LOST CIRCULATION

What Is Lost Circulation ?

Lost Circulation
What Is Lost Circulation ?

• LOSS OF WHOLE MUD TO THE FORMATION IN

QUANTITY
– Partial (seepage)
– Complete (no returns)
• Even in an area with lots of information/experience,
it’s difficult to make a valid recommendation
• Should use a systematic approach
preventive
corrective

Lost Circulation
Causes & Potential Lost-Circulation Zones
• Lost circulation is caused by one of the two
following mechanisms:
– Natural losses: where invasion or whole fluid is lost to
formations that are
highly permeable
unconsolidated
fractured
cavernous/vugular
– Fracturing: where the drilling fluid is lost due to
excessively induced pressure that hydraulically fractures
the formation
Lost Circulation
Natural Losses
• UNCONSOLIDATED FORMATIONS

– Shallow sands or gravel or shell beds/reef formations

– High matrix permeability (10…100 Darcies)

• HIGHLY PERMEABLE/LOW-PRESSURE FORMATIONS

– These are mainly depleted sand reservoirs

• NATURAL FRACTURES
– This type of loss occurs mainly in shales where fractures or fissures
naturally exist

• CAVERNOUS AND VUGULAR FORMATIONS

– Usually are associated with low-pressure limestone or dolomite

Lost Circulation
Natural Losses

Lost Circulation
Induced Losses
• MECHANICAL FORCES

– Improper hydraulics
Excessive flow rates and fluid rheological properties resulting
in high Equivalent Circulating Density (ECD)

– Drilling practices
Pump surging caused by increasing the pump rate too rapidly
after connections and trips

Raising and lowering the pipe too quickly (surge/swab)

– Excessive Rate of Penetration

Excessive cuttings in the annular flow stream will result in
high ECD

Lost Circulation
Induced Losses

• HOLE CONDITIONS

– Sloughing or caving shales

Increased solids loading in the annulus resulting in high
Equivalent Circulating Density (ECD)

– Wellbore washouts
Cuttings accumulations in the enlarged hole sections can fall
back into the hole, leading to packing off /bridges

– Cuttings beds or barite sag

Localized density increase

– Kicks and well-control procedures

Lost Circulation
Induced Losses

• DRILLING FLUID PROPERTIES THAT WILL AFFECT

PRESSURE LOSS IN THE ANNULUS
– Excessive viscosities and gel strengths
– A build-up of drilled fluids
– Thick filter cakes that reduce the hydraulic diameter of the
wellbore
– Excessive drilling fluid density or increasing the density too rapidly
– Excessive Low-Gravity Solids (LGS) and high Methylene Blue
Test (MBT) values

Lost Circulation
Induced Losses

Lost Circulation
Classification of the Severity of Losses

• Seepage Losses (1-10 bbl/hr)

– Do not confuse with cuttings removal at the surface

• Partial Losses (10-100 bbl/hr)

• Severe Losses (>100 bbl/hr)

Lost Circulation
Classification of Lost-Circulation Materials

• Lost-Circulation Materials can be classified into six

types:
– Fibrous
– Granular
– Flaked or platelet
– Mixed
– High fluid-loss squeezes
– Reinforcing plugs

Lost Circulation
Classification of Lost-Circulation Materials

• Lost-Circulation Materials tend to be supplied in

three grades:
– Fine materials
under most circumstances will pass through the shaker
screens and stay in the system

– Medium materials
tend to be screened out, but most likely will not plug jets or
MWD tools

– Coarse materials
can plug off everything except open-ended drill pipe

Lost Circulation
Classification of
Lost-Circulation Materials

Lost Circulation
Classification of Lost-Circulation Materials

• Fibrous
– MIX II CEDAR FIBER Paper MAGMA FIBER

• Granular
– NUT PLUG G-SEAL CaCO3

• Flaked or Platelet
– MICA Pheno Seal Cellophane

• Mixed
– KWIK SEAL M-I SEAL

Lost Circulation
Planning & Preparation

• Drilling Fluid Design

– type, fluid density, chemistry, rheology

– solids control equipment

• Chemical Load-out Listing

• Pre-drilout meetings

• Notifying Relevant Personnel

• Lost-Circulation Material Logistics

– rig site & base minimum stock

• Report System

Lost Circulation
Planning & Preparation - checklist

Lost Circulation
Prevention and Control of Lost Circulation
• Running LCM in the Drilling Fluid

