PAPER

PETROLElM BRANCH; AlME

Fidelity union Building
Dallas, Texas

NUMBER

530-G

THIS IS A PBEPRINT - - - SUBJEX:T TO CORRECTION

A New Retrievable lire Line Cementing Tool

By

Blake M. Caldwell and George E. Briggs, Jr., Members AlME,

- - - - Welex Jet Services, Inc., Fort WOrth-, Tex.
Publication Rights Reserved
This paper is to be presented at the 30th Annual Fall Meeting of the Petroleum Branch of the
American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers in New Orleans, October 2-5, 1955, and is
considered the property of the Petroleum Branch. Permission to publish is hereby restricted to-an
abstract of not more than 300 words, with no illustrations, unless the paper is specifically released ~o the press by the Branch Publications Committee Chairman or the Executive Secretary on his
behalf. .Such abstract should contain appropriate, conspicuous acknowledgments. Publication elsewhere after. publication in Journal of Petroleum Technology is granted on request, providing proper
credit is given that publication and the original presentati~n of the paper.
Discussion of this paper is invited. Three copies of any discussion should be sent to the
Petroleum Branch office; it will be presented at the above meeting with the paper and,. considered
for publication in Journal of Petroleum Technology.
I

ABSTRACT

This paper describes a new retrievable wire

line cementing tool, its field operation, well
applications, well conditions, and performance
data.
The cementing tool is "run" into a well on
an armored electric cable in the same manner as a
conventional perforating gun. The tool utilizes
gases from the burning of a high energy propellant to expand a rubber packer against either cas
ing or an open hole section. Further expansion
of gases shears an aluminum retaining plug from
the bottom of the cement container, forcing cement
into the desired position. The complete tool with
the exception of the small aluminum plug and gun
seal is retrieved from the well. Additional cementing "runs" may be made for additional cement
fill.
This wire line tool has been used successfully to eliminate bottom-hole water from an open
hole section, to squeeze cement either a complete
or partial set of perforations, to squeeze leaky
casing shoes, to seal leaky bridging plugs, and
to seal channels in the annulus.
INTRODUCTION
In the past few years with deeper drilling
References and illustrations at end of paper

and new well completion techniques, the cementing

of oil wells has become a more highly developed
operation with specialized equipment and trained
personnel.
During primary casing cementing operations,
neat cement is placed in the annulus to accomplish any or all of the following:
1.
2.
3.

Separate formations
Seal formation for deeper drtlling
Form a support and protective cement
sheath around the casing

Squeeze cementing may be defined as a secondary cementing operation in which cement or other
sealing material is forced into an open section
or into perforations to obtain a seal or a "shut
off" of undesirable fluids or gas.
The quantity of cement usually necessary to
actually seal perforations, channell:l, and voids,
or to successfully seal an open hole section bas
generally been found to be relatively small. It
is necessary only to fill the desired channel or
perforations with cement, allowing it to harden in
position. l The problem is to place the cement
where it is needed, and with conventional methods,
this sometimes requires many times the wnount of
cement actually needed for sealing.
A new retrievable squeeze cementing tool

WmE LINE CEMENTlNG TOOL

which is run on a wire line has proven to be a

quick and efficient means of combating water
problems with reduced workover costs. Such costs
are materially reduced by eliminating one com';'
plete "round trip'f of the tubing or drill pipe.
Frequently, cement drill out, or well stimulation
techniques may be completely eliminated. If other wire line services are needed in the recompletion operation, costs are reduced by combining
two or more services. Savings also result by a
decrease in the woe (Waiting on Cement) time.
This time may be further decreased by the addition of small amounts (1 to 3 per cent) of calcium chloride to the cement slurry to accelerate
its setting. In general a relativelY heavy
slurry weight reduces the woe time and provides
a greater cement strength.
The danger of "sticking" the equipment in
cement is reduced, since the tool is immediately
pulled from the well after the cement has been
discharged from the cement container.
Surface testing indicates that through the
use of this tool, a multiple of narrow fissures
are created and sealed with the cement slurry,
providing a more uniform distribution of cement
along the well bore.
To obtain satisfactory-results with this
new method of squeeze' 'cementing, it isimperative
that no fluid or gas, which would agitate the
placed cement, enter the well during the operation.
DESCRIPTION OF TOOL
This new wire line. squeeze cementing tool
is available in five (OD) sizes; namely, 3-in,
3 1/2-in, 4 1/4-in, 4 5/8-in 'and 5-in. Table 1
shows the most common casing sizes and weights
with the rec~nded tool size, tool capacity,
and the maximum obtainable fill.
The complete cementing tool assembly shown
in Fig. 1 consists of seven fundamental parts-packer bail assembly, packer rUbber, gun assemb~
propellant charge, pressure release assembly,
cement container. and aluminum retaining --plug.
The packer bail assembly consists of a connector, bail, coupling, and packer body. The
connector ~ttaches to the cablehead and provides
a means of sealing an inSulated electrical contact from the cablehead to the gun body.
A bail attaches the connector to the coupling and provides an opening through which the
cement container is filled and through which
the gun assembly is inserted into the packer
body. Fig. 2 shows cement being poured into the
3-in tool and in Fig. 3 the gun assembly is being
inserted.into the packer body.
The coupling, an internally threaded tubular
section, attaches the bail to the packer body and
secure~ the gun assembly within the packer body.
The

