scholarly journals Thief-zone plugging mechanism and application of calcite particles in fractured formations

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiaxue Li ◽  
Shuanggui Li ◽  
Lijuan Pan ◽  
Wei Gao ◽  
Jie Sun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drilling Fluid ◽  
Fluid Pressure ◽  
Practical Significance ◽  
Lost Circulation ◽  
Drilling Technique ◽  
Circulation Mechanism ◽  
Fracture Sealing ◽  
Additional Costs ◽  
Optimal Mixing ◽  
Thief Zone

AbstractLost circulation in fractured strata during drilling incurs additional costs and leads to difficulties in promoting drilling safety and efficiency. Plugging-while-drilling is a feasible means to address lost circulation in fractured formations. The particle size distribution (PSD) of plugging particles is determined empirically; therefore, it is often not matched with the fracture sealing requirement. This study investigates the lost circulation mechanism of fractured strata and identifies a calcite particle-based material as the preferred plugging agent. The plugging mechanism and the design of PSD and particle concentration are demonstrated. Based on the concentration, a plugging-while-drilling technique was developed for fractured strata. The results show that calcite particles tend to form the filling layer at the fracture inlet, which cuts off the leakage of the drilling fluid into the fracture, eliminating the drilling fluid pressure applied on the fracture surface. Thus, a stable sealing for the fractured formation is achieved, and the pressure-bearing capacity of the borehole wall is increased. The result also reveals the optimal mixing and concentration models for calcite particles with various diameters. The plugging technique based on calcite particles for fractured formations is applied in a field experiment. The results confirm that the technique can improve the chance of lost circulation prevention and thief-zone plugging in fractured strata and remarkably reduce both the event quantity of lost circulation and the volume of circulation loss. The findings of this research lay a theoretical basis to address lost circulation in fractured formations and, thus, have important practical significance.

scholarly journals A Novel Approach to Investigating Transport of Lost Circulation Materials in Rough Fracture

Energies ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 2572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Feng ◽  
Gao Li ◽  
Yingfeng Meng ◽  
Boyun Guo
Keyword(s):  
Particle Transport ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Drilling Fluid ◽  
Fluid Pressure ◽  
Fluid Loss ◽  
Fracture Aperture ◽  
High Precision Measurement ◽  
Lost Circulation ◽  
Rough Fracture ◽  
Novel Approach

The drilling fluid loss or lost circulation via fractures is one of the critical engineering problems in the development of deep oil and gas resources. The conventional treatment is to introduce granular lost circulation material (LCM) into the drilling fluid system to plug fractures. In this work, a method incorporating the fracture surface scanning technique and coupled Computational Fluid Dynamics-Discrete Element Method (CFD-DEM) numerical simulation is proposed for the first time to investigate how the LCM particles plug rough fractures. The rough fracture model is built utilizing a high resolution and high precision measurement system. The LCM particle transport and plugging process in rough fractures are captured in the CFD-DEM numerical simulations. The results show that the local fracture aperture has a significant influence on LCM particle transport and the distribution of the plugging zone. The drilling fluid loss rate will decrease, and the drilling fluid pressure will redistribute during the accumulation of LCM particles in the fracture. The fracture plugging efficiency of nonspherical LCM is improved as a result of formation of multi-particle bridges. This study provides a novel approach and important theoretical guidance to the investigation of LCM particle transport in rough fractures.

Tensile Failure and Fracture Width of Partially Permeable Wellbores with Applications in Lost Circulation Material Design

SPE Journal ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kien Nguyen ◽  
Amin Mehrabian ◽  
Ashok Santra ◽  
Dung Phan
Keyword(s):  
Filter Cake ◽  
Drilling Fluid ◽  
Fluid Pressure ◽  
Back Stress ◽  
Substantial Effect ◽  
Pore Fluid ◽  
Pore Fluid Pressure ◽  
Fluid Filtration ◽  
Fracture Width ◽  
Lost Circulation

