1 PRINCIPLES OF LOST CIRCULATION

1.1 DISCUSSION
1.2 NATURAL LOSSES
1.3 INDUCED LOSSES
1.1 DISCUSSION
Lost circulation is the loss of whole mud from the annulus into a formation. The losses can occur into
formation voids (vugs to caverns), into fractures (either natural or created), or into gravel beds. The two
most common (and most <avoidable) causes of lost circulation are excessive downhole pressures and
improper selection of intermediate (protection) casing seats.
Excessive downhole pressures are generally attributable to the following factors:
1 Excessive overall mud density (hydrostatic pressure), which must include the weight of the
drilled cuttings in the annulus
2 Excessive friction pressures caused by excessive pump rates, excessive drilling mud gelation
or viscosity, and surge pressures while running drillpipe in the hole
3 Development of annular restrictions such as mud rings (annular rings composed of cuttings
and thick filter cake across high leakoff beds, generally caused by excess mud fluid-loss rates)
and heaving water-sensitive shales
Note: There are generally three categories of losses: seepage losses, partial losses, and complete losses.
Seepage losses are defined as those losses that are less than l/2 barrel per minute (bpm) and are caused
by losses of mud filtrate and sufficient particles to plug the formation matrix. Seepage losses will continue
as new, permeable formation is exposed during the drilling process. Partial or complete (catastrophic)
losses of whole mud can occur in cases of induced losses, i.e., in created or natural formation fractures
that have been opened by excessive borehole pressure or in large caverns.
Losses into natural or created fractures are initially relatively slow (l/2 to 1 bpm), but increase in severity
with time. Losses into large caverns are generally instantaneous, complete, and catastrophic.
1.2 NATURAL LOSSES
-Generally, natural losses can not be prevented. For losses to occur into gravel beds (or into vugs), the
pore throat size (or vug size) must be at least three times larger than the largest particle size in the mud
system, and there must be a pressure differential toward the formation from the borehole. To control losses
into a rock matrix then, the mud must contain some particles that are at least one-third as large as the flow
path. Plugging occurs in steps: first, the larger particles such as coarse LCM (lost-circulation material) or
drilled cuttings form a bridge; second, the medium-sized particles such as fine LCM bridge off between the
coarse particles; and third, the smallest particles such as clays form a filter cake on the medium particle
bridge.
Plugging Mechanism for Natural Lost-Circulation Zones
Step 1: Large particles bridge in pore throats to form initial flow restriction.
Step 2: Medium particles pack in around the large particles
Step 3: Smallest particles bridge on large bridge and form particle restriction. filter cake.
Generally, the largest particle sizes existing in an annular drilling mud system are attributable to the
weighting material (barite), formation cuttings, and common lost-circulation additives. Typical maximum
particle sizes of some of the more common materials are summarized in the following table.

Maximum Particle Size

inches
millimeters
Barite .............................................................0.004
0.1020
Hard Formation Cuttings...............................0.5
12.76
Competent Shales..........................................0.75
19.14
Gilsonite.........................................................0.0469
1.19
Kolite..............................................................0.0661
1.68
Cellophane Flakes..........................................0.375
9.563
Mica (coarse).................................................0.0331
0.84
Mica (fine)......................................................0.0098
0.250
Tuf-Plug (coarse)...........................................0.0555
1.41
Tuf-Plug (medium).........................................0.0083
0.21
Mud-Save M.................................................0.187
4.760
Three times a barite particle of 0.004-inch (O.102-mm) diameter yields a pore throat size larger than 0.012
inch (0.306 mm), which would be required to accept whole mud. This size is approximately equivalent to
the openings in a 50-mesh U. S. Series standard sieve. Any pore throat size larger than this would readily
accept whole mud without the addition of some common lost-circulation materials.
The average pore throat size existing in a formation matrix can be determined from core samples in the
laboratory. However, there seldom is sufficient time for this type of evaluation. Harris and 0dom (1)
presented a method of estimating pore space size. They stated that the pore size in microns is equal to
the square root of the formation permeability in millidarcies. Using this correlation, the following table
shows the pore size in microns for various permeabilities.
Permeability
millidarcies
1
1O
50
100
250
500
750
1000
1500
2000

