Por Shailesh Dighe (Baker Hughes Inc.)

Shailesh Dighe is the Cementing Technology Director - Baker Hughes, Pressure Pumping International. He is the author of five papers related to advances in cementing and has four cementing related patents pending related to HTHP cementing, Smart Cement and Depeleted Zone Cementing. He is a member of three API subcommitees and has been a Judge on various SPE Student Paper events. He has experience in cementing from fabrication of cement plants, executing cement jobs on rigs to designing products & technologies thus providing him with a uniquie perspective on the complete process.

Abstract: A fundamental understanding of the unique challenges encountered in deep water drilling is critically important to developing successful cementing solutions. The solutions that are developed and applied in deep water cementing have typically been the precursors to the practices applied in land and shallow water cementing operations. In recent years we have seen the hard lessons from deep water leading the oil and gas industry to an even more engineered and process driven approach to cementing.

The other fact we need to bear in mind is that the cement job performed during well construction phase will remain as an essential barrier that must last the active life of the well and far beyond, for it to be considered as a success.

Appropriate technology development, fit for purpose engineering design, practice of industry standard testing parameters combined with experienced and competent engineers is an significant part of a successful cement job. In addition, understanding the different phases that the cement will go through during its life, including potential failure modes helps us model and thus design cement for life of well.