Methods for Using High-Yielding Non-Newtonian Fluids for Severe Lost Circulation Prevention
First Claim
1. A method of remotely mixing a wellbore fluid and a lost circulation treatment material being pumped into a wellbore where the resulting mixture exhibits non-Newtonian qualities, comprising the steps of:
- determining a mathematical function relating integral shear history to yield point for a mixture of a lost circulation treatment material and a wellbore fluid using bench top testing;
modeling downhole integral shear history as a function of flow rate of said lost circulation treatment material being pumped downhole into a given wellbore using a similitude model;
using said mathematical function to determine a downhole integral shear history to achieve an acceptable downhole yield point for said mixture;
determining a downhole flow rate of said lost circulation treatment material based on said downhole integral shear history and said modeling action; and
pumping said lost circulation treatment material downhole into said given wellbore at said determined downhole flow rate.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method to model and analyze the mixing energies of high-yielding non-Newtonian fluids to prevent chemical lost circulation is disclosed. Laboratory tests are preformed under varying conditions from which data on the mixing energies needed to optimize the use of high-yielding non-Newtonian fluids to prevent lost circulation is obtained. This data is then applied to a non-linear mathematical modeling system that is capable of scaling the data to give a dimensionless value. This value can be combined with historic information to predict optimal flow rates and mixtures to prevent chemical lost circulation. This data may be verified by means of simulation, lab testing, or application to a full-size well.
-
Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A method of remotely mixing a wellbore fluid and a lost circulation treatment material being pumped into a wellbore where the resulting mixture exhibits non-Newtonian qualities, comprising the steps of:
-
determining a mathematical function relating integral shear history to yield point for a mixture of a lost circulation treatment material and a wellbore fluid using bench top testing; modeling downhole integral shear history as a function of flow rate of said lost circulation treatment material being pumped downhole into a given wellbore using a similitude model; using said mathematical function to determine a downhole integral shear history to achieve an acceptable downhole yield point for said mixture; determining a downhole flow rate of said lost circulation treatment material based on said downhole integral shear history and said modeling action; and pumping said lost circulation treatment material downhole into said given wellbore at said determined downhole flow rate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 21, 23, 24)
-
-
9-20. -20. (canceled)
-
22. (canceled)
-
25. (canceled)
Specification