Pore Size
(microns)
1.0
3.2
7.1
10.0
15.8
22.4
27.4
31.6
38.7
44.7

Pore Size
(inches)
.0000394
.000126
.0002795
.0003937
.000622
.000882
.00108
.001244
.001534
.00176

Critical Plugging Range

(microns)
0.3 to 0.14
1.05 to 0.45
2.36 to 1.01
3.33 to 1.43
5.27 to 2.26
7.45 to 3.19
9.3 to 3.91
10.54 to 4.52
12.91 to 5.53
14.91 to 6.39

This table illustrates that sands with very high permeabilities are required for sandstones to accept whole
mud containing barite as a weighting agent. Consequently, the loss of whole mud into a formation
matrix, especially mud with small-sized lost-circulation materials incorporated in the mud system,
does not generally constitute a drilling problem. As a guideline, it is generally agreed that losses of
whole mud with barite weighting agent do not occur in formations with permeabilities less than
about 50 darceys. When drilling into beds of large gravel (up to boulder--size particles), the pore throat
sizes become so large that commonly available particulate lost-circulation materials cannot be pumped to
stop the loss problem. This is because the particle diameter required to bridge the pore throat will also
bridge or plug the jets in the bit. There is no official nomenclature to differentiate when a pore throat
becomes a vug or when a vug becomes a cavern. Large voids in the rock (vugs to caverns) pose a lostcirculation problem that generally cannot be affected with lost-circulation materials. Because the
magnitude of the void is unknown, the only alternative when drilling through voids is to drill blind without
returns until the void is filled with drilling mud and cuttings, or until an effective casing seat can be selected
below the voids and the loss zone sealed off with casing.
(1) Harris and Odom: Oil & Gas Journal (1982).

1.3 INDUCED LOSSES

Discussion

Most of the lost-circulation problems responsible for excessive costs and problems in drilling are
attributable to losses in natural or created fractures. Natural fractures can occur in almost any type of
formation, but normally they occur only in limestone or dolomite rocks. Natural fractures generally do not
exist in an open position, and consequently they are not wide enough to allow loss of whole mud unless
sufficient pressure is applied to widen the fracture (i.e., unless the fracture propagation pressure is
exceeded). In non-naturally fractured formations (created fractures), fractures can be initiated by excessive
borehole pressures as previously discussed.
The fracture strength of a formation is a function of rock type, formation pore pressure, and depth of burial.
In descending order, the hardest formation to fracture is a plastic shale, a brittle shale, a sandstone, a
limestone, then a dolomite. It is common practice in production stimulation fracturing procedures to use
overlaying shale beds as barriers for hydraulically induced fractures. In the stimulation business, it has
also long been accepted that formations fracture as a result of excessive internal (pore) pressure (i.e., a
formation must have permeability to transmit the exerted pressure into the pore spaces to rupture the rock
from inside). Because shales are harder to fracture than sandstones and carbonates, it stands to reason
that the most desirable casing seat would be in a plastic shale, when possible. Normally, the first
carbonate or sandstone bed below the casing seat becomes the weakest exposed zone in the borehole,
except for depleted producing zones in which the pore pressure is ultralow. It is important to note that
formation integrity tests (also called leak-off tests or shoe tests) conducted without exposing the first
carbonate or sandstone bed below the casing shoe may be optimistically high.
Preventing induced losses, then, means preventing the accumulation of wellbore pressures from exceeding
the fracture strength of the exposed formation. The accumulation of wellbore pressures results from a
combination of hydrostatic pressures including