– 15 - 20 lb/bbl LCM

– Problems!!!…might require bypassing the shakers

• Maintaining Good Drilling Fluid Properties

– solids control

– density

– low YP, PV and gel strengths

– low MBT levels

• Keep ECD to a minimum

– use Virtual Hydraulics (VRDH module) for estimating ECD

Lost Circulation
Prevention and Control of Lost Circulation

• Minimize Surge & Swab Pressures

– Use Virtual Hydraulics (TripPro) for determining trip velocity and
acceleration schedule

– Break circulation while tripping in

– Rotate pipe before turning on the pumps

• Downhole equipment
– Remove bit nozzles if large losses are expected

– Minimize the BHA (i.e., no stabilizers, minimum DC & HWDP)

• Attack immediately

Lost Circulation
Prevention and Control of Lost Circulation

ECD Management

“It’s All Hydraulics”

Lost Circulation
 Prevention and Control of Lost Circulation
• Field hydraulics can be estimated • Drilling parameters
can be better
• Actual downhole pressures are
managed
known
• Lost circulation can
• Fluid properties can be better
be minimized
managed
• Sag/hole cleaning
can be
predicted/corrected

Lost Circulation
Prevention and Control of Lost Circulation

• Use all available offset information for proper

planning
– Drilling Records
– Geophysical Data
Attempt to identify downhole characteristics
Natural or Induced Losses

Lost Circulation
 Prevention and Control of Lost Circulation

SIZE OF FRACTURES
• SCHLUMBERGER’S FMI

LOG CAN ASSIST WITH

DETERMING SIZE OF

FRACTURES

• BRIDGING OR SEALING

AGENTS CAN BE

SELECTED FROM THE

FMI LOG’S

INTERPRETATION

Lost Circulation
Prevention and Control of Lost Circulation

FORMATION DIP ANGLE

CALIPER

FMI (360 Deg) AMOUNT OF

FRACTURES
FRAC. SIZES

Lost Circulation
Prevention and Control of Lost Circulation

NATURAL FRACTURES =100 TO

500 MICRONS

INDUCED FRACTURES = 50 TO
250 MICRONS

IF WE CONSIDER THAT THE

BRIDGING AGENTS HAVE TO BE
SIZED AS 1/3 OF THE FRACTURE
(33 TO 170 MICRONS IN THIS
CASE) - PROPER CaCO3 OR ANY
OTHER SIZED MATERIAL CAN BE
CHOSEN TO BLOCK THE FRACS.

Lost Circulation
Causes not to Regain Circulation

• LOCATION OF LOSS ZONE NOT KNOWN

– on bottom (???)
– last casing seat (???)
– last lost-circulation zone (???)
• LCM NOT MATCHED TO LOSSES
– mixture of sizes

Lost Circulation
Causes not to Regain Circulation

• CAUSES NOT TO REGAIN CIRCULATION

– Reluctant to use the required technique
– Formation too weak to support mud weight
set pipe

• PERSONNEL
– Failure to Develop Plan
– Failure to Execute Plan
– Failure to Get Necessary Equipment
– Lack of Information At Wellsite

Lost Circulation
Locating the Thief Zone

• Losses are normally “on-bottom” if:

– They first occur while drilling ahead
– The loss is accompanied by a notable change in ROP,
torque, or drilling roughness
– Induced fractures on bottom can be caused by a balled-up
BHA or bit restricting the annulus
– The loss is due obviously to natural fractures, faults,
caverns, vugs or high permeability sands and gravels (well
site geologist, drilling break with increase in torque and
kelly free falls while drilling coupled with a instant loss in
circulation)

Lost Circulation
Locating the Thief Zone

• Losses are normally “off-bottom” if:

– They first occur while tripping, drilling fast or increasing
drilling fluid weight
– They are obviously the result of an induced fracture
– Thy are the result of shutting the well in and killing the well
– The annular loading is such as to increase the return
apparent mud weight higher that last casing shoe fracture
gradient

Lost Circulation
LCM SIZING

• RESULTS USING LCM TOO

LARGE FOR FRACTURE
– Builds up on the wellbore and
erodes away

• RESULTS USING LCM TOO

SMALL FOR FRACTURE
– Goes through opening and
doesn’t form a bridge

Lost Circulation
LCM SIZING - Rule of Thumb

• For proper and efficient bridging

– Use the 1/3 rule
Particle D50 = 1/3 Opening Size
– D90 Particle Size Distribution = Anticipated Fracture
Opening

Lost Circulation
Optimization of particle size distribution is critical

The mud should contain a broad

range of particle sizes:
• Larger particles to bridge the gaps.

• Smaller particles with a range of

sizes to seal remaining gaps.

