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Optimize your well operations with the Cement Support Tool

On this page, you’ll see some examples on how the CST can make your drilling more efficient and stable, with solutions tailored to your specific needs.

In the complex and challenging world of well drilling, ensuring operational efficiency and minimizing costly errors is crucial.

Our Cement Support Tools (CST) are designed to address common drilling challenges, from stuck drill strings to precise cement plug placements, enhancing the success rate of sidetracks, pilot holes, casing operations, and plug and abandonment (P&A) processes. By utilizing CST, you can achieve nearly 100% success in your drilling operations, saving considerable time and costs.

Explore how the CST can enhance your drilling efficiency and stability, and discover tailored solutions for your specific needs.
Kick off - Fish

Kick-Off Above A "Fish"

It is not unusual for the drill string to get stuck during drilling a well, which can cause the bottom hole assembly (BHA) to be cut off. Fishing of the BHA can be initiated, and if unsuccessful the BHA might be left in the hole requiring a sidetrack above the BHA. To ensure a successful sidetrack a cement plug is placed in the well.

Due to fluid properties the cement slurry has a tendency to swap place with the fluid below the cement plug. Without a proper fundament below the cement slurry, multiple attempts might be needed for a successful sidetrack. Using the CST ensures nearly 100% success.

Kick off Exploration

Kick-Off Above a Pilot hole

Without accurate reservoir information, you might make incorrect assumptions. Seismic depths are only as reliable as your velocity survey. If you miscalculate by 100 feet, you could potentially waste several million dollars. To confirm the depth of the Oil Water Contact (OWC) and Oil Gas Contact (OGC), a pilot hole might be drilled. This hole must be plugged before drilling the production wellbore.

To ensure a successful sidetrack a cement plug is placed further up in the wellbore. Due to fluid properties the cement slurry has a tendency to swap place with the fluid below the cement plug. Without a proper fundament below the cement slurry, multiple attempts might be needed for a successful sidetrack. Using the CST ensures nearly 100% success.

Secure-Rat-Hole_web

Secure Rat Hole Below Casing

Occasionally the casing must be set shallow, above a long rat hole. To avoid the casing cement slurry to swap place with the well fluid in the rat hole, a CST can be set 10-15 meters below the planned casing shoe depth. This ensures the slurry stays up and around the casing. When drilling out the casing shoe, minimal cement will be found below the CST.

Make sure the well is stable to keep the CST from moving when running the casing. Using the CST will increase your success to nearly 100%.

P&A Exploration

P&A Exploration Wells

After drilling an Exploration Well, the well must be plugged and abandoned. This might require several cement plugs in the open hole area, making it a time consuming and expensive operation.

An operator in the North Sea set 4 successful cement plugs utilizing this procedure, saving considerable rig time and cost. This is how you do it:

1. Set a CST below the first cement plug, pull above the plug, reverse circulate out excess cement, then wait for the cement to cure.

2. When the cement plug is expected to be cured, start circulation and weight test the first cement plug by putting 5-10 ton weight on the plug. This will confirm a successful plug height.

3. When the first cement plug is confirmed, pull up to the bottom of the next cement plug, set a CST and repeat the operation for the first plug.

Using the CST will increase your success to nearly 100%.

P&A Production Wells

When a production well or field has reached the end of its life, it is time to Plug & Abandon (P&A) these wells. Most production wells have production tubing that extends from the surface down to a production packer and a lower completion. Several clients have used the CST with great success in this area.

After the well has been killed and filled with a fluid that controls the pressure and stops any loss to the reservoir area, the tubing is cut a few feet above the production packer. The tubing is then pulled up a few joints, and depending on the tubing equipment, a modified CST is used to set the first cement plug. This has been done even with Gas Lift Mandrels in the tubing string. After confirming the success of the cement plug, the tubing is pulled, and the remaining P&A operation is performed, saving considerable rig time and cost. By using the CST, you will increase the success rate to nearly 100%.

Replace Bridge Plug

Using a Bridge Plug can often be time consuming as it might be necessary to run the Bridge Plug and then pull out of the hole before the cement plug is set. By replacing the Bridge Plug with a CST, you can set the CST and the P&A cement plug on the same run with a pipe, saving a considerable amount of rig time and cost.

Using the CST you will increase the success to nearly 100%.

Cure Downhole Losses (2)

Cure Downhole Losses

Downhole losses is not unusual when drilling a well. It is mostly due to drilling into a loss zone or a bad leak-off test where the formation below the casing shoe is weaker than expected. However, if the hole is only a few meters it is fairly easy to initiate a cement squeeze operation as there will be a firm foundation to set the cement plug at.

If the downhole loss develops after drilling several hundred meters down, it will be more challenging to set a proper cement plug for a squeeze application. A CST can be set below the loss zone to prevent well fluid and cement flurry to mix, and cement to be squeezed into the loss zone. This has been successfully done by a number of clients with great success.

Explore the technology

In the oil and gas industry, setting cement plugs is a critical operation with significant
consequences for well integrity and performance.

Is it possible to achieve success every time?

FAQ for the Cement Support Tool

Curious about the questions we hear most often?

4 700+ Number of CSTs delivered world wide
45+ Number of countries delivered to
97.2% Current success rate for the Cement Support Tool

Success Stories with Cement Support Tools (CST)

Discover how our Cement Support Tools (CST) have transformed drilling operations for major operators around the globe. From setting environmental cement plugs to managing severe downhole losses, these case studies showcase the versatility and reliability of CST in various challenging scenarios.

Setting an environmental cement plug from vessel

Well Cementation and Wellhead Removal Campaign (Rig Chase), with the use of CST.

Hesitation cement squeeze job using CST as base

Complete losses occurred when a major operator in the North Sea was drilling a 16” section below a 17” liner.

Cement squeeze job using CST as base

There had been severe losses when a major operator in the Gulf of Mexico was drilling a 20” section below a 16” casing.

Setting multiple balanced plugs in one run using CST as base

A major operator in the North Sea successfully plugged and abandoned a well with 6 separate cement plugs.

Use of CST as base in a high angle well

A major operator deployed a Cement Support Tool (CST) in a 82° well @ 4,205m to use it as a base for a kick-off plug.

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