cuttings loading in the annulus

friction pressures while circulating

plugging the annulus with mud rings in high fluid-loss zones or large chunks of shale that
have heaved into the borehole as a result of formation sensitivity to the drilling fluid

surge or swab pressures while moving the drillpipe

In hydraulic fracturing, as in lost circulation in natural or created fractures, there are four factors that
contribute to fracture width: volume, viscosity, and velocity of the fracturing fluid plus the differential
pressure across the fracture face. To permit closure of the fracture, any one these factors must be
decreased. Because the volume or viscosity of the fluid that has passed through the fracture cant be
changed, the only alternative is to attempt to change the velocity of the fluid and/or the differential pressure
across the fracture face to alter the lost-circulation problem. When fractures are opened during drilling,
either natural or induced, the rate of lost circulation ; increases dramatically with time due to the volume of
mud lost into the fracture. For this reason, the sooner a lost-circulation problem in fractures can be
stopped, the easier it will be to stop the problem. Most of the readily available lost-circulation materials are
not large enough in diameter to cause bridging in fractures greater in width than l/5 inch (0.2 inch). If a
slug of the lost-circulation materials will bridge the fracture, they will also probably bridge the bit jets.

2 PREVENTING INDUCED LOSSES

2.1 HOW DRILLING OPERATIONS AFFECT INDUCED LOSSES
Rigsite operations should be directed toward avoiding wellbore pressures that can break down the hole.
Downhole pressure can be divided into three types: hydrostatic, frictional (circulating), and inertial
(surge/swab).

Hydrostatic pressure is a function of depth and mud density. Mud density is a combination of the
downhole mud density (i.e., the density of the mud without the effects of entrained air at the
surface) and the drill solids content. Surface mud density measurements should be conducted
with pressurized scales, not the common mud scales, so that the downhole density of the mud
(without entrained air) is known.

Frictional pressure is a function of flow rate, mud density and rheology, and annular geometry.

Surge/swab pressure is a function of mud density, rheology, pipe running rate, and annular geometry.

Hydrostatic pressure is controlled by using the minimum reasonable mud density, by maintaining adequate
hole cleaning, and by controlling ROP as required.
Drilling with the minimum reasonable mud density is obviously the first consideration. Reducing the mud
density not only lowers the hydrostatic pressure, it also lowers the surge/swab pressures and usually the
rheological properties that affect circulating pressures. Other recommendations include the following:

Avoid surging the pumps, avoid sudden starts, and break circulation cautiously after engaging the
rotary while slowly pulling up on the drillstring. Engaging the rotary before breaking circulation
eliminates the effects of downhole gelation. Slowly pulling up on the drillstring while breaking
circulation offsets the inertial surge pressure.

Avoid sudden starts and stops of the drillstring and control maximum pipe running speeds, especially
in deep and small-diameter holes.

Try drilling, not spudding, all bridges.

2.2 SELECTING CASING SETTING DEPTHS

Correct selection of casing setting depths is the primary way to prevent lost circulation from induced
fractures. Generally, the well should be designed such that the formation fracture integrity at the last casing
shoe is sufficient to contain the pressure that could be generated by taking a typical kick at the bottom of
the hole. Normal procedure in well planning is to make a plot of pore pressure and fracture gradient using
the best available information (offset wells, seismic, etc.) and to design the well so that each interval has
acceptable kick tolerance. Kick tolerance calculations are defined in the Well Control chapter, section 3.3.
A common cause of induced losses is setting the intermediate casing string too high. In many cases, the
intermediate casing must be set high because the surface string has already been set too high. In parts of
the U.S. Gulf Coast and other areas, drilling with a very low kick tolerance is an unavoidable fact of life.
This includes most areas that require mud density in excess of 16.8 to 17.0 ppg. Lack of kick tolerance, or
shoe strength, is the primary reason for failure in most high-pressure wells that do not reach the objective.
It may not always be possible to significantly reduce downhole pressure because the three important
controllable factors-mud density, flow properties, and flow rate-may already be at the minimum reasonable
values. In some cases, it may not be possible to drill farther.

