Gravel-pack isolation squeeze for plug-down recompletion

This paper presents a case history of a plug-down operation using a coiled tubing unit to perform a contaminated cement squeeze to seal a gravel-packed interval. This procedure maintained unrestricted tubing access, without milling, for wireline tools to perforate a lower bypassed zone of interest. A three-component or trimodal microcement-based slurry isolated the gravel pack and completion assembly. Standard cements, polymer gel systems, and conventional microcement slurries have not been shown to adequately address gravel-pack squeeze operations of this type. Incomplete placement and differential pressure during production are primary causes of failure. Furthermore, care must be taken during the coiled tubing contaminated squeeze procedure to minimize the risk of overdisplacing or contaminating the slurry once in place. This paper provides information to aid in the design and execution of gravel-pack squeeze operations, including water control treatments, zone abandonment, and through-tubing recompletions.