Managing Lost Circulation in Highly Fractured, Vugular Formations: Engineered Usage of High Fluid Loss Squeeze and Reticulated Foam Lost Circulation Materials

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharath Savari ◽  
Jacques Butcher ◽  
Mustafa Al-Hulail
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Loss ◽  
Lost Circulation ◽  
High Fluid ◽  
Lost Circulation Materials

Assessment of Lost Circulation Material Particle-Size Distribution on Fracture Sealing: A Numerical Study

2022 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Lu Lee ◽  
Arash Dahi Taleghani
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Particle Size Distribution ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Fluid Loss ◽  
Material Particle ◽  
Lost Circulation ◽  
Fracture Sealing ◽  
Discrete Element Methods ◽  
Lost Circulation Materials

Summary Lost circulation materials (LCMs) are essential to combat fluid loss while drilling and may put the whole operation at risk if a proper LCM design is not used. The focus of this research is understanding the function of LCMs in sealing fractures to reduce fluid loss. One important consideration in the success of fracture sealing is the particle-size distribution (PSD) of LCMs. Various studies have suggested different guidelines for obtaining the best size distribution of LCMs for effective fracture sealing based on limited laboratory experiments or field observations. Hence, there is a need for sophisticated numerical methods to improve the LCM design by providing some predictive capabilities. In this study, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and discrete element methods (DEM) numerical simulations are coupled to investigate the influence of PSD of granular LCMs on fracture sealing. Dimensionless variables were introduced to compare cases with different PSDs. We validated the CFD-DEM model in reproducing specific laboratory observations of fracture-sealing experiments within the model boundary parameters. Our simulations suggested that a bimodally distributed blend would be the most effective design in comparison to other PSDs tested here.

An Experimental Investigation of Filtercake Reinforced Wellbore Strengthening and Fracture Sealing

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mingzheng Yang ◽  
Yuanhang Chen ◽  
Frederick B. Growcock ◽  
Feifei Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Investigation ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Fracture Initiation ◽  
Fluid Loss ◽  
Lost Circulation ◽  
Fracture Sealing ◽  
Sealing Pressure ◽  
Wellbore Strengthening ◽  
Mud Loss ◽  
Lost Circulation Materials

Abstract Drilling-induced lost circulation should be managed before and during fracture initiation rather than after they propagate to form large fractures and losses become uncontrollable. Recent studies indicated the potentially critical role of filtercake in strengthening the wellbore through formation of a pressure-isolating barrier, as well as plugging microfractures during fracture initiation. In this study, an experimental investigation was conducted to understand the role played by filtercake in the presence of lost circulation materials (LCMs). A modified permeability plugging apparatus (PPA) with slotted discs was used to simulate whole mud loss through fractures of known width behind filtercake. Cumulative fluid loss upon achieving a complete seal and the maximum sealing pressure were measured to evaluate the combined effects of filtercake and LCMs in preventing and reducing fluid losses. The effects of some filtercake properties (along with LCM type, concentration and particle size distribution) on filtercake rupture and fracture sealing were investigated. The results indicate that filtercake can accelerate fracture sealing and reduce total mud loss. Efficiently depositing filtercake while drilling can reduce the concentration of LCM that is required to plug and isolate incipient fractures.

High-Fluid-Loss, High-Strength Lost Circulation Treatments

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark W. Sanders ◽  
Jason Thomas Scorsone ◽  
James E. Friedheim
Keyword(s):  
High Strength ◽  
Fluid Loss ◽  
Lost Circulation ◽  
High Fluid

Wood Fibre Based Lost Circulation Materials

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arild Saasen ◽  
Helge Hodne ◽  
Egil Ronæs ◽  
Simen André Aarskog ◽  
Bente Hetland ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fibre Type ◽  
Drilling Fluid ◽  
Wood Fibre ◽  
Fluid Loss ◽  
Drilling Fluids ◽  
Lost Circulation ◽  
Bottom Hole Assembly ◽  
Induced Fractures ◽  
Fine Wood ◽  
Lost Circulation Materials