2.3 IDENTIFYING THE LOSS ZONE

Knowing the depth to the lost-circulation zone is a major benefit when planning a treatment for stopping
the loss. Several techniques can be used to identify the lost-circulation zone after it occurs. The loss zone
can be identified with a spinner survey with the drillpipe out of the hole (a spinner survey is a simple
downhole flow meter), a temperature log can be run with or without drillpipe in the hole, or radioactive
tracers can be used with the drillpipe in the hole.
With radioactive tracers, the zone can be identified by comparing the gamma ray curve before and after
the introduction of the tracer. For accuracy, the tracer must remain in the loss zone near the wellbore
(generally within 18 inches) for detection by the gamma ray counter. Careful planning is therefore
necessary for application of the tracer. Radioactive iodine (liquid), with a half-life of approximately 8 days,
is preferred to radioactive sand (half-life is approximately 56 days) due to the simplicity of injection of the
material into the surface pumping equipment, limited exposure of personnel, and disposal of radioactive
materials. The recommended source of radioactive tracers is the PROTECHNICS Company (Phone 713496-3734) in Houston. Protechnics personnel are familiar with applications as well as federal and state
regulations concerning the use and disposal of radioactive tracer materials.
Comparing temperature logs run soon after fluid has been injected into the lost-circulation zone will show
deviation from the normal geothermal gradient. The cooler fluid entering the loss zone will reduce the
temperature considerably. In cases where an underground blowout is occurring, a temperature log run
through the drillpipe will show a significant temperature increase over the normal geothermal gradient due
to high rate of flow from a lower zone to the loss zone.
Noise logs can also be used to identify loss zones, although the interpretation of noise logs is highly
subjective. It is recommended that at least a temperature log be run in conjunction with a noise log for
more definitive analysis.
2.4 MATCHING PARTICLE SIZE TO FRACTURE WIDTH
It is important to understand the relationship of particle sizes required to plug various fracture widths and
to ascertain whether the loss is into formation matrix or a fracture. In most cases, continuing lostcirculation problems exist as a result of fractures. The following table may aid in the selection of the proper
material and size for plugging the fracture.

Material
Cedar Bark
Cellophane
Cotton Seed Hulls
Expanded Perlite

Type
Fibrous
Flakes
Fibrous
Granular

Limestone Chips
Mica
Mud-Save

Granular
Granular
Granular

Paper
Prairie Hay
Sawdust
Shredded Wood
Tuf-Plug

Fibrous
Fibrous
Fibrous
Fibrous
Granular

Concentration
Description
(LB/Bbl)
3/4 particles
10
l/4 Flakes
8
Fine
10
50%1/l 6 to 3/l6
60
50% 100 mesh to l/16
Mix- Powder to l/8
25
Fine Mix
10-20
Fine Mix
15-25
Fine to Med. Mix
15-25
Med. to Large Mix
10-20
Fine Mix
15-35
Fine Mix
20-50
Fine to Med. Mix
25-50
Med. Mix
8-12
Fine (40-60 Mesh)
20-40
Medium (20-40 Mesh
20-30
Coarse (8-20 Mesh)
15-30

Largest Fracture Sealable, Inches

0.05 0.1
0.5
0.2
0.25
____________
________
____________
____________________________________
____________________
________________________________________
____________________
________________________
____________________________
____________________________________
____
____
____
____
________
____________
________________

3 TECHNIQUES FOR CURING LOST CIRCULATION

3.1 TECHNIQUES FOR TREATING LOST CIRCULATION

Technique No. 1 For Losses < BPM

Raise the fluid-loss rate as much as reasonable to increase the formation of wall cake, then use
the least expensive of the following:
1. Treat the entire mud system to +5 lbs/bbl, or
2. Mix and pump 25 to 30-bbl slugs using 25 to 35 lbs/bbl of any of the following materials.
Fine Mica
Fine Nut Plug
Paper
Cotton Seed Hulls
Cedar Fibers
Ven-Fiber
Powdered Calcium Carbonate
Fine to Medium Kwik-Seal
Any locally available, properly sized material

Technique No. 2

1.

