Smart lost circulation materials to seal large fractures

Maryam Tabatabaei, Arash Dahi Taleghani

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

Lost circulation problems may result in a significant downtime, a considerable reduction of the rate of penetration, or even well control problems. Despite advances in manufacturing lost circulation materials (LCMs), some formations, like heavily fractured carbonates, have complete losses during drilling. We develop smart LCMs using shape memory polymers (SMPs), and program them thermo-mechanically to satisfy size limitations imposed by bottomhole assemblies (BHA). Elevated downhole temperatures act as an external trigger to recover the permanent shape of LCMs, which could expand ten times larger than the temporary (programmed) dimensions for deployment. Smart LCMs are a combination of various material categories such as granular, fibrous (one-dimensional or 1-D) and planar (two-dimensional or 2-D) configurations that resume to the original shape after exposure to high temperatures. The LCMs form different structures such as flatted pellet, disc-shaped, spider-shaped, and spindled, which, respectively, presents grains, 1-D fibers, 2-D stars, and 2-D lattices after recovery. A combination of the above categories attempt to build three-dimensional (3-D) plugging capabilities across various sized fractures.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationSociety of Petroleum Engineers - SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition 2021, ATCE 2021
PublisherSociety of Petroleum Engineers (SPE)
ISBN (Electronic)9781613997864
DOIs
StatePublished - 2021
EventSPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition 2021, ATCE 2021 - Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Duration: Sep 21 2021Sep 23 2021

Publication series

NameProceedings - SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition
Volume2021-September
ISSN (Electronic)2638-6712

Conference

ConferenceSPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition 2021, ATCE 2021
Country/TerritoryUnited Arab Emirates
CityDubai
Period9/21/219/23/21

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Fuel Technology
  • Energy Engineering and Power Technology

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