Settling Plug Mixing Procedure

Cementing Equipment
1. Clean and flush all mixing lines to and from cement mixing equipment. Arrange for weight mate-
rial to be mixed rather than cement. This may require the use of sacked weight material. If
sacked weight material is to be used, be sure that weight material sufficient for the plug can be
placed near the mixing hopper. Estimate manpower and barite moving requirements (forklift
and/or crane).

2. Measure mixing water for plug volume (take into account line volumes) into tank. If possible, mix
caustic soda and lignosulfonate into mixing water. This may be done by using mud system slug-
ging pit and pumping mixing water to cement mixing equipment. Mix 1-1/2 lb/bbl of caustic soda
and 8 lb/bbl of chrome lignosulfonate in mix water.

3. Mix plug and pump “on the fly” using weight material and mixing water. Avoid mixing slurry below
16 lb/gal for barite weight material and below 20 lb/gal for hematite material as too rapid settling
could occur and plugging of equipment or lines can occur.

4. Avoid chasing plug with water. Use mud instead to prevent premature settling of plug.

Mud Tank Slugging Pit

1. Empty and clean slugging pit. If unable to dump pit, fill with water and agitate. Pump out dirty
water. Repeat, if necessary, to get pit clean.

2. Put just enough mixing water in pit to obtain mixing pump suction. Add the total calculated
amount of caustic soda and chrome lignosulfonate to the mix water. Note quantity required and
calculate remaining amount of water to be added to bring to total volume mix water.

3. Begin mixing weight material. Slurry should begin to look viscous when the density nears
16 lb/gal for barite and 20 lb/gal for hematite.

4. When slurry density approaches 18 lb/gal for barite and 21 lb/gal for hematite, begin adding
remainder of mix water. Add mix water in steps with additional weight material to avoid both too
light and slurry that will settle or too heavy a slurry that will lose pump suction. After adding the
calculated volume of mix water, bring slurry to final desired density. Allow to mix until weight
material is mixed thoroughly.

5. Pump plug to mud pump, avoiding water ahead or behind plug. Avoid chasing plug with water.
Use mud instead to prevent premature settling of plug.

The following are recommendations for composition and application of barite plugs.

Plug Density (ppg) 16 17 18 19

Composition per final bbl
Water bbl .71 .68 .64 .60
Chrome Lignosulfonate lb 5.7 5.4 5.1 4.8
Caustic Soda lb 1.1 1.0 1.0 0.9
Barite lb 422 477 533 588

13-5 Rev. 6/94

“Proprietary - for the exclusive use of Amoco Production and other wholly owned subsidiaries of Amoco Corporation.”
Preparation of Oil-Base Plugs
Plug slurries can be prepared with oil and barite. A certain sequence of mixing of products is desirable
for optimum performance.
Always mix the wetting agent with the oil thoroughly before adding the weight material. This will aid in
keeping the slurry pumpable and tie up any stray water that may be present.
High density slurries settle more slowly than low density slurries because of the high solids concentra-
tion and gel strengths. Therefore, the lowest appropriate weight should be chosen, keeping in mind
that the slurry volume should be no longer than the distance between the loss zone and the active
zone.
Variations and contaminates in weight material, variations in the viscosities and physical properties of
available base oils, and the type of wetting agent will require different concentrations of wetting agent
to insure an optimum settling rate. It should be kept in mind that too much wetting agent can be just as
detrimental as to little wetting agent. Therefore, pilot testing should be done with available materials
before use. It is highly recommended that samples of the oil, barite, and available wetting agent be
sent to the DTC for testing to determine optimum concentration.
The amount of oil and barite required to make a one-barrel pumpable slurry of desired weight can be
estimated from the following table.

Mud Weight Oil Barite

(ppg) (bbl) (lb/bbl)
14 0.729 362.9
15 0.691 415.4
16 0.653 467.9
17 0.615 520.4
18 0.577 572.9
19 0.539 625.5
20 0.501 678.0

Again, the amount of wetting agent required for optimum settling will depend upon the characteristics
of the barite, oil, and type of wetting agent. It cannot be emphasized enough--PILOT TEST.