Wait for the hole to stabilize, then pull the drillpipe out of the hole.

2.

Measure the true vertical height of the fluid level above the loss zone and the true vertical depth to the
loss zone (see section 2.3 in this chapter). With this information, calculate an equivalent pressure
gradient (Pg) at the loss zone using the following equation:

For Losses From BPM to 8 BPM

Pg = 0.052 * Height of mud column * Mud density

TVD to loss zone
then,

use Technique No. 2a if Pg < 0.468

use Technique No. 2b if Pg > 0.468

Technique No. 2a (Pg < 0.468)

1.

Run in the hole with open-ended drillpipe to true depth.

2.

Mix and pump 1 barrel of LCM slug for each foot of open and untreated loss zone. The LCM slug may
be composed of any of the following materials at the recommended concentrations.

*
*
*
*
*

5 lb/bbl of Cellophane Flakes,

30 to 35 lb/bbl of coarse Mica,
20 to 25 lb/bbl of coarse Nut Plug,
20 to 25 lb/bbl of MudSave M,
30 lb/bbl of coarse Kwik-Seal,

* a combination slug composed of 3 parts granular LCM + 2 parts fiber LCM + 1 part flake LCM.
3.

If one pill slows but does not stop the loss, repeat with the same volume of slug as many times as
required to stop the loss.

4.

If one pill does not slow the loss, double the slug volume and repeat the procedure.

5.

If the double-volume pill does not stop the loss problem, proceed to Technique No. 3.

Technique No. 2b (Pg > 0.468)

Determine the true vertical depth to the loss zone and to the top of the fluid column.

Run in the hole with open-ended drillpipe to the last casing shoe or 200 feet above the loss zone,
whichever is lower.
The following recommended treatments are given in order of preference.

If cement can be mixed at a density equal to the density of the drilling mud
a. Mix and pump 50 bbl of cement with a fluid loss of 350 to 500 cc/30 minutes followed by 50 bbl
of cement with no fluid-loss control. Do not pump thin, chemically dispersed slurries.
b. Pump the cement out of the drillpipe using a drillpipe wiper plug displaced with water. POOH to
the midpoint of the previous casing. Attempt to fill the hole with water. If the hole stands full,
attempt to place minimal but measurable (100 psi) pressure on the drillpipe with the annulus
closed. If the pressure stabilizes, proceed with a Hesitation Squeeze technique (see section 4
in this chapter) to 500 psi over the formation-fracturing pressure. If the hole does not stand full
of water, repeat the procedure.

If cement cannot be mixed at a density equal to the drilling mud density

a. Pump 15 to 25 bbls of 15% CaCl2 brine followed by 150 feet of fresh water in the drillpipe, 20 to
30 bbls of 1:l sodium silicate solution, and 5 bbls of freshwater spacer. Displace into the loss
zone with drilling mud. Multiple pills may be required to obtain circulation of the hole.

Technique No. 3
1.

Determine the true vertical depth to the loss zone and to the static fluid level.

2.

Run in the hole with open-ended drillpipe to the last casing shoe.

The following materials and procedures are recommended in order of preference based on effectiveness
and environmental problems connected with disposal of excess DOB2C.

3.

