Method for monitoring well cementing operations

A method for monitoring a cementing operation is disclosed for predicting whether an effective formation-to-casing seal has been formed across an annulus of a well. In this method a distributed well monitoring system is installed in the annulus of the well before the cement is pumped. Once pumped, the cement is monitored substantially along the annulus. The pressure in the annulus is determined at cement transition and this pressure is compared to the maximum formation pressure as an indication of whether the cement had set to a strength sufficient to maintain an effective formation-to-casing seal across the annulus.