In this paper both a coarse and fine wood fibre type of Lost Circulation Material (LCM) is tested in the laboratory. It is shown how these fibre treatments work. The fibre type is partially oil wetting making them suitable for application in oil based drilling fluids. The fine material helps stopping small drilling induced fractures, while the coarse helps stopping lost circulation into several natural fractures or coal or conglomerate formations. In the article, the selection of wood fibres is described in more detail. Testing of the fine materials were conducted conventionally by pumping drilling fluid volumes with LCM onto slotted disks in fluid loss apparatuses. The coarse fibres are too large to be tested in these apparatuses. Therefore, gravel with grain diameter around two centimetres was filled into transparent cylinders. The pore throats created by these gravel particles were above half a centimetre. For both of these LCMs the experiments show the sensitivity of the LCM concentration in the drilling fluid to stop the lost circulation. Also, it is shown the effect of the LCM on viscous properties of the drilling fluids. Not all LCMs can be pumped through the bit. The article describes the need for circulation subs in the bottom hole assembly (BHA) to hinder the LCM blocking the entire BHA.

scholarly journals IMPROVEMENT OF THE TECHNIQUE AND TECHNOLOGYOF BEDS ISOLATION USING THE PROFILE EXPANDABLE CASING

2016 ◽  
pp. 34-37
Author(s):  
G. S. Abdrakhmanov ◽  
A. A. Zalyatdinov
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Fluid Loss ◽  
Drilling Mud ◽  
Gas Wells ◽  
Lost Circulation ◽  
Threaded Connections ◽  
Complex Process ◽  
Oil And Gas Wells ◽  
High Fluid ◽  
Mud Loss

Drilling of oil and gas wells is a time consuming, very complex process in which there occur all sorts of complications. The most common one is drilling mud loss. During drilling of wells the control of this fluid loss problem takes about 12 % of total time. In this case, up to 60 % of materials and time is spent on isolation of fractured-cavernous beds with high fluid loss intensity which make up only 10 % of the total number of isolated zones. The use of liners with welded and threaded connections of shaped tubes enabled to completely solve the problem of lost circulation zones isolation regardless of their thickness, the borehole caving and the fluid loss intensity.

scholarly journals Mitigation of Lost Circulation in Oil-Based Drilling Fluids Using Oil Absorbent Polymers

Materials ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanyi Zhong ◽  
Guangcheng Shen ◽  
Peng Yang ◽  
Zhengsong Qiu ◽  
Junbin Jin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Suspension Polymerization ◽  
Fluid Loss ◽  
Drilling Fluids ◽  
Fluid Viscosity ◽  
Lost Circulation ◽  
Fracture Sealing ◽  
Oil Absorbent ◽  
Lost Circulation Materials ◽  
Filtration Properties ◽  
Absorbent Polymer

In order to mitigate the loss circulation of oil-based drilling fluids (OBDFs), an oil-absorbent polymer (OAP) composed by methylmethacrylate (MMA), butyl acrylate (BA), and hexadecyl methacrylate (HMA) was synthesized by suspension polymerization and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). The oil-absorptive capacity of OAP under different solvents was measured as the function of temperature and time. The effect of the OAP on the rheological and filtration properties of OBDFs was initially evaluated, and then the sealing property of OAP particles as lost circulation materials (LCMs) was examined by a high-temperature and high-pressure (HTHP) filtration test, a sand bed filtration test, a permeable plugging test, and a fracture sealing testing. The test results indicated that the addition of OAP had relatively little influence on the rheological properties of OBDF at content lower than 1.5 w/v % but increased the fluid viscosity remarkably at content higher than 3 w/v %. It could reduce the HTHP filtration and improve the sealing capacity of OBDF significantly. In the sealing treatment, after addition into the OBDF, the OAP particles could absorb oil accompanied with volume enlargement, which led to the increase of the fluid viscosity and slowing down of the fluid loss speed. The swelled and deformable OAP particles could be squeezed into the micro-fractures with self-adoption and seal the loss channel. More important, fluid loss was dramatically reduced when OAP particles were combined with other conventional LCMs by a synergistic effect.

High-Fluid-Loss, High-Strength Lost Circulation Solution for Total Losses Zones in Saudi Arabia

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Hegazy ◽  
Sunil Sharma ◽  
Khaled Fares ◽  
Ahmed ElBatran ◽  
Alok Dave ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
High Strength ◽  
Fluid Loss ◽  
Lost Circulation ◽  
High Fluid

Reticulated Foam Enhanced High Fluid Loss Squeeze LCM for Severe Lost Circulation Management in Highly Fractured Formations

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharath Savari ◽  
Jonathan Rolfson ◽  
Robert Williams ◽  
Donald L. Whitfill ◽  
Hong Max Wang
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Loss ◽  
Lost Circulation ◽  
High Fluid
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