Advanced slurry, stress analysis software combination adapts cement to dynamic wellbore conditions
HOUSTON - Schlumberger Oilfield Services announced today that the new FlexSTONE* advanced flexible cementing system maintains long-term zonal isolation in a changing wellbore environment.
A new approach to oil- and gas-well cementing that goes beyond maximizing compressive strength, the FlexSTONE slurry can be adapted to match dynamic conditions of pressure, temperature and formation stress over the life of the well. FlexSTONE cementing technology has been successfully used in Gulf of Mexico and North Sea wells and on projects in Algeria, Canada, Oman and wells through the United States.
According to Roger Keese, business development manager, cementing, for Schlumberger Oilfield Services, the FlexSTONE cement system provides both flexibility and expansion of the set cement. Traditionally, compressive strength was the only mechanical property of set cement considered for oil- and gas-well cement systems, and the degree of zonal isolation could only be monitored during and immediately after logging. By looking beyond the bond log, set cement properties can be matched from drilling to production to abandonment to ensure that problems with zonal isolation are avoided long after the logging truck has left the wellsite.
To maintain zonal isolation over the life of a well, the cement sheath around the casing must be able to adjust to changing wellbore rock properties and predicted temperature and pressure conditions. Zonal isolation is key to eliminating problems with lost production due to crossflow, surface breaching of formation fluids and gases, corrosion of casing and associated remedial repair efforts.
FlexSTONE technology uses nonmineral-based particles in an optimized distribution to produce set cement with variable mechanical properties. Using the Schlumberger SAM stress analysis model software system, the wellbore can be evaluated for future problems of zonal isolation caused by imposed stresses. With SAM software, set-cement properties of this advanced slurry can be engineered to match formation properties and future well conditions.
More information about FlexSTONE can be found at www.connect.slb.com/FlexSTONE.
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About Schlumberger
Schlumberger Oilfield Services, the largest oilfield services company in the world, is the leading supplier of technology services and solutions to the international petroleum industry. With operations in more than 100 countries, Schlumberger Oilfield Services is one of two business segments of Schlumberger Limited, a global technology services company spanning the oil and gas, telecommunications, utilities, finance, transport and public sector markets. Schlumberger revenue was $13.7 billion in 2001. For more information, visit www.slb.com.
For further information, contact:
Susan Ganz
Media Relations Manager
Schlumberger Oilfield Services
Tel: +1 281 285 8245
sganz1@slb.com
© Press Release 2006
