Development of a Dry Cement Swell Packer, Development of a Novel Well Integrity Solution to Prevent Annulus Pressure Migration

Abstract The cementitious swell packer (CSP) is a product intending to replace conventional swell packers, using a swelling cement housed in a porous membrane. The CSP is prepared on a down-well pipe string section at a predetermined length, that once immersed in water, will swell over a period of days and then cure to from a concrete seal on the inner and external annulus of a pipe to pipe or pipe to rock application creating zonal isolation. This then allows a differential pressure to be applied across the CSP, currently qualified up to 2000 Psi. This method of zonal isolation has been created to replace conventional packers, allowing for a life of well seal to form that does not break down when in contact with the well interface (oil, saline water etc.) in a cost-effective manner. The CSP have the potential to have the cement formulation tailored to specific well conditions, to meet most criteria that are available for well conditions.