Laboratory work

Student: Emrah Qulubeyli

Lecturer: Professor Suleymanov Eldar Məmməd
Subject: Oil and gas wells drilling technique and
technology
Group: 272.6(E)
Course: 3rd
 Fluid Loss Additives

The design properties of slurries are significantly influenced by the water content. Thus, slurries
that lose water can also be subject to a loss or degradation of design properties. There are a
number of conditions that can induce fluid loss:
 Water being drawn from the slurry into the permeable formation, in particular when pumping has
ceased and the slurry is static, but not yet set
 Displacing or squeezing water from the slurry as it passes through constrictions such as tight
clearance between the casing and the annulus
Fluid loss additives help operators retain the key characteristics of their cement slurries, including
viscosity, thickening time, density and compressive strength development.

DeepFX™-L Additive
DeepFX-L additive: A single additive to provide fluid-loss control
and shorten transition time to help address shallow water flow
concerns.

Halad®-200L Fluid Loss Additive

Helps control fluid loss, viscosifies the slurry, does not retard the
cement set, is salt-tolerant up to saturation, and is effective as
low as 100°F (37.8°C) and higher than 400°F (204.4°C).

Halad®-23 Fluid Loss Additive

Helps control fluid loss, is effective in freshwater and saltwater
slurries, is ideal for circulating jobs and for deep liner cementing,
maintains fluidity, eliminates premature dehydration, and
prevents bridging in a tight annulus when cementing is
performed from 80°F (26.7°C) to 360°F (148.9°C).

Halad®-300L Fluid-Loss Additive

Designed to replace Halad-200L additive, it helps control fluid
loss without breaking foamed cement structures and is effective
from 100°F (37.8°C) and higher than 400°F (204.4°C).

Halad®-322 Fluid-Loss Additive

A fluid-loss additive designed for use in low-temperature wells
(below 180°F or 82.2°C) to prevent retardation of compressive-
strength development; acts as a dispersant as well.

Halad®-344 Fluid Loss Additive

Helps control fluid loss is non-retarding, and is compatible with
freshwater and seawater.

Halad®-413 Fluid-Loss Additive

Provides excellent fluid-loss control in high temperature wells,
especially when used on densified slurries or slurries with high
salt concentrations due to its dispersing properties.

Halad®-567 Fluid Loss Additive

A fluid-loss additive made from synthetic polymer technology
which is compatible with salt, seawater, and CaCl2 and effective
up to 350°F (176.7°C) without over-retarding at temperatures as
low as 80°F (26.7°C); it is not a strong dispersant so it can be
used in normal and heavyweight slurries.
Halad®-600 LE+ Fluid Loss Additive
Helps control fluid loss in environmentally sensitive areas
between 125°F (51.7°C) and 300°F (148.9°C), acts as a mild
retarder, gel breaker, and dispersant.

Halad®-688 and Halad®-688 EXP additives

A fluid-loss additive similar to Halad 344 additive intended for
use with construction grade or off spec cements.

Halad®-862 Fluid Loss Additive

Developed as a less dispersive alternative to Halad-413 additive
to meet response requirements in heavyweight slurries,
seawater, and saturated salt designs.

Halad®-9 Fluid-Loss Additive

A blend of cellulose derivative and a dispersant developed for
primary or squeeze operations between 60°F (15.6°C) and
300°F (148.9°C).

WaterWeb® Water Control

WaterWeb® Water Control Uses unique polymer chemistry to
help create oil-water separation in the reservoir, impeding water
flow and enhancing hydrocarbon flow to the wellbore.
 Lost-circulation zones
Fig. 1 shows partial and total lost-circulation zones. In partial lost circulation, mud continues to flow to
surface with some loss to the formation. Total lost circulation, however, occurs when all the mud flows into a
formation with no return to surface. If drilling continues during total lost circulation, it is referred to as blind
drilling. This is not a common practice in the field, unless all of the following criteria are met:

 The formation above the thief zone is mechanically stable.

 There is no production.
 The fluid is clear water.
 It is economically feasible and safe.

Fig. 1—Lost-circulation zones.

Causes of lost-circulation zones

There are several situations that can result in lost circulation:

 Formations that are inherently fractured, cavernous, or have high permeability

 Improper drilling conditions
 Induced fractures caused by excessive downhole pressures and setting intermediate casing too high

Induced fractures
Induced or inherent fractures may be horizontal at shallow depth or vertical at depths greater than
approximately 2,500 ft. Excessive wellbore pressures are caused by high flow rates (high annular-friction
pressure loss) or tripping in too fast (high surge pressure), which can lead to mud equivalent circulating
density (ECD). Induced fractures can also be caused by:

 Improper annular hole cleaning

 Excessive mud weight
 Shutting in a well in high-pressure shallow gas

Eqs. 1 and 2 show the conditions that must be maintained to avoid fracturing the formation during drilling
and tripping in, respectively.

....................(1)

and ....................(2)
where λmh = static mud weight, Δλaf = additional mud weight caused by friction pressure loss in annulus,
Δλs = additional mud caused by surge pressure, λfrac = formation-pressure fracture gradient in equivalent
mud weight, and λeq = equivalent circulating density of mud.

Cavernous formations
Cavernous formations are often limestones with large caverns. This type of lost circulation is quick, total,
and the most difficult to seal. High-permeability formations that are potential lost-circulation zones are those
of shallow sand with permeability in excess of 10 darcies. Generally, deep sand has low permeability and
presents no loss-of-circulation problems. In noncavernous thief zones, mud level in mud tanks decreases
gradually and, if drilling continues, total loss of circulation may occur.