Summary Estimation of near-wellbore fracture widths remains central to designing the particle size distribution (PSD) and composition of lost circulation material (LCM) blends. Although elastic rock models are often used for this purpose, they fall short in capturing the substantial effect of pore fluid pressure on the fracture width. The problem is addressed in this paper by incorporating the poroelastic back stress in width estimation of axial fractures nearby an inclined wellbore. The poroelastic back stress is caused by a nonideal drilling fluid filter cake allowing for fluid pressure communication between the wellbore and pore space of the rock surrounding the wellbore. In this aspect, a proper definition of the filter-cake efficiency is made in terms of the wellbore pressure, far-field pore fluid pressure, and pore fluid pressure of the rock surrounding the wellbore. The value of this parameter is estimated from the standard drilling fluid filtration test results, as well as the formation rock permeability. The filter-cake efficiency is next used to develop the long-time, asymptotic analytical solution for the poroelastic stress of an inclined wellbore. By accounting for the obtained poroelastic back stress, an improved estimation of the wellbore tensile limit that depends on the filter-cake efficiency parameter is developed. For wellbore pressures beyond the wellbore tensile limit, the width of the near-wellbore fractures is estimated. The fracture width estimation is made through an analytical, dislocation-based fracture mechanics solution to the integral equation describing the nonlocal stress equilibrium along the fracture faces. The commonly practiced scheme for geometric design of LCM blends is enhanced by using the presented improvement in estimation of the near-wellbore fracture width. A case study is used to demonstrate the substantial effect of drilling fluid filtration properties and the resulting poroelastic back stress on the wellbore tensile limit, estimated fracture width, and consequently, composition of the recommended LCM blend.

Machine-Learning for the Prediction of Lost Circulation Events - Time Series Analysis and Model Evaluation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arturo Magana-Mora ◽  
Mohammad AlJubran ◽  
Jothibasu Ramasamy ◽  
Mohammed AlBassam ◽  
Chinthaka Gooneratne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Time Series ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Model Comparison ◽  
Drilling Fluid ◽  
Sensor Data ◽  
False Alarms ◽  
Suitable Model ◽  
Lost Circulation

Abstract Objective/Scope. Lost circulation events (LCEs) are among the top causes for drilling nonproductive time (NPT). The presence of natural fractures and vugular formations causes loss of drilling fluid circulation. Drilling depleted zones with incorrect mud weights can also lead to drilling induced losses. LCEs can also develop into additional drilling hazards, such as stuck pipe incidents, kicks, and blowouts. An LCE is traditionally diagnosed only when there is a reduction in mud volume in mud pits in the case of moderate losses or reduction of mud column in the annulus in total losses. Using machine learning (ML) for predicting the presence of a loss zone and the estimation of fracture parameters ahead is very beneficial as it can immediately alert the drilling crew in order for them to take the required actions to mitigate or cure LCEs. Methods, Procedures, Process. Although different computational methods have been proposed for the prediction of LCEs, there is a need to further improve the models and reduce the number of false alarms. Robust and generalizable ML models require a sufficiently large amount of data that captures the different parameters and scenarios representing an LCE. For this, we derived a framework that automatically searches through historical data, locates LCEs, and extracts the surface drilling and rheology parameters surrounding such events. Results, Observations, and Conclusions. We derived different ML models utilizing various algorithms and evaluated them using the data-split technique at the level of wells to find the most suitable model for the prediction of an LCE. From the model comparison, random forest classifier achieved the best results and successfully predicted LCEs before they occurred. The developed LCE model is designed to be implemented in the real-time drilling portal as an aid to the drilling engineers and the rig crew to minimize or avoid NPT. Novel/Additive Information. The main contribution of this study is the analysis of real-time surface drilling parameters and sensor data to predict an LCE from a statistically representative number of wells. The large-scale analysis of several wells that appropriately describe the different conditions before an LCE is critical for avoiding model undertraining or lack of model generalization. Finally, we formulated the prediction of LCEs as a time-series problem and considered parameter trends to accurately determine the early signs of LCEs.