Recommended Plug Procedures

Length of Plug
Barite plugs are designed to control formation pressures by providing an immovable, impermeable
seal at the point of influx. Success depends entirely on the ability to mix the plug slurry with optimum
settling properties, spotting the slurry by the recommended displacement procedures, and minimizing
the amount of contamination that may adversely affect the settling rate and prevent the formation of a
firm plug. In some cases, several attempts must be made to successfully seal off the influx of formation
fluids.
The length of the barite plug is a wellsite determination and should be based on the severity of the sit-
uation. The maximum slurry length should not exceed the distance between the influx and the lost cir-
culation zone. Long barite plugs are not desirable because of the distance the drill string has to be
pulled to withdraw it completely from the slurry.

Rev. 6/94 13-6

“Proprietary - for the exclusive use of Amoco Production Company and other wholly owned subsidiaries of Amoco Corporation.”
In cases where formation pressure can be estimated, the length of the plug can be calculated to bal-
ance this pressure. Under these circumstances, he plug is used as both a kill fluid and an immovable
seal. The length of the plug required to balance a given pressure can be calculated using the following
equation.

P
L ------------------
1.8228

where

L = Required length of plug (ft)

P = Pressure to be balance (psi)

1.8228 = Pressure gradient of compacted barite (psi/ft). S.G. of barite (4.2) x 0.434.

Mud Density
The density (ppg) selected should be 0.5 to 1.0 ppg greater than the fluid in the hole. This will ensure
that once the plug is spotted, there will be no movement or migration.

Determine Maximum Slurry Length

Determine maximum slurry length (distance between loss zone and zone of influx) if applicable.

Calculate Total Slurry Volume

The volume of slurry can be calculated using the following equation.

L Vr 1470
V -----------------------------------
WTM

where

V = Volume of slurry

L = Plug length

1470 = Weight of 1 bbl of barite

Vr = Hole volume (bbl/ft)

WTM = Barite required to formulate 1 bbl of slurry (from table)

Materials
Calculate amount of material required to formulate plug.

Mixing
There are two different mixing procedures that can be used when mixing the slurry. The first is a mix
and displace method, very similar to a cementing operation. The barite is added “on the fly” to the pre-
mixed oil and wetting agent and immediately pumped downhole. The alternate method is to “batch
mix” the slurry in a tank with sufficient circulation and agitation to prevent settling and then displace
downhole.

13-7 Rev. 6/94

“Proprietary - for the exclusive use of Amoco Production and other wholly owned subsidiaries of Amoco Corporation.”
Displacement
Displacement techniques are similar to those of cementing in that the slurry should be underdisplaced.
When calculating the volumes of displacement, adjustments should be made so that the height of the
slurry is 2 bbls greater in the drill pipe than in the annulus. This allows the drill string to be pulled with a
natural slug. It should be kept in mind that if the slurry is underdisplaced and the drill string left in place,
barite will settle, plugging the string and will settle in the annulus, sticking the string. Contamination
caused by slurry movement is also minimized. A 2-5 bbl spacer before and after the slurry will mini-
mize contamination by in-situ drilling mud.
The following calculations are required to efficiently displace a barite plug.
1. Find the height at which the total slurry volume (less than 2 barrels) is equalized in the hole.

2. Determine the volume inside and outside the drill collars.

3. Subtract this volume from the total slurry volume and determine the height the remaining volume
would occupy inside and outside the drill pipe.

Remaining Volume
Height -----------------------------------------------------
Capacity DP (bbl/ft)

4. Find the height that 2 barrels of slurry will occupy in the drill pipe

2
Height ----------------------------------------------------
Capacity DP (bbl/ft)

Add this to the length of the drill collars and the height of the slurry equalized around the drill pipe.

5. Once the total height of the slurry inside the drill string has been determined, the remaining
length of the drill string represents the volume of mud required to displace the slurry.

