, or the like. The system processes the data, and provides nearly instantaneous numerical and visual feedback through a variety of graphical user interfaces (“GUIs”), which are presented in the form of operation-specific consoles.

Abstract: A system includes an acoustic logging tool including a transducer configured to: emit a first acoustic pulse in a first direction toward a first acoustic surface; measure a first acoustic signal, wherein the first acoustic signal includes a coherent noise component and a first echo component, wherein the first echo component is due at least in part to an interaction of the first acoustic pulse with the first acoustic surface; emit a second acoustic pulse in a second direction, wherein the second direction is at least partly directed away from the first acoustic surface; and measure a second acoustic signal, wherein the second acoustic signal includes substantially only the coherent noise component. The system also includes a data processing system that includes a processor configured to remove the measurement of the second acoustic signal from the measurement of the first acoustic signal to reduce coherent noise.

Abstract: A well advisor system for monitoring and managing well drilling and production operations. The system may be accessed through one or more workstations, or other computing devices, which may be located at a well site or remotely. The system is in communication with and receives input from various sensors. It collects real-time sensor data sampled during operations at the well site, which may include drilling operations, running casing or tubular goods, completion operations, or the like. The system processes the data, and provides nearly instantaneous numerical and visual feedback through a variety of graphical user interfaces (“GUIs”), which are presented in the form of operation-specific consoles. The visual feedback includes a geometric performance metric display of the current status of selected parameters based upon established threshold values.

Abstract: A well advisor system and console for fluid gains and losses during well drilling and well construction activities. The system may be accessed through one or more workstations, or other computing devices, which may be located at a well site or remotely. The system is in communication with and receives input from various sensors. It collects real-time sensor data sampled during operations at the well site. The system processes the data, and provides nearly instantaneous numerical and visual feedback through a variety of graphical user interfaces (“GUIs”), which are presented in the form of an operation-specific console.

Abstract: A well advisor system and console for monitoring and managing cementing operations in a well. The system may be accessed through one or more workstations, or other computing devices, which may be located at a well site or remotely. The system is in communication with and receives input from various sensors. It collects real-time sensor data sampled during operations at the well site. The system processes the data, and provides nearly instantaneous numerical and visual feedback through a variety of graphical user interfaces (“GUIs”), which are presented in the form of an operation-specific console.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for determining surface wetting of a metallic material with changing well fluids. In general, the methods according to the invention include measuring electrical impedance spectroscopy (“EIS”) for a system simulating downhole conditions for the wetting of a surface. Methods and apparatuses for making EIS measurements model double-layer capacitance at a downhole surface in a well, from which the nature and quantification of the wetting of the surface can be inferred.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for determining surface wetting of metallic materials at downhole wellbore condition with fixed or changing well fluids are disclosed. In general, the methods according to the disclosure include carrying out an electrical impedance spectroscopy (“EIS”) for a system simulating downhole conditions for the wetting of a surface by simultaneously dynamically moving electrodes exposed to the well fluid while measuring the changes in electrical characteristics between the electrodes.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for determining surface wetting of metallic materials at downhole wellbore condition with fixed or changing well fluids are disclosed. In general, the methods according to the disclosure include carrying out an electrical impedance spectroscopy (“EIS”) for a system simulating downhole conditions for the wetting of a surface by simultaneously dynamically moving electrodes exposed to the well fluid while measuring the changes in electrical characteristics between the electrodes.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods of determining whether a wellbore sealing operation has been performed correctly, and to wellbore-lining tubing which facilitates the determination of whether a wellbore sealing operation has been performed correctly. The invention has a utility in determining whether cement has been correctly supplied into an annular region defined between an internal wall of a wellbore and an external surface of a wellbore-lining tubing located in the wellbore, or whether a packer has been properly set to seal such an annular region.

Abstract: An engineered composition for reducing lost circulation in a well includes a mixture of coarse, medium and optional fine particles, and a blend of long fibers and short fibers. The long fibers are rigid and the short fibers are flexible. The long fibers form a tridimensional mat or net in the lost-circulation pathway that traps the mixture of particles and short flexible fibers to form a mud cake. The mixture of particles and blend of fibers may be added to water based and oil-based drilling fluids. The composition, size, and concentration of each component of the mixture of particles and blend of fibers may be fine-tuned for each application.

Abstract: A method of treating a treatment zone of a subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore of a well, the method including: (A) introducing into the treatment zone a first particulate, wherein: (i) the first particulate comprises a first degradable material; (ii) the first particulate comprises a first particulate size selected to bridge the pore throats of a first matrix permeability of the treatment zone; and (B) introducing into the treatment zone a second particulate, wherein: (i) the second particulate comprises a second degradable material; (ii) the second particulate comprises a second particulate having a second particulate size selected to bridge the pore throats of a second matrix permeability of the treatment zone; and (C) introducing into the treatment zone a liquid resin, wherein the liquid resin is introduced into the treatment zone.