• Normal fluid loss additives

to glue the particles.

The size distribution can be

expressed as cumulative solids
volume % versus particle
diameter (d)

Lost Circulation
LCM SIZING - OPTI-BRIDGE SOFTWARE

• Software designed to
optimize bridging
material for specific
formation
characteristics and
completion assemblies
– Kill Pills
– Reservoir Drill-In
Fluids
– Lost Circulation
Applications

Lost Circulation
 LCM SIZING - OPTI-BRIDGE SOFTWARE

• Uses actual formation &

bridging-agent PSD
information that provides
for an optimum filter cake
– Model based on
largest pore size
Maximum pore-size
opening
permeability
screen size
• “Best-fit” mixture of
locally produced bridging
material

Lost Circulation
Recommended Losing fluid while drilling

Treatment Stop drilling and observe

levels

Yes
Losses on surface

No
Locate and stop losses

Yes
Well flowing?

No

Chapter 8 Record shut in pressure.

Kill the well Measure rate of loss

page 8.2
Seepage losses < 10 bbl/hr Partial losses 10-100 bbl/hr Total loss of returns

Oil/synthetic Water- Oil/synthetic Water- Oil/synthetic Water-

mud based mud mud based mud mud based mud
Prevention &
Spot pill: Spot pill: Spot pill: Spot pill:
G-Seal 15 lb/bbl Mica F 5 lb/bbl Mica M 7 lb/bbl Mica M 10 lb/bbl
Control of LC Calc.Carb.(M) 10 lb/bbl
Calc.Carb (C) 7 lb/bbl
Mix II Fine 7 lb/bbl
Calc.Carb.(M) 7 lb/bbl
MIX II M. 10 lb/bbl
G-Seal 20 lb/bbl
Mix II Med. 10 lb/bbl
Calc.Carb (C) 7 lb/bbl
Nut Plug F 7 lb/bbl Calc.Carb (C) 7 lb/bbl Nut Plug F 7 lb/bbl
Nut Plug M 7 lb/bbl

No success No success

No success Spot pill: Spot pill:

Spot plug:
Mica M 10 lb/bbl
VersaPac or MIX II Med. 15 lb/bbl
”Form-a” pill or Mix II Coarse 10 lb/bbl
Reverse Gunk or G-Seal 20 lb/bbl
Cement Calc.Carb (C) 10 lb/bbl
Nut Plug M 10 lb/bbl
No success
Mica M 20 lb/bbl
Mix II Med. 10 lb/bbl
Mix II Coarse 7 lb/bbl
Calc.Carb (C) 10 lb/bbl Spot plug:
Nut Plug F 7 lb/bbl ”Form-a” pill or
Nut Plug M 10 lb/bbl Gunk or
Cement
Recommended Treatment - WBM
LCM pills
• Seepage losses
Mica F: 5 lb/bbl
Mix II Fine 7 lb/bbl
Calcium Carbonate (M) 7 lb/bbl
Nut plug F 7 lb/bbl

• Partial losses
Mica M: 10 lb/bbl
Mix II Med 10 lb/bbl
Calcium Carbonate (C) 7 lb/bbl
Nut plug F 7 lb/bbl
Nut plug M 7 lb/bbl

• Total loss-of-returns
Mica M: 20 lb/bbl
Mix II Med 10 lb/bbl
Mix II Coarse 7 lb/bbl
Calcium Carbonate (C) 10 lb/bbl
Nut plug F 7 lb/bbl
Nut plug M 10 lb/bbl

Lost Circulation
• IF SEVERITY OF LOSS INCREASES, INCREASE
LOST CIRCULATION MATERIAL SIZE; NOT
CONCENTRATION

Lost Circulation
Recommended Treatment - WBM
Cross-linking pills
• CROSS-LINKING
– The linking of two independent polymer chains by
a grouping that spans or links two chains

Lost Circulation
Recommended Treatment - WBM
Cross-linking pills

• “FORM-A” products are a blend of polymers,

crosslinking agents and lost circulation material
to stop loss circulation prevent water flows, and
consolidate loose gravel.
• It is activated by blending into water.
• “FORM-A” pills may be weighted.
• A retarder and accelerator is available, if needed.

Lost Circulation
Recommended Treatment - WBM
Cross-linking pills
• Features & Benefits
– When set, produces a substance described as rubbery,
spongy, and ductile.
– Final Plug Shear Strength it is high enough to support
fluid column, but low enough to ensure removal by
washing or jetting (low sidetrack risk).
– Workable set time (controllable), sets within hours of
activation.
– Functional in OBM, SBM, & WBM.
– Once set, won’t effect active system fluid properties when
washing through.

