Abstract
In the present study, the transport and deposition of solid particles to mitigate the loss circulation of fluid through a fracture transversely placed to a vertical channel is numerically investigated. These solid particles (commonly known in the industry as lost circulation materials—LCMs) are injected into the flow during the drilling operation in the petroleum industry, in hopes to control the fluid loss. The numerical simulation of the process follows a two-stage process: the first characterizes the lost circulation flow and the second the particle injection. The numerical model comprises an Eulerian–Lagrangian approach, in which the dense discrete phase model (DDPM) is combined with the discrete element method (DEM). A parametric analysis is done by varying the vertical channel Reynolds number, the particle-to-fluid density ratio, and the particle diameter. Results are shown in terms of the particle’s bed geometric characteristics, focusing on the location inside the fracture where the particles deposit, and the particle bed length, height, and time spent to fill the fracture. Also monitored are the fluid loss reduction over time and the fractured channel bottom pressure (which can be related to the fracture pressure). Results indicate that using a slow/intermediate flow velocity, associated with heavy particles with small diameters, provides the best combination for the efficient mitigation of the fluid loss process.
Highlights
For the simulations presented here, an extensive sensitivity analysis was performed to ensure the correct characterization of fluid motion as well as particle transport and collision. e main numerical parameters applied on the model are summarized as follows: fluid time step Δtβ 2 · 10− 2 s, particle time step Δtp 2 · 10− 4 s, and particle’s stiffness constant k 2.0 N/m
The relative difference is less than 1%, 0.316 m/s for the experimental results and 0.313 m/s for the numerical simulation. us, one can conclude that the DDPM model is able to calculate the interaction forces between the fluid and a particle with the inclusion of the selected forces shown at Table 1
Lage from Southern Methodist University for his contribution and pertinent discussions in the development and conclusion of this work
Summary
In relation to the fracture, whose aperture is eFR, the figure shows the upstream and the downstream lengths, lUP and lDW, respectively. Another simplification adopted in this study is to consider the formation (including the fracture surfaces) impermeable. A special procedure is necessary for determining the flow boundary conditions in the domain because the fluid loss in ZFR
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