LOST CIRCULATION –

THE BASICS

MOHAN DOSHI
WHAT IS LOST CIRCULATION
LOSS OF AN APPRECIABLE PART OR
ENTIRE VOLUME OF DRILLING FLUID
THROUGH BOREHOLE INTO
CAVERNOUS, VUGGY AND / OR
HIGHLY POROUS FORMATION
·ASSOCIATED DOWNHOLE
COMPLICATION:

INFLUX  KICK  BLOW OUT

UNDERGROUND BLOWOUT
 WHY IS IT IMPORTANT
COST: NOT THE COST OF
MUD
LOST OR LCM
BUT
- RIG TIME LOST
- COMPLICATION COST
SEVERITY OF LOST CIRCULATION

•SEEPAGE LOSS : 0.16 TO 1.6 M3 / HR

•PARTIAL LOSS : 1.6 TO 80.0 M3 /HR

•COMPLETE LOSS:  80.0 M3 / HR

TYPES OF LOST ZONES

• UNCONSOLIDATED OR HIGHLY
PERMEABLE FORMATIONS ( LOOSE SAND
AND GRAVELS)

• HORIZONTAL NATURAL FRACTURES

• HORIZONTAL INDUCED FRACTURES

TYPES OF LOST ZONES

• VERTICAL NATURAL FRACTURES

• VERTICAL INDUCED FRACTURES

• CAVERNOUS OR VUGULAR FORMATIONS

 2500 FT  HORIZONTAL LOSS

 2500 FT  VERTICAL LOSS
MUD LOSS OCCURS WHEN

TOTAL PRESSURE  TOTAL FORMATION

AGAINST PRESSURE
FORMATION

OPENINGS IN FORMATIONS ARE ABOUT THREE

TIMES AS LARGE AS THE LARGEST PARTICLE
OCCURING IN MUD
 FORCES REQUIRED FOR FRACTURING
FORMATION

MATTHEWS AND KELLY(1967)

F Pp/ D + Ki  / D
F = Fracture gradient (psi/ft)
Pp = Pore pressure at “D” depth (psi)
 = Matrix stress at depth “D” (psi)
Ki = Dimensionless matrix coefficient
for depth at which ““ would be
normal matrix stress
Pre existing fractures widened if they form an angle
of 45 or less with vertical
LOSS CIRCULATION PREVENTION

(A)MINIMISING DOWNHOLE FORMATION

PRESSURE:

1. MAINTAIN LOWEST SAFE MUD WEIGHT

FORMATION PRESSURE
FRACTURE PRESSURE

PROPER USE OF SOLID CONTROL EQUIPMENT

LOSS CIRCULATION PREVENTION

2. MINIMISE ECD
• OPTIMISATION BETWEEN HOLE GEOMETRY,
DRILLING FLUID PROPERTY AND HOLE CLEANING
• SLOW RUNNING IN OF STANDS
• BREAK CIRCULATION GRADUALLY AND IN STEPS
IN LONG AND OPEN HOLE SECTIONS OR AFTER
LONG PERIOD OF CIRCULATION BREAKS
• MUD WITH LOWER AND FLATTER GEL PROFILE
• SLOWING OF PUMPS AS MUCH AS PRACTICAL
LOSS CIRCULATION PREVENTION

(B) AVOID RESTRICTIONS IN ANNULUS

• LIKE BIT/ DC/ STABILISER BALLING

• THICK FILTER CAKE
• TOO FAST DRILLING
• MAINTAINING PROPER HYDRAULICS
• USE OF INHIBITIVE MUDS TO CONTROL
SLOUGHING/ HEAVING SHALES
LOSS CIRCULATION PREVENTION

(C) OTHER PRECAUTIONS

• USING SUITABLE LCM IN ZONES OF

KNOWN TENDENCY
• SETTING INTERMEDIATE (PROTECTIVE)
CASING INTO TRANSITION ZONES
• KEEP ADEQUATE RECORDS OF
PREVENTION AND CURE
LOSS CIRCULATION PREVENTION

IDENTIFYING TRANSITION ZONES

• DOWNHOLE LOGGING
• ROP
• GAS CUT MUD
• FORMATION SLOUGHING
• SHALE DENSITY
• D-EXPONENT
• FLOW LINE TEMPERATURE
• SEISMIC DATA
LOSS CIRCULATION PREVENTION

LOSS CIRCULATION MATERIALS

LCM MUST SATISFY FOLLOWING
REQUIREMENTS

• CAPABLE OF FORMING A MUD TIGHT SEAL FOR

REMAINING DRILLING
• SEAL MUST BE STRONG AND NOT EASILY BROKEN
OR REMOVED
• MATERIAL SHOULD NOT CAUSE PIPE STICKING
• IT SHOULD BE NON DAMAGING TO PAY ZONE
LOSS CIRCULATION PREVENTION