Abstract: A method of verifying a substance interface location during a cementing operation can include optically measuring vibrations caused by substances flowing across structures distributed along a wellbore, the vibrations being caused at each structure, and the vibrations changing at each structure as the interface displaces across the structure. A method of determining a property of at least one substance flowed in a wellbore can include optically measuring vibrations caused by the substance flowing across structures distributed along a wellbore, the vibrations being caused at each structure, and the structures having different shapes, thereby causing the vibrations at the structures to be different from each other when the substance flows across the differently shaped structures.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for deploying at least one repeatable signal to empirically measure cement bonding before and after operating a tool string assembly comprising a selectively arrangeable tool assembly of a downhole drive tool usable for operating a downhole placement tool with shaft and axial displacement member extendable and retractable therefrom to radially deploy and operate at least one conduit and downhole coupling tool for placing cement and at least one inner conduit proximally concentrically within a surrounding bore, wherein said drive coupling tool is further usable for transmitting or receiving, through a conductance well element into a memory tool, to measure cement bonding about said surrounding bore before and after concentrically cleaning and coupling cement to at least one conduit and surrounding bore.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for testing a wellbore, and to an apparatus and method to efficiently and effectively test the annular seal of a tubular string positioned within a wellbore. More specifically, the cement seal between a casing string and a wellbore is tested to assure there is no contamination of groundwater or between different geologic formations. An additional aspect of the present invention is to provide a testing assembly comprising a frangible body and a tool body, the tool body providing a passageway to the annular seal when the frangible body is drilled out. In one particular embodiment, the frangible body initially forms an encapsulated bore that aligns with the passageway.

Abstract: A method of installing a pressure transducer in a borehole to measure the fluid prepare of a geological formation The pressure transducer is installed into the borehole at a desired, depth, and then the borehole is filled with a cement grout. The fluid connection between the pressure transducer and the formation is opened by pumping a fluid through tubing to displace the cement grout. A process of hydrofracture can be employed to provide a communication path of fluid between the formation, and the pressure transducer surrounded by the fractured grout. In one embodiment of the invention, a pressure transducer is cemented into the borehole along with a check and pressure relief valve. In another embodiment the pressure transducer is installed in the tubing at a subsequent stage.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods and systems for obtaining log data on a cased wellbore concurrently with wellbore cleanout operations. In some such embodiments, a combination of at least one cleaning means and at least one logging tool are integrated or otherwise affixed to a common workstring, such that both wellbore cleanout and logging operations can be accomplished without having to remove the workstring from the well between such operations. In some such embodiments, the one or more logging tool(s) transmit information about the cased wellbore to the surface wirelessly. In some or other such embodiments, such information is transmitted via cable, in real-time or in batch mode. In some or still other such embodiments, such information is stored in memory and accessed subsequent to the workstring being extracted from the wellbore.

Abstract: An intelligent well system and method has a sand face completion and a monitoring system to monitor application of a well operation. Various equipment and services may be used. In another aspect, the invention provides a monitoring system for determining placement of a well treatment. Yet another aspect of the invention is an instrumented sand screen. Another aspect is a connector for routing control lines.

Abstract: Cement compositions comprising an inorganic cement, water, polymer particles and a water immiscible fluid are useful for reducing the torque necessary to rotate casing during a cementing operation. Such casing movement promotes efficient removal of drilling fluid from the annulus between the casing and the formation or the casing and another casing string. The compositions are particularly useful for cementing operations involving deviated and horizontal wells.

Abstract: A method for preventing the production and formation of loose sand particles during production of a production fluid includes converting in the production zone both a loose sand particle into a magnetized loose sand particle and a cemented sand particle into a magnetized cemented sand particle. The method includes introducing a magnetic source into a wellbore. The method includes operating the magnetic source such that a continuous magnetic field is generated and the continuous repulsive magnetic force is less than the mean cementation strength. The method includes producing the production fluid from the production zone to the wellbore at a production rate. The method includes maintaining the magnetic source and the production rate of the hydrocarbon fluid such that within the distance from the magnetic source the production fluid drag force is less than or equal to the continuous repulsive magnetic force.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making real-time measurements of downhole properties during cement plug placement. A wired placement conduit (14) is lowered downhole releasing a sensor package (20). The sensor package is capable of measuring downhole properties in real-time in the period while the cement plug sets.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for testing a cemented bonding with the formation under wellbore pressure conditions. The apparatus comprises a pressure chamber containing a core of formation material. The cement material to be tested is allowed to set or bond to one side of the core while formation fluids under wellbore pressure conditions are present on the other side. Leakage of formation fluids is measured to evaluate the quality of the interface between the cement and formation materials.

