Quick Facts:

Type of work:
End of life plug & abandonment (P&A) oil well cement trial
Location:
Queensland, Australia
Client:
Central Queensland Exploration (CQE)
Collaborators:
The University of Queensland (UQ) and the State Regulator (DNRME)
Materials:
NaX® WP19 Oil Well Cement
Project date:
July 2017

As part of the SPRING project, Nautec Singapore has over the last three years developed a series of Oil Well Cement Products specifically for Plug & Abandonment of oil wells. This case study covers the first verification of NaX® WP19 in comparison with ordinary cement commonly used for coal core hole P&A. 

Disciplines

  • P&A
  • Well Integrity Services
  • Onshore grouting

Scope of Work

The scope for CQE were to drill two wells and do the mixing and plugging with NaX® WP19 and ordinary cement respectively. After a curing period CQE cored out the cement plugs for further tests and verifications.

Challenges

Cheap construction cements are used without any consideration given to finding a long-term solution to the environmentally sound and safe isolation of wells, the protection of groundwater resources or isolation of oil & gas reservoirs from other formations.

Plugging activity is typically deferred until license holders feel regulatory or public pressure but in these circumstances the focus tends to be on cost rather than on ensuring the effectiveness of a permanent seal.

Conclusion

NaX® WP19 is documented to be a very suitable cementitious material for P&A work in wells. This is both regarding pumpability, setting time, strength development without creating cracks and the ability to give a very good adhesion to the formation.

Click here to read the project case history.