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ARS Home » Plains Area » El Reno, Oklahoma » Oklahoma and Central Plains Agricultural Research Center » Agroclimate and Hydraulics Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #404012
Research Project: Development of a Monitoring Network, Engineering Tools, and Guidelines for the Design, Analysis, and Rehabilitation of Embankment Dams, Hydraulic Structures, and Channels

Location: Agroclimate and Hydraulics Research Unit

Title: Comparison of numerical methods that predict wellbore cement sheath integrity

Author
item Wise, Jarrett
item NYGAARD, RUNAR - University Of Oklahoma

Submitted to: Open Journal of Engineering
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/16/2023
Publication Date: 9/27/2023
Citation: Wise, J.L., Nygaard, R. 2023. Comparison of numerical methods that predict wellbore cement sheath integrity. Open Journal of Engineering. 2. Article 021048. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4063342.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4063342

Interpretive Summary: Oil and gas wells are not monitored for leakage after they have been abandoned and can contribute to climate change. However, the leakage pathways are not understood, and scientists have used numerical models to understand what causes the pathways and how to prevent them from forming. Three Gulf of Mexico wells were modeled with various methods in this paper, and debonding between the cement and pipe was the primary failure mechanism. This work investigated the pros and cons of each method and showed that by using a model with explicit failure criteria, scientists can predict where leakage can occur and work towards preventing it. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Technical Abstract: Wellbore leakage is a concern for abandoned oil and gas wells due to greenhouse gas emissions. The leakage mechanisms and resulting integrity are not well understood. Therefore, researchers have used analytical and numerical models to investigate wellbore integrity. An analytical solution, a finite element model without failure mechanisms, and a finite element model with failure criteria were developed and compared. The benefits and shortcomings of each model were discussed, and the different models were compared with three case study wells. According to the models, debonding between the cement sheath and the casing is the most common failure mechanism. Including the failure criteria in the models showed to be critical in predicting correct stress distributions. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and provider. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.