Abstract: Optical analysis systems may be useful in detecting microannulus formation in a wellbore casing and remediating a microannulus. In some instances, a system may include a cement sheath disposed about and in contact with at least a portion of an exterior surface of a casing; and at least one optical computing device arranged coupled to the casing, the at least one optical computing device having at least one integrated computational element configured to optically interact with a material of interest and thereby generate optically interacted light, and at least one detector arranged to receive the optically interacted light and generate an output signal corresponding to a characteristic of the material of interest, the material of interest comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of the cement sheath, a displacement composition disposed between the cement sheath and the exterior surface of the casing, and any combination thereof.

Abstract: Optical analysis systems may be useful in monitoring fluids relating to cementing operations in or near real-time, e.g., for location and/or the status of a cement setting process. For example, method may involve containing a cement slurry within a flow path, the cement slurry having a chemical reaction occurring therein; and optically interacting the cement slurry with an integrated computational element, thereby generating an output signal corresponding to a characteristic of the chemical reaction.

Abstract: Optical analysis systems, methods, and apparatuses for analyzing fluids may be useful for in situ monitoring fluids that relate to cementing operations. For example, a method may include containing a cement fluid composition in a flow path comprising a wellbore; and optically interacting the cement fluid composition with an integrated computational element, thereby generating an output signal corresponding to a characteristic of the cement fluid composition, the integrated computational element being coupled to a tool.

Abstract: Various systems and methods for cementing plug tracking using distributed strain sensing include a downhole cementing apparatus that includes a distributed strain sensor with an optical cable and a first downhole cementing plug coupled to a fixed point on the optical cable. The apparatus further includes a second downhole cementing plug slidably coupled to the optical cable between the first downhole cementing plug and a sensing end of the optical cable. The second downhole cementing plug causes a detectable feature in a strain profile along the optical cable's length that indicates a position of the second downhole cementing plug.

Abstract: Disclosed are spacer fluids and methods of use in subterranean formations. Embodiments may include use of consolidating spacer fluids in displacement of drilling fluids from a well bore annulus. Embodiments may include determining the boundary between a cement composition and a consolidating spacer fluid based on presence of tagging material in the well bore.

Abstract: Disclosed are spacer fluids and methods of use in subterranean formations. Embodiments may include use of consolidating spacer fluids in displacement of drilling fluids from a well bore annulus.

Abstract: A method of controlling a well operation can include monitoring at least one parameter of cement lining a wellbore, the monitoring being performed via at least one optical waveguide, and modifying the well operation in response to the parameter being outside of a predetermined acceptable range. A well monitoring system can include at least one optical waveguide which is used to sense at least one parameter of cement lining a wellbore, an optical interrogation system optically connected to the at least one optical waveguide, and a control system which controls operation of at least one item of well equipment in response to information received from the optical interrogation system.

Abstract: A method and system for monitoring any incursion of particulate matter from a gas hydrate formation into a well casing used for the production of the gas hydrate and determining the degree of incursion of particulate material within the distal end of the well casing.

Abstract: A method of servicing a wellbore, comprising placing a plurality of Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) sensors in at least a portion of a sealant composition, placing the sealant composition in an annular space formed between a casing and the wellbore wall, and monitoring, via the MEMS sensors, the sealant composition and/or the annular space for a presence of gas, water, or both. A method of servicing a wellbore, comprising placing a plurality of Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) sensors in a wellbore composition, placing the wellbore composition in the wellbore, and monitoring, via the MEMS sensors, the wellbore and/or the surrounding formation for movement.

Abstract: Use of two different methods, either each by itself or in combination, to enhance the stiffness, strength, maximum possible use temperature, and environmental resistance of such particles is disclosed. One method is the application of post-polymerization process steps (and especially heat treatment) to advance the curing reaction and to thus obtain a more densely crosslinked polymer network. The other method is the incorporation of nanofillers, resulting in a heterogeneous “nanocomposite” morphology. Nanofiller incorporation and post-polymerization heat treatment can also be combined to obtain the benefits of both methods simultaneously. The present invention relates to the development of thermoset nanocomposite particles.

Abstract: A method of cementing involves introducing a pipe string into a well bore such that an annulus is defined between the pipe string and a wall of the well bore, and introducing a cement composition into the annulus. The cement composition includes cement, water, and an auto-sealing component. An annular structure, coupled to the pipe string, comprises an expandable material.

Abstract: A well logging fluid, and methods of using the same, include a base fluid selected from water, water-based mud, or oil-based mud, and an additive material selected from silica or cork or alike. The fluid has an impedance substantially different from that of the base fluid. Such a modified impedance helps improve the measurement accuracy.