Study of the Cause of Lost Circulation while Drilling Fractured Carbonates

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexey Ruzhnikov
Keyword(s):  
Success Rate ◽  
Drilling Fluid ◽  
Circulation Zone ◽  
Lost Circulation ◽  
Carbonate Formation ◽  
New Information ◽  
Fractured Carbonate ◽  
Long Time ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Fractured Carbonates

Abstract Fractured carbonate formations are prone to lost circulation, which affects the well construction process and has longtime effect on well integrity. Depending on the nature of losses (either induced or related to local dissolutions) the success rate is different when the induced losses can be cured with a high chance, and the one related to dissolutions may take a long time, and despite multiple attempts, the success rate is normally low. To have a better understanding of the complete losses across the fractured carbonates, a series of studies were initiated. First, to understand the strength of the loss zone, the fracture closing pressure was evaluated studying the fluid level in the annulus and back-calculating the effect of drilling fluid density. Second, the formation properties across the loss circulation zones were studied using microresistivity images, dip data, and imaging of fluid-saturated porous media. The results of the studies brought a lot of new information and explained some previous mysteries. The formation strength across the lost circulation zone was measured, and it was confirmed that it remains constant despite other changes of the well construction parameters. Additionally, it was confirmed that the carbonates are naturally highly fractured, having over 900 fractures along the wellbore. The loss circulation zone was characterized, and it was confirmed that the losses are not related to the fractures but rather to the karst, dissolution, and megafractures. The size and dip of the fractures were identified, and it was proven the possibility to treat them with conventional materials. However, the size of identified megafractures and karst zones exceeding the fractures by 10 times in true vertical depth, and in horizontal wells the difference is even higher due to measured depth. This new information helps to explain the previous unsuccessful attempts with the conventional lost circulation materials. The manuscript provides new information on the fractured carbonate formation characterization not available previously in the literature. It allows to align the subsurface and drilling visions regarding the nature of the losses and further develop the curing mechanisms.

scholarly journals Application of Artificial Intelligence Techniques in Predicting the Lost Circulation Zones Using Drilling Sensors

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Abdulmalek Ahmed ◽  
Salaheldin Elkatatny ◽  
Abdulwahab Ali ◽  
Mahmoud Abughaban ◽  
Abdulazeez Abdulraheem
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Drilling Fluid ◽  
Confusion Matrix ◽  
High Accuracy ◽  
Functional Networks ◽  
Lost Circulation ◽  
Drilling Parameters ◽  
High Pressure High Temperature ◽  
Drilling Cost

Drilling a high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) well involves many difficulties and challenges. One of the greatest difficulties is the loss of circulation. Almost 40% of the drilling cost is attributed to the drilling fluid, so the loss of the fluid considerably increases the total drilling cost. There are several approaches to avoid loss of return; one of these approaches is preventing the occurrence of the losses by identifying the lost circulation zones. Most of these approaches are difficult to apply due to some constraints in the field. The purpose of this work is to apply three artificial intelligence (AI) techniques, namely, functional networks (FN), artificial neural networks (ANN), and fuzzy logic (FL), to identify the lost circulation zones. Real-time surface drilling parameters of three wells were obtained using real-time drilling sensors. Well A was utilized for training and testing the three developed AI models, whereas Well B and Well C were utilized to validate them. High accuracy was achieved by the three AI models based on the root mean square error (RMSE), confusion matrix, and correlation coefficient (R). All the AI models identified the lost circulation zones in Well A with high accuracy where the R is more than 0.98 and RMSE is less than 0.09. ANN is the most accurate model with R=0.99 and RMSE=0.05. An ANN was able to predict the lost circulation zones in the unseen Well B and Well C with R=0.946 and RMSE=0.165 and R=0.952 and RMSE=0.155, respectively.

scholarly journals Laboratory Study on Core Fracturing Simulations for Wellbore Strengthening

Geofluids ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Biao Ma ◽  
Xiaolin Pu ◽  
Zhengguo Zhao ◽  
Hao Wang ◽  
Wenxin Dong
Keyword(s):  
Bearing Capacity ◽  
Laboratory Study ◽  
Drilling Fluid ◽  
Drilling Fluids ◽  
Lost Circulation ◽  
The Core ◽  
Fracture Pressure ◽  
Fluid Systems ◽  
Fracturing Process ◽  
Wellbore Strengthening

