CEMENT TESTING

• US 20110094295A1
• Filed: 10/28/2009
• Published: 04/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Meadows, David L., Pewitt, Keith D., Darbe, Robert P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,783,091 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/38
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2203/0019 Compressive
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2203/0048 Hydraulic means
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 3/08 by applying steady tensile or compressive forces G01N3/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 3/12 Pressure testing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/383 Concrete or cement

Abstract

Devices and methods for testing cement include: a pressure vessel with a sample container inside an interior working volume of the pressure vessel, the pressure vessel configured to supply a first pressurized fluid to control a pore pressure of a cement sample and to supply a second pressurized fluid to lateral exterior surfaces of the sample container to provide a confining pressure that can be different than the pore pressure.

Claims

1. A system for testing cement, the system comprising:

at least one cement testing apparatus, each cement testing apparatus comprising;

a pressure vessel defining;

a working volume inside the pressure vessel, the pressure vessel defining a first channel providing liquid communication through the pressure vessel to the working volume of the pressure vessel and a second channel providing liquid communication through the pressure vessel to the working volume of the pressure vessel; and

a substantially tubular sample container defining a sample volume inside the sample container, the sample container comprising walls extending from a first end with an opening to a second end with an opening, the sample container disposed in the working volume of the pressure vessel with the sample container substantially sealed to prevent liquid communication between the sample volume of the sample container and portions of the working volume of the pressure vessel outside the sample container;

wherein the sample container is positioned such that the first channel provides liquid communication through the pressure vessel to the sample volume of the sample container; and

the second channel provides liquid communication through the pressure vessel to the portions of the working volume of the pressure vessel outside the sample container.

2. The system of claim 1, the sample container comprising:

a first end member;

a second end member; and

a tubular member having walls that substantially sealed to the first end member and the second end member, the tubular member substantially more flexible than the first and second end members.

3. The system of claim 2, the end members configured to grip ends of a cement sample in the sample container.

4. The system of claim 3, each of the end members of the sample container defining an internal cavity that has a transverse first cross-sectional dimension adjacent the tubular member and a second transverse cross-section spaced apart from tubular member that is larger than the first cross-sectional dimension.

5. The system of claim 2, the first end member of the sample container having a face extending across a first open end of the sample container, the first end member defining a channel in liquid communication with the channel defined in a first end cap of the pressure vessel and extending to an opening in the face of the first end member.

6. The system of claim 5, the second end member having a face extending across a second open end of the sample container, the second end member defining a frusto-conical cavity extending from an opening in the face of the second end member.

7. The system of claim 2, the pressure vessel comprising:

a first end cap;

a second end cap; and

a sidewall member extending between the first end cap and the second end cap.

8. The system of claim 7, the first end cap of the pressure vessel defining the first channel through the end cap to the interior volume of the pressure vessel.

9. The system of claim 8, the second end cap defining a third channel extending through the second end cap.

10. The system of claim 7, a piston extending through an aperture in the second end cap of the pressure vessel.

11. The system of claim 10, the piston defining a channel extending through the piston, the channel in the piston providing liquid communication between an exterior of the pressure vessel and the second end member of the sample container.

12. The system of claim 1, the at least one cement testing apparatus comprising a plurality of the cement testing apparatuses.

13. The system of claim 12, the system further comprising:

a first pressure source operable to selectively supply pressurized liquid to the first channels of the plurality of cement testing apparatuses; and

a second pressure source operable to selectively supply pressurized liquid to the second channels of the plurality of cement testing apparatuses.

14. A method of testing a cement, the method comprising:

controlling pore pressure in a cement sample inside a sample container disposed in a pressure vessel of a testing apparatus while the cement sample is curing to provide a first pressure in the cement sample; and

simultaneously

controlling a confining pressure applied to lateral exterior surfaces of the sample container to provide a second pressure that can be different than the first pressure.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

mixing a slurry of the cement sample at pressure conditions that are different than ambient pressure conditions; and

transferring the slurry of the cement sample to the sample container for curing without exposure to ambient pressure conditions.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

selecting end caps of the sample container based on tests to be performed;

assembling the sample container by attaching the end caps to opposite ends of a substantially tubular sleeve which is more flexible than the end caps; and

filling the sample container with slurry.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

simultaneously setting initial pressure conditions in multiple testing apparatuses;

isolating at least one of the testing apparatuses from others of the multiple testing apparatuses; and

testing a mechanical property of cement sample(s) in the at least one of the testing apparatuses isolated from others of the multiple testing apparatuses.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising calculating a failure mode for the cement being tested based on testing a mechanical property of the cement sample in each of the multiple testing apparatuses.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

curing a cement sample at first pressure conditions that are different than ambient conditions; and

pulling on ends of the sample to apply axial tension to the sample while maintaining the sample at the first pressure conditions.

20. A device for testing cement, the device comprising:

a pressure vessel with a sample container inside an interior working volume of the pressure vessel, the pressure vessel configured to supply a first pressurized fluid to control a pore pressure of a cement sample and to supply a second pressurized fluid to lateral exterior surfaces of the sample container to provide a confining pressure that can be different than the pore pressure.