Circulating and Cementing
After the casing is landed, drilling fluid is circulated through the casing and annulus to remove any residual gases and to condition the mud.
High Pressure Lines
After circulating and conditioning the mud, the casing is cemented. Cement is a powder consisting of alumina, silica, lime, and other substances that hardens when mixed with water. It is extensively used in the oil industry to bond casing to the walls of the wellbore.
During this process the casing is reciprocated or rotated to allow the scratchers to work to remove excess wall cake to give the cement a better bond.
Usually another special servicing company is hired to conduct cementing operations.
Potential Hazards
- being struck by high-pressure lines failing if not secured properly
- having a high-pressure connection failure caused by mismatched or excessively worn hammer unions
Possible Solutions
- Hobble high-pressure lines properly.
- Use proper equipment inspection techniques to include hammer unions (Note: This is a particular problem with 602 and 1502, as they will couple but will not hold beyond the lower pressure rating number).
- Ensure compatible high-pressure line connections.
- Stay updated on safety alerts.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
7-5. According to the text, which of the following is a hazard while circulating mud and cementing the wellbore?
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