The lost circulation in a formation is one of the most complicated problems that have existed in drilling engineering for a long time. The key to solving the loss of drilling fluid circulation is to improve the pressure-bearing capacity of the formation. The tendency is to improve the formation pressure-bearing capacity with drilling fluid technology for strengthening the wellbore, either to the low fracture pressure of the formation or to that of the naturally fractured formation. Therefore, a laboratory study focused on core fracturing simulations for the strengthening of wellbores was conducted with self-developed fracture experiment equipment. Experiments were performed to determine the effect of the gradation of plugging materials, kinds of plugging materials, and drilling fluid systems. The results showed that fracture pressure in the presence of drilling fluid was significantly higher than that in the presence of water. The kinds and gradation of drilling fluids had obvious effects on the core fracturing process. In addition, different drilling fluid systems had different effects on the core fracture process. In the same case, the core fracture pressure in the presence of oil-based drilling fluid was less than that in the presence of water-based drilling fluid.

scholarly journals Numerical Modeling of Foam Drilling Hydraulics

2007 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ozcan Baris ◽  
Luis Ayala ◽  
W. Watson Robert
Keyword(s):  
Drilling Fluid ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Drilling Fluids ◽  
Drilling Mud ◽  
Lost Circulation ◽  
Pressure Profiles ◽  
Drilling Operations ◽  
Parametric Studies ◽  
Bit Life ◽  
Foam Drilling

The use of foam as a drilling fluid was developed to meet a special set of conditions under which other common drilling fluids had failed. Foam drilling is defined as the process of making boreholes by utilizing foam as the circulating fluid. When compared with conventional drilling, underbalanced or foam drilling has several advantages. These advantages include: avoidance of lost circulation problems, minimizing damage to pay zones, higher penetration rates and bit life. Foams are usually characterized by the quality, the ratio of the volume of gas, and the total foam volume. Obtaining dependable pressure profiles for aerated (gasified) fluids and foam is more difficult than for single phase fluids, since in the former ones the drilling mud contains a gas phase that is entrained within the fluid system. The primary goal of this study is to expand the knowledge-base of the hydrodynamic phenomena that occur in a foam drilling operation. In order to gain a better understanding of foam drilling operations, a hydrodynamic model is developed and run at different operating conditions. For this purpose, the flow of foam through the drilling system is modeled by invoking the basic principles of continuum mechanics and thermodynamics. The model was designed to allow gas and liquid flow at desired volumetric flow rates through the drillstring and annulus. Parametric studies are conducted in order to identify the most influential variables in the hydrodynamic modeling of foam flow. 

Effect of Drilling Fluid Temperature on Formation Fracture Pressure Gradient

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Mostafa Samak ◽  
Abdelalim Hashem Elsayed
Keyword(s):  
High Temperature ◽  
Pressure Gradient ◽  
Thermal Effect ◽  
Drilling Fluid ◽  
Wellbore Stability ◽  
Cooling Effect ◽  
Fluid Temperature ◽  
Lost Circulation ◽  
Fracture Pressure ◽  
Downhole Temperature

Abstract During drilling oil, gas, or geothermal wells, the temperature difference between the formation and the drilling fluid will cause a temperature change around the borehole, which will influence the wellbore stresses. This effect on the stresses tends to cause wellbore instability in high temperature formations, which may lead to some problems such as formation break down, loss of circulation, and untrue kick. In this research, a numerical model is presented to simulate downhole temperature changes during circulation then simulate its effect on fracture pressure gradient based on thermo-poro-elasticity theory. This paper also describes an incident occurred during drilling a well in Gulf of Suez and the observations made during this incident. It also gives an analysis of these observations which led to a reasonable explanation of the cause of this incident. This paper shows that the fracture pressure decreases as the temperature of wellbore decreases, and vice versa. The research results could help in determining the suitable drilling fluid density in high-temperature wells. It also could help in understanding loss and gain phenomena in HT wells which may happen due to thermal effect. The thermal effect should be taken into consideration while preparing wellbore stability studies and choosing mud weight of deep wells, HPHT wells, deep water wells, or wells with depleted zones at high depths because cooling effect reduces the wellbore stresses and effective FG. Understanding and controlling cooling effect could help in controlling the reduction in effective FG and so avoid lost circulation and additional unnecessary casing points.

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