The role of physical lost circulation materials type on the evolution of strong force chains of plugging zone in deep fractured tight reservoir

Abstract

The selection of physical lost circulation materials (LCMs) type plays a crucial role in formulating effective plugging slurry. The structural stability of the plugging zone, formed by LCMs, is a decisive factor in determining their effectiveness in deep fractured reservoirs. In this study, combined with the Hertz contact model and calibration of contact forces of photoelastic particles, the color gradient mean square method was employed to quantitatively characterize the strong force chains evolution of the three typical types of plugging zones. Results showed that the incorporation of flexible particles into the LCMs enhanced the average shear strength, increased the proportion, and promoted the development of circular structures within the strong force chains, thereby facilitating stronger shear stability. This research provides new insight to understand the role of physical LCMs type on the mesoscale failure mechanism of plugging zone in deep fractured tight reservoir.