pac~er

body is a perforated tubular sec-

,)~O-G

tion, the lower end of which is threaded and attached to the pressure release assembly. A special rubber packer is held in position over the
packer body by steel bands at each end. This
packer is radially expanded by gases developed.
within the packer body and is resiliently returnable to its normal position when pressure is released. Surface and field tests indicate the
elasticity and length of the packer result in a
highly effective packoff. The 3-in tool has been
successfully set in 5 1/2-in casing, the 3 1/2-in
and 4 1/4-in tools in 7-in casing and the 4 5/8in and 5-in tools in 8 7/8-in open hole.
A gun holder and. locking ring secures a heattreated tubular gun body, with propellant charge,
in the packer assembly. Fig. 4 shows "the gun
holder being made up to the coupling. An electri
ca,l contact at the uppermost end of the gun body
provides electrical continuity to the propellant
charge while sealing the charge against external
fluids. The lower end of the gun body is sealed
by means of a gun seal and O-ring.
Below the packer assembly is a pressure release assembly with outwardly seating check
valves. These valves prevent the outward escape
of cement and gases from the tool. They permit
the inward flow of well fluid into the tool when
the pressure within is reduced below that on the
outside.
The lower tubular portion of the tool, the
cement container, carries neat cement or other
sealing materials to be 'deposited in the well.
This container is 20 ft in length and is constructed of alloy steel tubing of varying diameters. A pair of inwardly projecting pins at the
lower end of the container receive the "J" type
slots of an aluminum retaining plug, assuring its
retention and holding the column of neat cement.
In Fig. 5 the aluminum retaining plug is being
inserted into the 3-in OD cement container.
FIELD OPERATION
F:rnST CHECK RUN
It has been found through field experience
that a detrimental factor in obtaining a successful squeeze job is fluid entrance at the zone to
be squeezed. A check run with an empty tool pri.'
or to a cementing run, establishes the fluid level which can again be checked on each successive
run. Any .fluid entrance will be detected and
measures should be taken to prevent agitation of
the cement.
C~lNGRUN

Three factors control the quantity of cement

to be displaced into the formation: (1) the
quantity of propellant; (2) the position of the
tool relative to the lowest perforation or bottom
Clf open hole; and (3) the slurry weight.

530-G

BL.l>JCE M. CALDWELL AND GEORGE E. BRIGGS, JR.

After the check run has been made and the

fluid level established, preparations are made
for the cementing run.

WELL APPLICATIONS

The propellant charge is placed in the gun

on location by the service company operator with
the quantity of propellant governed by well depth
fluid level, and the formation to be squeezed.
Surface tests have indicated that a maximum pressure of 8,460 psi can be developed with a full
propellant load.

A common well completion practice is that

of setting casing above and drilling a "rat hole"
or open hole below the casing shoe into the producing formation. I f by chance the well is
drilled too deep into water, then part of the
open hole section must be sealed.

OPEN HOLE PLUG BACK

The position or confinement of the cementing

tool relative to the lowest perforations or bottom of the open hole section, will govern to some
extent the quantity of cement to be displaced.
This distance will generally vary from 1 to 7ft.

In a water drive field, such as the TXL

Notrees field in West Texas, the elevation of the
water table steadily rises as oil is produced
from the field. Water production may increase
until it becomes necessary to seal off the open
hole section.

Field experience indicates the slurry weight

will affect the quantity of cement displaced, the
lighter slurry weights being more readily displaced. Cement slurry weights are varied between
15 Ib/gal, and 18 1/2 Ib/gal.

Today's accepted techniques and materials

have quite frequently proven inadequate in sealing off water because they do not eliminate channels or voids between the formation and the plugging material. ''Floating plugs" are the result
of no direct bond between formation and plug.