Mix and pump 100 bbls of highly thixotropic cement (5 minute gel strength > 135 lb/100 ft 2) at a
density equal to or less than that of the drilling mud. If the proper metering equipment is available,
foamed cement may be used. Displace the cement out of the drillpipe with a drillpipe wiper plug
and water. POOH to the midpoint of the last casing string. Fill the hole with water and place
minimal but measurable (100 psi) pressure on the drillpipe with the annulus closed. If the
pressure stabilizes, proceed with a Hesitation Squeeze technique (see section 4 in this chapter)
to 500 psi over the formation-fracturing pressure.
For water-base muds only. If a thixotropic or foam cement is not available, or if the cement cannot
be mixed at a density equal to or less than that of the drilling mud, use the following DOB2C
technique. DOB2C is composed of 2 sacks of cement (188 lb) and 1 sack (100 lb) of
bentonite mixed with 26.5 gallons of diesel. This mixture yields 38.2 gallons of slurry (0.91
bbl or 5.11 cubic feet) at a density of 12.4 lb/gal.

a.

Pilot-test various mud:DOB2C ratios to determine the exact ratios to run. Typically, mud:DOB2C ratios
(with relative material stiffness in parentheses) of 1: 1 (soft), 1:1.5 (medium), 1:2 (medium to
hard), and 1:3 (very hard) are used. The reason pilot tests are required is that the blends will react
differently with different mud systems. It is recommended to use sequential volumes of soft,
medium, then hard stiffnesses to fill the fracture, provide resistance to flow in the fracture
for pressure buildup, then lock up in the borehole.
The volumes recommended for each stage are as follows:
- Soft-Stage Volume = 100 to 150 bbls
- Medium-Stage Volume = 75 to 100 bbls
- Hard-Stage Volume = Borehole volume (bbl) for l/2 distance between loss zone and mixing sub

b.

Pump water-based mud down the annulus at the same time the DOB2C slurry is being pumped down
the drillpipe so that the mud and the DOB2C reach the end of the drillpipe at the same time. The pump
rate down the annulus (Qa) for a given rate down the drillpipe is as follows:

Qa = Qt * (ID* - OD*)
Drillpipe ID*
Where:

Qt = Drillpipe pump rate, bpm

ID = Casing ID, inches
OD = Drillpipe OD, inches

Once the mud and DOB2C reach the mixing sub, the respective pumping rates down the annulus
and the drillpipe should match the mud:DOB2C ratio, for example:
For a mud:DOB2C ratio of 1: 1, the annulus rate is 1 bpm and the drillpipe rate is 1 bpm.
For a mud:DOB2C ratio of 1:2, the annulus rate is 1 bpm and the drillpipe rate is 2 bpm.
When pumping mud:DOB2C, a mixing sub is recommended for the bottom of the drillpipe to
assure adequate mixing of the two materials downhole. Mix and pump the two materials as
outlined on the previous page.
c.

Pump all of the prepared mud:DOB2C stages below the drillpipe then stop pumping. Using the
hesitation squeeze technique (see section 4 in this chapter), pump in stages until the pressure reaches
500 psi over the fracturing pressure of the loss zone. Once pressure is attained, shut the well in until
the cement in the DOB2C has sufficient time to set and attain compressive strength of approximately
200 to 300 psi, after which time drilling may resume. If the procedure is not successful in stopping the
loss, repeat with the same volumes as many times as required to regain circulation. Be aware that if
the fracturing pressure is again exceeded, the lost-circulation problem will probably resume. Also, as
soon as another weak zone (low fracturing pressure) is opened up ,another lost-circulation problem
can occur.

Technique No. 4 Losses > 8 BPM

In cases of losses to large vugs or caverns, about all that can be done is to continue drilling ahead without
returns to surface (drilling blind). In some cases it may be desirable to pump large volumes of water down
the annulus while drilling ahead blind. Sometimes it is possible to fill the voids with drilled cuttings to
regain circulation if the void is small enough, but this is usually not the case. In most cases, the
recommended practice is to drill blind to some point below the loss zone where a satisfactory casing seat
can be attained. At that point, run casing and cement to the loss zone to seal it off.

