Investigation into Permeability and Bearing Strength of Plugging Zone Formed by Lost Circulation Materials

Abstract:

Mud loss while drilling fractured formations is a major problem for drilling operating. It is a key to successful temporary sealing technology that lost circulation materials (LCM) can quickly form the plugging zone in the fractures. The permeability of plugged zone influences its bearing strength, as drilling fluid can penetrate and break it, causing it destabilizing and then failure of lost circulation controlling. With the soap film flowmeter, designing different LCM under variable confining pressures, considering the matching relationship of grain diameters and fracture width is (0.5～1):1, analyzing the permeability of plugging zones with different materials. The results indicated that permeability of plugging zone with peanut grains is lower than that of calcium carbonate, but its bearing strength is not as good as that of calcium carbonate, while using merely single LCM. Comparing other materials, the ideal plugging zone is formed with the mixture of peanut grains and calcium carbonate, which has the lowest permeability as well as the bearing strength. The mixture of matching calcium carbonate and smaller peanut grains, comparing to the width of fracture could stands 5 MPa of pressure difference at normal temperature, and 3.9 MPa at 80°C temperature in laboratory. To some extent, it can meet the needs of temporary sealing technology and successfully deal with lost circulation, which demands plugged tightly and bilateral pressurization.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volumes 190-191)
• Pages: 504-508
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.190-191.504
• Online since: July 2012
• Authors: Song Li, Yi Li Kang, Li Jun You, Da Qi Li
• Keywords: Permeability, Plugging Zone, Temporary Plugging Material, Temporary Sealing, Variable Confining Pressure

References

[1] Yan fengming, Kang yili, Li song, et al. Simulated experiment on stress sensitivity in fractured-vuggy reservoir[J]. Natural Gas Geoscience, 2010, 21(3): 489-493, 507. (in Chinese).

[2] Li song, Kang yili, Li daqi, et al. ANSYS Simulation of Fracture Width Variation in Fracture-cavity Reservoirs[J]. Natural Gas Geoscience, 2011, 22(2): 340-346. (in Chinese).

[3] Kang yili, Yan fengming, You lijun , et al. Loss and control in vugular reservoir formations in block Tahe [J]. Drilling Fluid & Cementing Fluid, 2010, 27(1): 41-43. (in Chinese).

[4] Chen shiyi, Kang yili, Ma xuchuan. Application of the screen bridging technology on the new drilling area[J]. Drilling & Production Technology, 2005, 28(6): 99-101. (in Chinese).

[5] You lijun, Kang yili, Chen yijian, et al. Application of temporary and shielding plugging technology to improve well logging responses for tight sandstone gas reservoir[J]. Oil Drilling & Production Technology , 2007, 29(1): 113-117.

[6] R W. Zimmerman, G S. Bodvarsson. Hydraulic conductivity of rock fractures [J]. Transport in Porous Media 23: 1-30, (1996).

DOI: 10.1007/bf00145263

[7] S R. Ogilvie, Evgeny Isakov, Paul W.J. Glover. Fluid flow through rough fractures in rocks. Ⅱ: A new matching model for rough rock fractures[J]. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 241 (2006) 454–465.

DOI: 10.1016/j.epsl.2005.11.041

[8] Kang yili, You lijun, Xu xinghua, et al. Practices of Formation Damage Control for Deep Fractured Tight Gas Reservoir in Western Sichuan Basin[C]. SPE: 131323, presented at the CPS/SPE International Oil & Gas Conference and Exhibition in China held in Beijing, China, 8–10 June (2010).

DOI: 10.2118/131323-ms

[9] Moghadasi, J. ，Jamialahmadi, M. ，et al. Formation Damage Due to Scale Formation in Porous Media Resulting from Water Injection[C]. SPE: 86524 presented at SPE International Symposium and Exhibition on Formation Damage Control held in Lafayette, Louisiana, 18–20 February (2004).

DOI: 10.2118/86524-ms

[10] Natalia Collins, Andrei, Kharitonov, Don Whitfill, et al. Comprehensive Approach to Severe Lost Circulation Problems in Russia[C]. SPE: 135704, presented at the 2010 SPE Russia Oil & Gas Technical Conference and Exhibition held in Moscow, Russia, 26-28 October (2010).

DOI: 10.2118/135704-ru

[11] Cui yingchun. A new method for the optimal selection of temporary plugging particles[J]. GEOSCIENCE, 2000, 14(1): 91-94. (in Chinese).

[12] Abrams A. Mud design to minimize rock impairment due to particle invasion [J]. JPT, 1977, 29(2): 87-89.

DOI: 10.2118/5713-pa

[13] Luo pingya. A Temporary Plugging Techniques on Formation Damage Control during Drilling and Completion. Beijing: Encyclopedia of China Publishing House, 1997: 68~98. (in Chinese).

[14] Zhang jinbo, Yan jienian, Zhao haiyan. Optimization of bridging particle size distribution of drilling fluid for formation protection[J]. Drilling Fluid & Cementing Fluid, 2004, 21(5): 4-7. (in Chinese).

[15] Liu jing, Kang yili, Liu dawei, et al. Research on the Temporary Shielding Plugging Experiment in Considering Fracture-pore Reservoir of Fracture Width and Pressure Difference[J]. Drilling & Production Technology, 2006, 29(2): 97-98, 101. (in Chinese).

[16] Yang jian, Kang yili, Lan lin, et al. Study of Shielding Temporary Plugging Technology for the Fractured Sandstone Reservoir Protection in the Center of Sichuan Basin[J]. Drilling Fluid & Cementing Fluid, 2006, 23(4): 25-27. (in Chinese).