DISCHARGE OF CEMENT
Upon lowering the tool to the zone to be cemented, an electrical circuit is energized, igniting a squib which ignites the propellant. Expand'ng gases gener~ted by the burning propellant ex~and the packer outwardly, sealing against upward
flow of fluids as shown in B of Fig. 1. A simultaneous force applied to the cement moves it downward and out of the container after shearing the
aluminum retaining plug.
Immediately after discharge of cement, the
cement tool is slowly raised to the surface and
preparations made for a second check run.
SECOND CHECK RUN
A second check run is usually made 1 1/2 to
2 hours after the cementing run to determine the
cement fill in the casing or the open hole section.
I f a sufficient fill has not beeq effected, additional cementing runs (stages) are made following
the same procedure as above.

ADDITIONAL CEMENTING RUNS (STAGES)

If a long cement fill or plug back requiring

several runs is necessary to obtain the desired
fill, a check run is made after the first cement
run. This determines if the quantity of cement
displaced is satisfactory after which several consecutive cementing runs are made without a check
run. Upon approaching the desired cement fill, a
final check run determines the total cement fi~.

The new wire line cementing tool has been

found an effective means of sealing a section of
open hole. Jobs calling for as little as 2 ft
or as much as 52 ft have been effectively sealed
with this tool. Frequently in long plug backs,
it becomes more economical to fill a portion of
this section with sand or pea gravel, and squeeze
a 5 or 10 ft cap above. Field results indicate
this to be as satisfactory as squeezing the entire section.
Generally, a successful water shut-off can
be obtained with very little displacement of cement into the formation. An excellent example
of this is a well in the TXL Notrees field of
West Texas. A total of, seven sacks of Type III
cement was used to plug 39 ft of 4 3/4 Ellenberger formation with only 2 1/3 sacks of cement
being displaced into the formation. ~rior to cementing, the well flowed 300 BOPD with 10 per
cent water. After cementing, the well fiowed 300 'BOPD with no water. This job was performed with
a saving of approximately $1,000 in comparison
to another method of plug back.
The low: cost and "pin point" accuracy of
this new method should allow remedial measures
to be taken on many thin zone completions which
would otherwise not be attra.ptive. Wire line
measurements along with casing collar checks insure correct placement of cement and the exact
measurement of quantity of material displaced into the formation.

As an example of thin zon~ remedial workover

2' ft of a 3-ft open hole section in a well in
the Chalk Hills field in North Central Texas was
successfully cemented with two sacks of cement.
The water production was reduced from 50 to 4 per

.~: WTRli! T.TNR

cent.
GAS WEIJ.S
A very high ratio of successful cementing ,
jobs have been performed in the open hole section
of gas wells in which there was little or no fluid in the well. At the time of .this writing, the
open hole section of six gas wells had been cemented. The water production of these wells was
either completelY eliminated or materiallY reduced.
The cementing equipment was "lubricated" into each gas well through the equipment as shown
in Fig. 6. Care was taken to seal all gas leaks
to prevent any movement or agitation in the bottom of the well.
COMMUNICATION OR CHANNELS
During the primary placement of cement behind the casing, the cement slurry travels upward in the annulus and may become contaminated
with mud, leaving channels or voids behind the
casing. Such channels or voids may allow the
moveme~t of fluids or gases between zones.

N[~

mOT.

Experience has shown that satisfactory results can be achieved with the packer of the wire
line cementing tool set in perforations. It is
therefore possible to seal part of a perforated
section, eliminating "drill out" and reperforating.
When squeezing either a complete section
of perforations, or a portion thereof, the initial entry of the slurry is directed into the
lower-most of the perforations. I f the desired
section of perforations is not completely covere~
additional cementing runs must necessarilY be
made.
A 2-ft section of perforations has been
successfully sealed without damaging the remaining perforations by the invasion of cement. In
the Juliana field of North Central Texas, the
lower 2 ft of a perforated section was sealed
wi th 1/2 sack of cement. Prior to cementing, the
well produced 90 .BOPD and 10 BWPD and after cementing, the well produced 98 BOPD and 0 BWPD.
Although the capacity of the tool somewhat
limits its economic use to thin zones, large perforated sections have been successfullY sealed.
This is accomplished by blocking the lower perforations with sand or pea gravel or by setting
abridging plug a few feet below the top perforations. The top perforations are then squeezed,
sealing the entire section below.

