SANJEL ENERGY REDUCES SAGD INTERMEDIATE CEMENTING COSTS BY 26 PERCENT IN THE OIL SANDS RESERVES AROUND COLD LAKE

Challenges

The vast oil sands reserves in the area around Cold Lake present many challenges to oil recovery. High producing wellbore temperatures require thermal cementing and lost circulation (drilling fluid or cement flowing into weak or porous formations instead of returning up the annulus) is very common.

Wells are drilled in quick succession on multi-well pads for cost efficiencies, necessitating added surface equipment and personnel requirements. The hole and casing sizes can be larger than typical wells, requiring higher flow rates to clean and displace drilling fluid from the well. Often, more than one cement pumping unit is required to reach the targeted flow rates. High-density thermal cement combined with increased pumping rates stresses weak formations and worsens lost circulation, a significant challenge when all wells must have good bond logs to pass Alberta Energy Regulator guidelines.

Solutions

Sanjel Energy’s optimized spacer scavenger train eliminates high-rate displacements and the need for a second truck and storage vessel.

• Reduces equivalent circulating density lowering stress on formation while pumping
• Reduces the number of people and equipment required to complete the job
• Cement blend optimization
• Reduces cement excess required due to engineered lost circulation materials

Results

• Excellent bond logs confirming well integrity
• Consistent cement returns to surface avoiding any remedial operations
• A decrease in people and equipment required results in increased cost efficiencies and reduced safety exposure
• Lowered product cost due to cement blend optimization and lost circulation materials