1. Effective Sealing Operations

2. Baroid Industrial Drilling Products
This presentation contains technical information and data, and know-how that are confidential and properties of Baroid Industrial Drilling Products (IDP). Any unauthorized publication or disclosure of such information to any person, or any unauthorized use of such information, without the express written consent of Baroid IDP is strictly prohibited.

3. Objective of Seal Placement
Replacement of Native Material with a product that meets and/or exceeds the sealing capability of the native formation
Maintain and Protect Water Quality
Sealing The Annular Space
Prevent Commingling of Aquifers
Prevents Surface Contamination
Provides Casing Support
Complies With Federal, State and Local Well Construction Codes
It’s The Law

4. Sealing Materials Sodium Bentonite Calcium Bentonite Cement
Pumpable Grouts
Chips
Pellets
Calcium Bentonite
Cement
Portland Cement (ASTM Type I, API Class A)
Cement/Bentonite Mix
Specialty Cements

5. Cement
Initially a true hydraulic fluid that transmits hydrostatic pressure
Cement slurry densities range From lb/gal
Converts to a solid-set material with compressive strength
Considerable amounts of heat are generated from the curing process (Heat of Hydration)
Thicker sections of cement evolve more heat

6. Cement (continued) Bentonite addition
Reduces slurry density and increase slurry volume
Reduces resistance of cement to chemical attacks from formation water
Adequacy of annular seal is determined by hydraulic bonding
Hydraulic bonding of cement to formation is affected by the presence of thick filter cakes
Failure to remove drilling mud/filter cake is more detrimental to formation bonding than pipe bonding
Effective cementing has several requirements

7. Cementing Requirements
Bore Hole Stability
Water Requirements
gal/94 lb sack
Adequate Mixing
High shear
Filtration Control Additives
Mud & Filter Cake Removal
Centralization of casing
Pumping Rate
Rotation/Reciprocation

8. Considerations For Cement Usage

9. Why Use Bentonite For A Seal?
Ability To Hydrate And Expand
Low Permeability of Material
Hydration of Material Results In Expansion Pressure When Confined
Bentonite Seals Can Reconstitute
Results in A Flexible Seal
No “Heat of Hydration”

10. Quality of Sealing Materials
Higher Quality Bentonite Materials Produce Higher Quality Seals
What Defines Quality of Bentonite
High Percentage of Sodium Montmorillonite
Results In Greater Liquid Limits, Increased Expansion Pressure
High Degree of Confidence In Seal

11. Quality of Solids vs. Quantity of Solids
Does Higher % Solids Insure a Quality Seal?
Define The Type and Quality of The Solid
Experience Shows That The Liquid Limit and % Sodium Montmorillonite of the Bentonite Are Good Indicators of Quality
The Resultant Hydration, Expansive Properties and Structural Integrity Make Solids of This Nature Superior
Bentonite Quality Is Determined From Analysis of Untreated Bentonite

15. Calcium Mortmorillonite
9.6 Å
15.5 Å
15.5 Å
Dry
Maximum Hydration
Normal State
Sodium Mortmorillonite
9.6 Å
12 Å Å
Dry
Normal State
Hydrated

16. Effective Bentonite Seal
Depends on four factors
Bore Hole Stability
Quality of Material
Placement of Bentonitic Material In The Annular Space In as Near “UN-Yielded Form” as Possible
Proper Emplacement

17. Effective Placement
Bentonite grouts need to be placed in a manner that allows for “In-Situ Swelling” for optimum results
Do not shear or over-mix
Structure grouting procedure to allow for maximum volume and flow
Place grout into annulus under turbulence and high velocity
This helps insure complete filling of the annular space volume and reduces potential of channeling

18. Effective Placement (continued)
In general, the larger the annular space the less problems encountered during grout placement (2”)
It is desirable to have the casing centralized in the bore hole to facilitate even grout distribution around the casing efficient displacement of drilling fluid
Casing in tension rather than compression
Know annular volume to insure adequate amounts are utilized
During placement of bentonite grout, the grout returning to the surface should be of the same consistency of that being pumped
Active pumping of the grout should continue as the tremie pipe is extracted from the annular space or open hole to insure effective displacement