Wire line cementing has been found a quick

and economical means of eliminating such channels
or voids. It has also been used effectively as
'a means of sealing communication due to hydraulic
fracturing or acidizing. The quantity of cement
As an example, 168 ft of perforations in a
necessary to seal such a channel or fracture or
gas well in the Hugoton field of Kansas were suceven to fill a section of the annulus is genercessfully sealed. This well had been producing
allY quite small. Experience with wire line cementing has shown that it is desirable to squeeze , from perforations between 3,308 to 3,140 ft. It
through eight or more perforations to prevent any was desirable to squeeze the upper perforations
to eliminate any possible channeling through to
tendency to "choke" the flow of cement.
producing perforations above. This was accomplished by setting a wire line bridging plug in
As an example, in attempting to fracture a
sand in a 4,000 ft well, in the Cree Sykes field
the perforations at 3,143 ft and squeezing a 3-ft
cap above the plug. This job was reported as sue.
in West Texas, communication was established becessful.
tween two producing sands. To eliminate this
channel the lower zone was temporarilY blocked
by dlUllp1ng sand, and a shale section between the
LEAKY BRIDGING PLUGS AND CASING SHOES
two sands was perforated with 12 shots from a
This method of squeeze cementing has been
4-way jet gun. The perforations were then
successfully used to seal leaky bridging plugs
squeezed'with one sack of Type III Portland ceand leaky casing shoes.
ment. A check run indicated that 5/8 of a sack
of cement was placed behincl the casing. The efIn the Lindsay field of Oklahoma, a leaky
fectiveness of the seal was later tested under
bridging plug set at 11,029 ft was effectivelY
4,200 psi and found satisfactory.
sealed, using one-half of a full propellant load
and a 16 Ib/gal cement slurry. The water prOducSQUEEZING PERFORATIONS
tion was reduced from 54 B/D to 1 B/D.
A popuiar well completion practice of today
Leaky casing sqoes have been successfully
is drilling through the prospective pay zone,
sealed by squeezing either through perforations
cementing the casing string, and perforating the
above the shoe or squeezing around the bottom of
zone for production.
the shoe. As an example, the bottom of a leaky
shoe was sealed with five sacks of cement in a
The wire line cementing tool has been used
well in the North Russell field of New Mexico.
in field wo~ to successfully seal: (1) a comThis job was reported successful.
plete perforated section, and (2) a portion of
a perforated section.

BLAKE M CALDWELL AND GEORGE E. BRIGGS

JR
....- - - - - - - - - W I R E LINE

Table 2 is a summary of representative Jobs

performed with the wire line squeeze cementing
tool.
SlliMARY AND CONCLUSIONS:

1 " - - - - - - - - PACKOFF

This new wire line squeeze cementing tool,

utilizing a high energy propellant to force cement into the desired position, has increased the
scope of wire line services by providing the follOWing advantages in squeeze cementing:

HEAD

\4--------5WAGE NIPPLE

1. A savings offered the oil operator in

rig time
2. Reduced danger of "sticking" the equipment
3. "Pin point" placement of cement
4. Versatility in that the packer may be
set under most conditions in'open hole, perfora~
tions, slots, or casing
5. Well fluid is not necessary
6. A portion of a perforated interval can
be sealed
7. A portion of an open hole section can
be sealed
8. A relatively heavier cement slurry provides less woe time with greater cement strength
9. A more even distribution of cement along.
the well bore
10. The possible future use of sealing materials not heretofore practical in squeeze cementing.
11. A greater flexibility and use of wire
line services in recampletions
12. Monetary savings resulting in the use
of smaller quantities of cement
13. Monetary savings resulting in the elimination of drillable or retrievable packers and
other spec1allzed squeeze cementing tools

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UN ION

c;?------BLEED VALVE

1 - - - - - - - - - - LUBRI CATOR

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors wish to thank the Welex Jet
Services, Inc., for permission to publish this
data. They also acknowl.edge with appreciation
the assistance of those of this organization who
cooperated in the preparation of this paper.

rtr----I..-l---------....:.. UN ION

II------GATE VALVE

REFERENCES
1.

2.
3.
4.

Huber, T. A., Tausch, G. H., and Dublin, III,

J. R. : "A Simplified Cementing Tecbiiique
for Recompletion Operations," Jour. Pet. Tec
(Jan., 1954) 6, No.1, 27.
Howard, George C., and Fast, C. R.: "Squeeze
Cementing Operations," Jour. Pet. Tech. (Feb
1950) 189. 53.
Alquis:r;-F. N., and Miller, H. H.: "Effects
of Calcium Chloride in Oil-Well Cements," Oil
and Gas Jour. (July 17, 1941).
Anderson, Francis M.: ''Modern Oil-Well Cementing Operations," Trans. API, (June 16,
1953).
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