A major operator in the United Arab Emirates required a cementing solution capable of achieving uniform cement coverage across a highly compressible sand interval within the annulus. If the sand were allowed to subside, the resulting formation compaction could lead to production liner buckling and potential well integrity risks.

The well geometry imposed low annular velocities during displacement, increasing the difficulty of achieving effective mud removal and uniform cement placement around the liner. Ensuring consistent cement coverage and a reliable hydraulic bond across the interval was therefore critical to maintaining long-term zonal isolation.

In addition, the cement system needed to provide low density to manage hydrostatic pressure while maintaining sufficient compressive strength to withstand formation compaction forces and long-term downhole stresses.

The operator selected a major oilfield service company utilizing a specialized cement placement process designed to maximize displacement efficiency and placement accuracy within the wellbore. A cement system incorporating Kol-Seal® lost circulation material and cement extender was used as a key component of the slurry design. Kol-Seal’s engineered particle size distribution enabled effective bridging and slurry stability while supporting the development of a lightweight cement system capable of maintaining strong mechanical properties.

The flexibility of the slurry density allowed the cement to be placed precisely across the targeted interval while maintaining stable rheological properties during displacement. The high displacement efficiency of the cement system ensured positive cement coverage around the liner despite the low annular velocity conditions imposed by the well geometry.

The service company cemented the 7⅝-in. production liner using the specialized process on the liner tack, followed by a conventional cement slurry for the top-of-liner squeeze.

The cementing operation successfully achieved uniform cement coverage and effective zonal isolation across the interval.

To verify cement integrity and evaluate the relationship between cement bonding and formation compaction, the operator requested a post-job evaluation. Conventional evaluation methods were not suitable for this application. The service company deployed an acoustic borehole imaging (ABI) device to obtain detailed bond-log data and statistical variance analysis. The logging results confirmed effective cement placement and bonding across the liner interval. Due to the efficient mud displacement and optimized cement design, the well is expected to maintain long-term hydraulic bonds and reliable zonal isolation.

By preventing potential formation compaction issues and ensuring reliable liner support, the specialized cementing process incorporating Kol-Seal enabled the operator to avoid costly remediation and drilling delays.