CASE STUDY

Isolation Scanner Service Determines

Cement Condition to Guide Casing Retrieval
Comprehensive evaluation quantifies cement condition in Gulf of Mexico
deepwater well to increase cut-and-pull operational efficiency
CHALLENGE Retrieving uncemented casing
Accurately characterize the completion An operator in the Gulf of Mexico needed to retrieve uncemented 7-in 38-lbm/ft casing inside
environment of multiple cemented and a 9 5/8-in 43.5-lbm/ft outer string. Conducting an efficient cut-and-pull operation required thorough
uncemented concentric casing strings understanding of the completion environment to determine the force needed to recover the
to optimize the retrieval program. casing, especially if barite sag had occurred. Mud sags when the original drilling fluid in the
uncemented annulus degrades over time. The solids settle to the lower portion of the hole
Solution
or to changes in deviation (doglegs). This settled drilling fluid effect essentially cements the
Comprehensively evaluate cement
pipe in place.
condition and casing wear in a single
run of Isolation Scanner* cement Comprehensively evaluating cement and casing
evaluation service. Isolation Scanner service combines the classic pulse-echo technique of ultrasonic tools with
flexural wave attenuation to definitively evaluate material adjacent to the outside of the casing.
Results
The unique third-interface echo (TIE) that arises from the flexural measurement is used to assess
Characterized casing eccentering
casing positioning within the borehole. Isolation Scanner services evaluation also pinpoints
and mud solids settling using
casing corrosion, erosion, and drilling-induced casing wear to comprehensively evaluate the
Isolation Scanner evaluation to
cased hole environment in a single logging run.
help determine the force required
to recover the casing. Solid- Acoustic Bond Cement Map Depth, Variable Density* Logs
Liquid- Impedance Index ft
Gas Map Sonic Isolation Scanner TIE
X,000
Centralizer

Centralizer
X,100

Centralizer

X,200

Centralizer

X,300

The galaxy patterns on the cement map from Isolation Scanner service result from touch points between the
inner and outer casing strings. Centralizers are placed at every second collar over the interval shown

Formation Evaluation
CASE STUDY: Isolation Scanner service evaluates cement for deepwater cut-and-pull, Gulf of Mexico

Quantifying casing conditions

The interval from X,000 ft to X,300 ft was logged
with Isolation Scanner service. TIEs from
the cement/formation interface accurately
characterize the cemented zone and the outer
casing, confirming cementation of the lower
annular zone. The 7-in casing is shown to
be poorly centralized, even with mechanical
centralizers on each joint. As evident from
the galaxy patterns on the cement map
image, the 7-in casing is in almost continuous
contact with the outer casing on the 180 side
of the 3D images of the flexural waveforms.

The high impedance measured for the annular

space is consistent with the presence of
heavy Class G cement or highly packed mud
solids. The measured impedance is greater
than 6.5 Mrayl, which is equivalent to more Three-dimensional images of the Isolation Scanner services flexural waveforms geometrically display the casing
than 3,500-psi [24-MPa] compressive strings, locating contact points and defects. The 7-in casing (the first set of echo arrivals) is in contact at the 180
strength for the cement. Significant mud position with the TIE reflections from the 95/8-in outer casing.
sag is detected across an otherwise free-pipe
zone in the upper interval at a change in Depth, Acoustic Solids Map Cement Map Bond Index Sonic Variable Density Log
ft Impedance
wellbore deviation. From these data and
images, the contact area can be calculated
to determine whether the estimated required Begin deviation increase
pulling force for casing recovery is safely X,100
within the capacity of the drilling rig. The
operator used this information to optimize
the casing retrieval program and eliminate
unproductive casing cuts.

Begin mud solids settling

X,200

Mud sag in a deviated section increases the frictional forces acting on the casing exterior, necessitating
additional force to pull the casing.

X,300

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