Well Cementing

Book excerpt: Cementing is arguably the most important operation performed on a well. Well cementing technology is an amalgam of many interdependent scientific and engineering disciplines which are essential to achieve the primary goal of well cementing - zonal isolation. This textbook is a comprehensive and up-to-date reference concerning the application of these disciplines to cementing a well.``Well Cementing'' is envisioned as an upper-level university book, as well as a reference for practicing engineers and scientists. The first section of the book illustrates how the quality of the hydraulic seal provided by the cement sheath can affect well performance. The second section concentrates on the design phase of a cementing treatment, and various aspects of cement job execution are covered in the third section. The fourth section addresses cement job evaluation. The text is supported by many tables and figures, an extensive bibliography and an index. There are also chapters devoted to subjects which are currently of particular interest to the industry, including the prevention of annular gas migration, foamed cements, and cementing horizontal wellbores. The chemistry associated with well cementing is presented in detail.Most of the contributors to this volume are employees of Dowell Schlumberger, one of the leading companies in this field.