Modeling of Drilling Fluid Losses in Naturally Fractured Formations

Abstract

Abstract Significant mud losses often occur while drilling in fractured formations. Severe problems arise when drilling fluids invade high permeability conductive fractures that the well path intercepts. The industry has recently started to monitor mud loses in order to identify the fractures and characterize them. Methodologies are available to characterize the geometry and conductivity of the fractures by quantitative analysis of field measurements. These methodologies are mainly based on mathematical models that describe the physical phenomenon and the mechanism under which the flow within the fractures takes place. Once the models are provided one can look for causes of the problem and methods to minimize it. This paper presents a new model for mud loss of non-Newtonian drilling fluids into naturally fractured formations. Flow of Yield-Power-Law (Herschel-Bulkley) fluids has been coupled with Newtonian reservoir fluid in a single fracture. The governing equations are derived based on principles of conservation of mass and linear momentum for drilling fluid and pressure diffusion for reservoir fluid. Results are obtained based on semi-numerical solutions and plotted in terms of mud loss volumes versus time. The results demonstrate how rheology of the drilling fluid and formation fluid properties can influence mud losses. The relative contributions of both drilling and reservoir fluids is determined and compared. This model allows for predicting fluid losses for a given drilling fluid, formation fluid and operational conditions. Conversely, one can evaluate hydraulic aperture of the fractures by continuously monitoring mud losses and finding the best fit of field measurements of mud loss to the model. Field data are used to demonstrate the practical application of the proposed technique. The proposed model is valuable for drilling operations because it can help in minimizing the loss of expensive drilling fluids through optimization of drilling fluid rheological properties and selecting appropriate lost circulation materials. The model also benefits production operations by minimizing formation damage. In addition, well completion schemes can be optimized based on the improved knowledge of the near-wellbore fracture characteristics.