TYPE OF SEAL

• FRACTURE SEAL AT THE FACE OF

BOREHOLE
• FRACTURE SEAL WITHIN WELL BORE
- MORE EFFECTIVE BRIDGE IS
FORMED WITHIN FORMATION
- LCM DOES NOT DISLODGE EASILY
AS A RESULT OF PIPE MOVEMENT
AND NOT ERODED DUE TO FLUID
MOVEMENT
LOCATING LOSS ZONES

1. SPINNER SURVEY
• Made by running a small spinner attachment on a
single conductor cable
• Rotor will spin or turn if there is any horizontal
motion of mud
• The motion of rotor is recorded on film as a series of
dashes
• There is a definite speed up of rotor at the point of
loss

DISADVANTAGES
• Requires deliberate loss of large volume of mud
• Not effective where sealing material is already
present in mud
LOCATING LOSS ZONES

2. TEMPERATURE SURVEY
• Depends on subsurface thermometer for
measuring difference in mud temperature
and formation temperature
• Recorded by running a sensitive element in
hole, observing resistance change with
respect to temperature
• Two surveys are run. One for temperature
gradient of well. Other, after adding cool
mud. Sharp temperature change will occur at
loss point
LOCATING LOSS ZONES

3. RADIOACTIVE SURVEY
• Two gamma ray survey

• Base log is run before radioactive material

• Slug of mud containing radioactive material is then

pumped down the hole

• A new log is run and high conc. of radioactive

material will be located at loss point

LOCATING LOSS ZONES

4. HOT WIRE SURVEY

• Hot wire tool is a calibrated resistance wire that is
sensitive to temperature change
• Run to desired point in the hole and resistance is
noted
• Mud is pumped into the hole
• If tool is above the point of loss, mud will not flow
showing change of resistance
• If resistance does not change, tool is below the point
of loss
LOCATING LOSS ZONES

5. PRESSURE TRANSDUCER SURVEY

• Instrument composed of hollow cylinder with an

entrance at the top, larger in cross section than the

exit at the bottom

• The geometry of instrument restricts the flow of

mud through the cylinder

• A window fitted with a neoprene diaphragm on one

side of the cylinder

LOCATING LOSS ZONES

5. PRESSURE TRANSDUCER SURVEY

• A movable electrode on the diaphragm moves back
and forth between two fixed electrode
• The potential difference, indicative of rate of flow of
mud, between movable and fixed electrode is
measured at the surface
• Above point of loss, the readings recorded are
normal
• Below point of loss, no signal is generated as fluid
does not flow through
LOCATING LOSS ZONES

5. PRESSURE TRANSDUCER SURVEY

ADAVNTAGES
• It is simple in construction and operation
• It is not easily clogged by lost circulation material
• It is workable in almost any type of mud
• It can be used to locate a hole inside the casing

DISADVANTAGES
• Considerable mud flow is required
• The equipment may not be readily available
RESTORING LOST CIRCULATION

1. PULL OUT AND WAIT

• P/O STRING TO POINT OF SAFETY

• WAIT FOR 4-8 HOURS

• MEANWHILE PREPARE LCM PILL ASSUMING

CIRCULATION SHALL NOT BE REGAINED

RESTORING LOST CIRCULATION

2. SQUEEZING TECHNIQUES
• LOCATE THEIF ZONE
• SELECT PROPER LCM
• RUN IN OPEN ENDED D/P JUST ABOVE THEIF
ZONE
• CLOSE PIPE RAMS AND SQUEEZE SLURRY INTO
THE ZONE BY PUMPING IT SLOWLY
BRIDGING AGENTS IN MUD
HIGH F/L SLURRY
DOWNHOLE MIXED SOFT PLUG
DOB(DIESEL OIL+BENTONITE) PLUGS
RESTORING LOST CIRCULATION

3. CEMENTING TECHNIQUES

• LOT/PIT: ZONE BELOW CASING SEAT IS VERY

WEAK CAUSING LOSSES
• ALSO USED WHEN NATURAL FRACTURES OR
CAVERN EXCEEDS 1/4” IN WIDTH

4. OTHER TECHNIQUES

• BLIND DRILLING,
• UBD (AERATED/FOAM MUD)
• BARYTES PLUG
 SYMPTOMS OF LOSS ZONES

UNCONSOLIDATED FORMATION NATURAL FRACTURED FORMATION

THIS CAN OCCUR IN ANY FORMATION,

GRADUAL FALL IN MUD TANKS
MOSTLY FOUND IN LIMESTONES

AT FIRST THE LOSS IS GRADUAL AND

LOSS MAY BECOME TOTAL IF
THEN CAN BECOME TOTAL LOSS AS
DRILLING IS CONTINUED
MORE FRACTURES ARE CREATED

FORMATIONS ARE GENERALLY

FOUND IN FORMATIONS THAT CAN BE
IMPERMEABLE. LOSS IS DUE TO
EASILY FRACTURED
WEAKENING OF THE FORMATION.
SYMPTOMS OF LOSS ZONES

Cavernous zone Induced fracture

• Confined to limestone * In any formation

along weak planes
• Loss is mostly sudden * Loss is sudden
and complete and complete
Drilling may be rough * Loss may follow
before loss after running in

• Bit may drop few cm

to several 10’s of cm