Rev. 6/94 13-8

“Proprietary - for the exclusive use of Amoco Production Company and other wholly owned subsidiaries of Amoco Corporation.”
 Multiply By To Obtain
PPG 119.286 kg/m3
PPG .052 psi/ft
PPG .1198 gm/cm3
PPG 7.48 lb/ft3
Kg/m3 .06243 lb/ft 3
PPB 2.853 kg/m3
PPB 2857 mg/l
Mg/L .00035 ppb
PPM SG Mg/L
Ft 0.3048 m
M 3.281 ft
BBL 5.615 ft3
BBL .15899 m3
BBL 42 gal
Ft3 7.48 gal
Ft3 .0283 m3
Gal .003785 m3
Lbs .454 kg
Lbs 453.6 gm
Kg 2.2046 lb
PSI .06804 Atm
PSI 703.1 kg/m2
C ( Cx1.9) + 32 F
F ( F-32) x .556 C

lb/bbl of Treating Agent

Contaminant Treating Agent to React with 100 mg/l of
Contaminant
Calcium Soda Ash 0.093
Sodium Bicarbonate 0.074
Magnesium Caustic Soda 0.058
Carbonate Gypsum (if high pH) 0.118
Lime 0.043
Bicarbonate Lime
Sulfide Zinc Carbonate 0.14
Zinc Oxide 0.089

13-9 Rev. 6/94

“Proprietary - for the exclusive use of Amoco Production and other wholly owned subsidiaries of Amoco Corporation.”
 Wire Opening %
Diameter Open
Mesh (in) inches microns Area API Designation
8x8 .028 .097 2464 60.2 8x8 (2464x2464, 60.2)
10x10 .025 .075 1905 56.3 10x10 (1905, 1905, 5613)
12x12 .023 .060 1524 51.8 12x12 (1524x1524, 51.8)
14x14 .020 .051 1295 51.0 14x14 (1295x1295, 51.0)
16x16 .018 .0445 1130 50.7 16x16 (1130x1130, 50.7)
18x18 .018 .0376 955 45.8 18x18 (955x955, 45.8)
20x20 .017 .033 838 43.6 20x20 (838x838, 43.6)
20x8 .020/.032 .030/.093 762/2362 45.7 20x8 (762x2362, 45.7)
30x30 .012 .0213 541 40.8 30x30 (541x541, 40.8)
30x20 .015 .018/.035 465/889 39.5 30x20 (465x889, 39.5)
35x12 .016 .0126/.067 320/1700 42.0 35x12 (320x1700, 42.0)
40x40 0.10 .015 381 36.0 40x40 (381x381, 36.0)
40x36 .010 .0178/015 381/592 42.5 40x30 (381x592, 42.5)
40x20 .014 .012/.036 310/910 36.8 40x20 (310x910, 36.8)
50x50 .009 .011 279 30.3 50x50 (279x279, 30.3)
50x40 .0085 .0115/.0165 292/419 38.3 50x40 (292x419, 38.3)
60x60 .0075 .0092 234 30.5 60x60 (234x234, 30.5)
60x40 .009 .0077/.016 200/406 31.1 60x40 (200x406, 31.1)
60x24 .009 .007/.033 200/830 41.5 60x24 (200x830, 41.5)
70x30 .0075 .007/.026 178/660 40.3 70x30 (178x660, 40.3)
80x80 .0055 .007 178 31.4 80x80 (178x178, 31.4)
80x40 .007 .0055/.018 140/460 35.6 80x40 (140x460, 35.6)
100x100 .0045 .0055 140 30.3 100x100 (140x140, 30.3)
120x120 .0037 .0046 117 30.9 120x120 (117x117, 30.9)
150x150 .0026 .0041 105 37.4 150x150 (105x105, 37.4)
200x200 .0021 .0029 74 33.6 200x200 (74x74, 33.6)
250x250 .0016 .0024 63 36.0 250x250 (63x63, 36.0)
325x325 .0014 .0017 44 30.0 325x325 (44x44, 30.0)

Rev. 6/94 13-10

“Proprietary - for the exclusive use of Amoco Production Company and other wholly owned subsidiaries of Amoco Corporation.”
 13-11 Rev. 6/94
“Proprietary - for the exclusive use of Amoco Production and other wholly owned subsidiaries of Amoco Corporation.”
Rev. 6/94 13-12
“Proprietary - for the exclusive use of Amoco Production Company and other wholly owned subsidiaries of Amoco Corporation.”