Lost Circulation
CROSS-LINKING POLYMER SQUEEZES - Setting Procedures

• Displace the whole slurry

volume in open hole across
loss zone, than pull the drill
string above the calculated
pill top

• Displace into open hole while

pulling out (pump and pull).

• Use high viscosity spacers

with same SG in front and
behind the plug.

Lost Circulation
CROSS-LINKING POLYMER SQUEEZES - Setting Procedures

Pump/Pull out above the plug.

Lost Circulation
CROSS-LINKING POLYMER SQUEEZES - Setting Procedures

Squeeze the pill into the loss zone

Lost Circulation
CROSS-LINKING POLYMER SQUEEZES - Setting Procedures

•Close-in well

•Wait 2-6 hours for pill to set.

Lost Circulation
CROSS-LINKING POLYMER SQUEEZES - Setting Procedures

Redrill the excess of “Form-A” pill

Lost Circulation
Recommended Treatment - WBM
High Fluid Loss Slurry Squeeze
• DONE THROUGH HIGH FILTRATION
• WATER LOST FROM SLURRY
• FIRM CAKE IN FRACTURE
• LCM MATERIALS
– same size - DE
– firm plug in opening
• SQUEEZE INTO FORMATION

Lost Circulation
Recommended Treatment - WBM
Gunk squeezes
• A gunk squeeze to be used with WBM is formulated with
BENTONITE and DIESEL (or any other base oil)

• The treatment is applied by pumping the Gunk fluid down the

drill pipe or tubing to the end of the string.

• When the gunk squeeze reaches the bit, the annular preventer
should be closed.

• The gunk fluid should be pumped down the drill pipe while the
mud would be pumped in the annulus simultaneously, at
equivalent flow rate.

Lost Circulation
Recommended Treatment - WBM
Gunk squeezes
• Intermixing of the Gunk fluid and the mud occurs at the end
and below the drill pipe, forming a gelatinous/highly-
viscous/thick mass which is then squeezed into the loss
circulation zone.

Lost Circulation
Recommended Treatment - WBM
Hard plugs

• OFTEN EFFECTIVE FOR SEVERE AND COMPLETE

LOSSES
• CEMENT
• BENTONITE /CEMENT
– PREHYDRATED GEL AND CEMENT
– BENTONITE 10 PPB & CEMENT 100SX
• GILSONITE/CEMENT
– BRIDGING AGENT
– 25-100 LBS GILSONITE/ SX CEMENT

Lost Circulation
Recommended Treatment - WBM
Barite/Hematite plugs
• Application
– The primary application of a wellbore plug is in a well control
situation where the well is kicking from a lower zone and
simultaneously losing circulation to an upper zone. There
are other special circumstances where wellbore plugs may be
utilized.

• Factors that affect settling rates

– The settling rate of wellbore plugs can be affected by several
factors such as density, contaminants in the make-up water,
variations in weight material, pH, and type of dispersant.

Lost Circulation
Recommended Treatment - SBM/OBM
LCM pills
• Seepage losses
G-Seal: 15 lb/bbl
Calcium Carbonate (M) 10 lb/bbl
Calcium carbonate (C) 7 lb/bbl

• Partial losses
Mica M: 7 lb/bbl
MIX II Medium 10 lb/bbl
G-Seal 20 lb/bbl
Calcium Carbonate (C) 7 lb/bbl

• Total loss-of-returns
Mica M: 10 lb/bbl
MIX II Medium 15 lb/bbl
Mix II Coarse 10 lb/bbl
G-Seal 20 lb/bbl
Calcium Carbonate (C) 10 lb/bbl
Nut plug M 10 lb/bbl

Lost Circulation
Recommended Treatment - SBM/OBM
LCM pills
• G-SEAL graphite is a coarse-sized plugging agent used to bridge and
seal permeable formations in water-, oil-, or synthetic-based systems.

• When drilling depleted zones where high differential pressures exist,

the bridging and plugging capabilities of G-SEAL reduce the
differential-pressure sticking tendencies.

• It can be used to control seepage in partial to severe lost-circulation

zones.

• G-SEAL is completely inert and does not affect rheological properties.

• G-SEAL lowers the spurt and total filtrate loss values as proven in
particle plugging tester (PPT) and sand bed laboratory studies.

Lost Circulation
Recommended Treatment - SBM/OBM
LCM pills
• The recommended treatment for seepage losses (<10 bbl/hr) is 15 to
20 lb/bbl in spotted pills.