19. Formation & Casing Interaction

20. Industry Products & Systems
Granular Bentonite
Granular Bentonite and Polymer Slurry
Polymer Coated Granular Bentonite
Chipped Bentonite (3/8" or 3/4")
BENTONITE PELLETS (1/4", 3/8",1/2")
20 % pumpable grout
30 % pumpable grout
Unsorted granular 100 to 16 mesh

21. Baroid IDP Products & Systems
BENSEAL®
BENSEAL®/EZ-MUD® Slurry
EZ-SEAL™
HOLEPLUG® (3/8" or 3/4")
BAROID BENTONITE PELLETS (1/4", 3/8",1/2")
QUIK-GROUT™
AQUAGUARD™
CASING SEAL™

22. Granular Sealing and Plugging Agent
Uniform, #8 mesh, granular material
For use in sealing and grouting wells and in reduction of soil permeability
Used in Heat-Loop installations
Sealant for leaking ponds, ditches and dams
ANSI/NSF Standard 60 Certified

23. Granular Polymer Slurry
Sealing and Plugging System
15% Total Active Solids
1.2 x 10-8 cm/sec permeability
No Heat of Hydration
Flexible Seal
Utilize for sealing of casing, ground source heat loops and abandonment of bore holes
Do Not Use With Centrifugal Pumps
ANSI/NSF Standard 60 Certified

24. Polymer Coated Granular
Single-Sack grouting and plugging material
Effective with Total Active Solids of 15%, 20%, 23%
1.0 x 10-9 cm/sec permeability
No Heat of Hydration
Flexible Seal
Utilize for sealing of casing, ground source heat loops and abandonment of bore holes
Do Not Use With Centrifugal Pumps
ANSI/NSF Standard 60 Certified

25. Bentonite Chips Untreated, sized bentonite chips
Available in 3/8" and 3/4"
Utilized in well completion & abandonment
Excellent In-Situ swelling capabilities
1.5 x 10-9 cm/sec permeability
No Heat of Hydration
Flexible Seal
Eliminate “fines” to avoid bridging
ANSI/NSF Standard 60 Certified

26. Bentonite Pellets Untreated, Compressed Bentonite
Used in well completion and bore hole abandonment
Available in 1/4”, 3/8” and 1/2” sizes
No Heat of Hydration
Flexible Seal
ANSI/NSF Standard 60 Certified

27. AQUA-GROUT™/BENSEAL®
Bore hole Grouting and Plugging System
23% Total Active Solids
1.5 x 10-8 cm/sec permeability
No Heat of Hydration
Flexible Seal
For use in Monitor or Water Well applications and abandonment
Do Not Use With Centrifugal Pumps
ANSI/NSF Standard 60 Certified

28. 20 % Grout Single-Sack grouting and plugging material
20% Total Active Solids
2.5 x 10-8 cm/sec permeability
No Heat of Hydration
Flexible Seal
Utilize for Monitor & Water Well completions and abandonment
Do Not Use With Centrifugal Pumps
ANSI/NSF Standard 60 Certified

29. 30 % Grout One-Sack Bore hole Grouting Material
30% Total Active Solids
3.0 x 10-8 cm/sec permeability
No Heat of Hydration, Flexible Seal
Designed for sealing annular spaces in monitor and water well applications
Do Not Use With Centrifugal Pumps
ANSI/NSF Standard 60 Certified

30. Mixed Granular Untreated random sized granular bentonite
Effective for reducing soil permeability
Random sized particles aid in sealing
Effective for bore hole abandonment
Utilized in casing driving operations
Sealant for leaking ponds, ditches and dams

31. Pond Sealing/Liner Construction
Remember, pond sealing operations are a project that you only want to do once
Utilize bentonite material that resembles particle size distribution of soil
Application rates are dependent on soil conditions
Incorporate bentonite into soil (3-6 inches)
Utilize compaction methods to further reduce soil permeability
Cover “liner” with a layer of topsoil to improve potential for a successful seal

32. Closing Thoughts
The most common reason seals fail is due to improper placement
Match The Grout or Sealing Agent To The Job
Bentonite Seals Have Limitations, Don’t Ask The Material To Do Something It Is Not Capable Of
A Successful Seal Starts With The First Turn of The Bit
Focus On Quality