PILOT-TESTING MUD:DOB2C

5.1

DISCUSSION

Before pumping mud : DOB2C downhole for lost-circulation problems, pilot tests should be conducted to
determine the various ratios of mud to DOB2C required to yield the desired viscosities. Because the
DOB2C reacts differently to every blend of drilling mud, predicting the correct ratios for desired viscosity
yields is not possible. Therefore, these pilot tests are necessary. It is not necessary that the tester be a
world class chemist. It is necessary that some commonly available measuring devices be used. These
requirements are outlined below.
5.2 DOB2C PREPARATION
1.

Weigh out 10 pounds of cement and 5 pounds of bentonite. Use laboratory scales, bathroom scales,
or whatever is handy. If a laboratory scale is used, convert grams to pounds using the following:
grams * 0.002205 = pounds
5 pounds * 453.6 = 2,268 grams
If no weighing devices are available, it is recommended that you ask the cementing service company
to provide you with two plastic bags of DOB2C prior to experiencing any lost-circulation problems.
Each bag should contain a blend of 5 lbs of rig cement and 2.5 lbs of rig bentonite, sealed with a twisttie.

2.

Blend the bentonite and cement with a spatula (stick or screwdriver) thoroughly in a clean, water-free
container (dry bucket).

3.

Add 0.092 gallon (348.2 cc) of diesel per pound of dry material in the bucket.
0.092 * 15 lb cement and bentonite = 1.38 gallons of diesel
(1 gallon and 3 pints among friends or 5223.3 cc)
0.092 * 7.5 lb cement and bentonite = 0.69 gallons of diesel
(5 l/2 pints or 2611.5 cc)

4.

Mix thoroughly to suspend the solids in the diesel. Check the density with mud scales. The mixture
should weigh 12.4 lb/gal. Restir the mixture before each pilot test with the drilling mud.

5.3 PILOT-TESTING MUD:DOB2C RATIOS

1.

Mix one volume of drilling mud with one volume of DOB2C (1 coffee cup of each yields a
mud:DOB2C ratio of 1: 1). Mix thoroughly, preferably in a glass quart jar so you can see the
resultant viscosity changes as the bentonite and cement take water from the mud. When this
exchange has taken place, decant (slowly pour) the now clean diesel from the jar, leaving the
mud:DOB2C mass in the jar. The remaining mass should be very viscous, slowly pourable, and
should have the approximate consistency of mayonnaise. If the mixture is considerably thicker,
rerun the pilot test using more mud (a 1.5:1 ratio for example). If it is considerably thinner, rerun
the pilot using more DOB2C (a 1: 1.5 ratio for example). If you consider it to be just right, that
ratio constitutes the first stage of mud:DOB2C. This material is for filling the outer extremities of
the fracture while providing a medium resistance to flow in the fracture.

2.

Mix one volume of drilling mud with two volumes of DOB2C (1 cup of mud to 2 cups of DOB2C)
and mix thoroughly. After the water/diesel exchange has taken place, pour out the clean diesel.
The remaining mass should not be pourable. It should be moldable and have the consistency of
putty or window caulking compound. Again, if the mass is considerably thinner, rerun the test
using slightly more DOB2C. If the mass is too thick, rerun the test using slightly more mud. The
purpose of this mixture is to enter the fracture and provide a sufficient resistance to flow so that
the fracture is widened considerably and the formation is stressed (compressed) around the
borehole.

3.

Mix one volume of drilling mud with three volumes of DOB2C (1 cup of mud to 3 cups of DOB2C)
and mix thoroughly. After the water/diesel exchange has taken place, pour out the clean diesel.

The remaining mass should be moldable, but have the consistency of old, semi-hard putty. Retest
as before to adjust the mass to the desired consistency. The purpose of this mixture is to plug off
the borehole with sufficient viscosity so that the hole can now be filled with drilling mud. If some of
the mixture enters the fracture for some small distance, this is fine. With this last mass in the
borehole and the hole full of drilling mud, you should be able to put 200- to 300-psi surface
pressure on the mass using the hesitation squeeze technique to attain the pressure.