• The recommended treatment for partial losses (10 to 100 bbl/hr) is 20

to 50 lb/bbl in spotted pills.

• G-SEAL can be used in combination with other lost-circulation

materials to control partial to severe losses.

• Torque and drag may be reduced by incorporating G-SEAL spots and

sweeps into the active system up to a total concentration of 10 lb/bbl.
– G-SEAL may require additional wetting agent when used in an oil-
or synthetic-based mud system.

Lost Circulation
Recommended Treatment - SBM/OBM
Cross-linking pills
• The only differences from water-based mud system
are the surfactant sweeps that have to be pumped
with a “Form-A” pill.
– The recommended solvent/surfactant sweeps are
10 bbl (1.59 m 3) of 3% by vol. Safe Solv OM

20 bbl (3.18 m 3) of 25% vol. Safe Surf O.

These pills should be mixed in fresh water and pumped before the
high viscosity pill. Use approximately 10 to 20 bbl (1.59 to 3.18 m 3)
of high viscosity spacers in front of and behind the pill (2 lb/bbl
Duo-Vis in fresh water).

Lost Circulation
Recommended Treatment - SBM/OBM
VersaPac gelling pill
• Oil Mud Gellant - Amide based chemistry
• Activated by wetting, shear and temperature
• Requires > 140 °F (60 °C)
• Concentration affects “set”
• Operational temperature limit 240 °F (115°C)
• Applications:
Packer fluid LCM
100% OBM
Coiled Tubing Clean Outs

Lost Circulation
Recommended Treatment - SBM/OBM
VersaPac gelling pill
• 350 ml Invert Emulsion Fluid
• 20 ppb VERSAPAC
• 5 ppb M-I-X II
• 5 ppb ECOTROL

Lost Circulation
Recommended Treatment - SBM/OBM
VersaPac gelling pill
Mud system Mud VersaPac MI-X-II Ecotrol Static Shear
[ml] [ppb] [ppb] [ppb]
Versaport 350 10 5 5 51
Versaport 350 15 5 5 117
Versaport 350 20 5 5 238
Novaplus 350 10 5 5 60
Novaplus 350 15 5 5 129
Novaplus 350 20 5 5 225
Diesel 350 10 5 5 69
Diesel 350 15 5 5 132
Diesel 350 20 5 5 177

Static shear strength > 150 indicating not pumpable.

Lost Circulation
 Recommended Treatment - SBM/OBM
VersaPac gelling pill
Thickening time

5
T
i
m 4
e

H 3
r
s
2 Versaport
Novaplus
Diesel
1 Cement

0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120

BC

Lost Circulation
Recommended Treatment - OBM/SBM
Reverse Gunk squeezes
• A reverse gunk for use with oil-/synthetic-base drilling fluid is
formulated with organophilic clay and water. The organophilic clay
will not yield in water, thus resulting in a high solids low viscosity
mixture.

Lost Circulation
Recommended Treatment - OBM/SBM
Reverse Gunk squeezes
• Several tests were conducted with different organophilic
clays and base oils in order to determine the best
formulation for the Reverse Gunk.
Bentone 128
Bentone 38
Geltone II
VG-69

• Gunks derived from Bentone 128 or Geltone II have far

better properties for successful plugging of lost circulation
than those built with VG-69 or Bentone 38.

Lost Circulation
Recommended Treatment - OBM/SBM
Reverse Gunk squeezes
• It is recommended to use Bentone 128/Geltone II

Lost Circulation
Recommended Treatment - SBM/OBM
Barite/Hematite plugs
• Plug slurries can be prepared with oil and weight material.

• Always mix the oil-wetting agent, preferably Versawet in

Versadril/Versaclean systems or Novawet in Novadril/
Novaplus systems with the base oil thoroughly before adding
the weight material. This will aid in:
– keeping the slurry pumpable, and
– increase settling rates (Refer to the formulation tables for the
recommended concentration of wetting agent).

Lost Circulation
LOST CIRCULATION - SUMMARY

• Any Mud System Can Be Used to Drill In Lost

Circulation Zones
– Materials and Procedures Developed To Minimize
Mud Losses
• Good Well Planning Including Lost Circulation
Contingency Plans Need To Be In Place
– Use Best Available Technology On Critical Wells
– Research The Well Design
– Observe Good Drilling Practices

Lost Circulation
LOST CIRCULATION - SUMMARY

• Good People Required On Location to

Execute The Plans & Utilize The Technology
• Not All Solutions Will Work On The First
Attempt
– Be Prepared To Re-Evaluate The Plan

Lost Circulation