Prevention of lost circulation

The complete prevention of lost circulation is impossible, because some formations, such as inherently
fractured, cavernous, or high-permeability zones, are not avoidable if the target zone is to be reached.
However, limiting circulation loss is possible if certain precautions are taken, especially those related to
induced fractures. These precautions include:

 Maintaining proper mud weight

 Minimizing annular-friction pressure losses during drilling and tripping in
 Adequate hole cleaning
 Avoiding restrictions in the annular space
 Setting casing to protect upper weaker formations within a transition zone
 Updating formation pore pressure and fracture gradients for better accuracy with log and drilling data

If lost-circulation zones are anticipated, preventive measures should be taken by treating the mud with loss
of circulation materials(LCMs) and preventive tests such as the leakoff test and formation integrity test
should be performed to limit the possibility of loss of circulation.

Preventive tests

Leakoff test (LOT)

Conducting an accurate leakoff test is fundamental to preventing lost circulation. The LOT is performed by
closing in the well, and pressuring up in the open hole immediately below the last string of casing before
drilling ahead in the next interval. On the basis of the point at which the pressure drops off, the test
indicates the strength of the wellbore at the casing seat, typically considered one of the weakest points in
any interval. However, extending an LOT to the fracture-extension stage can seriously lower the maximum
mud weight that may be used to safely drill the interval without lost circulation. Consequently, stopping the
test as early as possible after the pressure plot starts to break over is preferred.

Formation integrity test (FIT)

To avoid breaking down the formation, many operators perform an FIT at the casing seat to determine
whether the wellbore will tolerate the maximum mud weight anticipated while drilling the interval. If the
casing seat holds pressure that is equivalent to the prescribed mud density, the test is considered
successful and drilling resumes.

When an operator chooses to perform an LOT or an FIT, if the test fails, some remediation effort—typically
a cement squeeze—should be carried out before drilling resumes to ensure that the wellbore is competent.

Remedial measures
A lost-circulation incident exacts a heavy cost that goes far beyond the price of products that are used to
treat it. Lost circulation causes nonproductive time that includes the cost of rig time and all the services that
support the drilling operation. Losing mud into the oil or gas reservoir can drastically reduce(or eliminate)
the operator’s ability to produce the zone. Prevention is critical, but, because lost circulation is such a
common occurrence, effective methods of remediation are also a high priority.
When lost circulation occurs, sealing the zone is necessary unless the geological conditions allow blind
drilling, which is unlikely in most cases. The common LCMs that generally are mixed with the mud to seal
loss zones may be grouped as:

 Fibrous
 Flaked
 Granular
 A combination of fibrous, flaked, and granular materials

These materials are available in course, medium, and fine grades for an attempt to seal low-to-moderate
lost-circulation zones. In the case of severe lost circulations, the use of various plugs to seal the zone
becomes mandatory. It is important to know the location of the lost-circulation zone before setting a plug.
Various types of plugs used throughout the industry include:

 Bentonite/diesel-oil squeeze
 Cement/bentonite/diesel-oil squeeze
 Cement
 Barite

Squeeze refers to forcing fluid into the lost-circulation zone. See Remedial cementing

Use of loss of circulation materials

Rock mechanics and hydraulic-fracture theory indicate that it is easier to prevent fracture propagation than it
is to plug the fracture later to prevent fluid from re-entering.[1] Because of the high cost of most weighted,
treated drilling-fluid systems, LCM routinely is carried in the active system on many operations in which
probable lost-circulation zones exist, such as:

 “Rubble” zones beneath salt or in a known depleted zone

 Natural and induced fractures
 Formations with high permeability and/or high porosity
 Vugular formations (e.g., limestone and chalk)

Using an LCM that can be carried in the drilling fluid without significantly affecting its rheology or fluid-loss
characteristics facilitates the preventive pretreatment. Pretreatment can mitigate wellbore breathing
(ballooning), seepage losses, and/or potential lost circulation when drilling depleted zones.

When a loss zone is encountered, the top priority is keeping the hole full so the hydrostatic pressure does
not fall below formation pressure and allow a kick to occur. The hydrostatic pressure may be purposely
reduced to stop the loss, as long as sufficient density is maintained to prevent well-control problems. Loss
zones also pose a high risk of differential sticking. Rotating and reciprocating the drillstring helps reduce this
risk while an LCM treatment is prepared. If the location of the loss zone is known, it might be advisable to
pull the drillstring to a location above the affected area.

A variety of LCM is available, and combining several types and particle sizes for treatment purposes is
common practice. Conventional—and relatively inexpensive—materials include:

 Sized calcium carbonate

 Paper
 Cottonseed hulls
 Nutshells
 Mica
 Cellophane

Because lost circulation always has been one of the most costly issues facing the industry, a focus on
healing the loss zone quickly and safely encouraged the development of proprietary materials that conform
to the fracture to seal off pores, regardless of changes in annular pressure. In some cases, such
deformable, expanding LCM is pumped ahead of cement jobs in which losses are expected. This type of
material has a comparatively high success rate for the prevention and remediation of severe losses.
Severe lost-circulation problems that do not respond to conventional treatments might be curable by
spotting a hydratable LCM pill, and holding it under gentle squeeze pressure for a predetermined period. At
downhole temperatures, the LCM pill expands rapidly to fill and bridge fractures, allowing drilling and
cementing operations to resume quickly, sometimes in 4 hours or less. Alternatively, rapid-set LCM
products are available that react quickly with the drilling fluid after being spotted across the loss zone and
form a dense, flexible plug that fills the fracture and adheres to the wellbore. In some cases, this type of
plug has proved so effective that the natural fracture gradient of the formation actually increased, allowing
the operator to resume drilling and increase the mud weight beyond constraints established before the
treatment.