A Novel Superfine Fibrous Lost Circulation Material derived from Date Tree for Seepage Loss control

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Abstract
Lost circulation is one of the major challenges faced by oil and gas industries around the globe causing significant amount of drilling non-productive time. Loss of drilling fluid could lead to additional drilling problems such as stuck pipe, borehole instability or a potential well control event. There are different types of materials such as fibrous, flake type, particulate, etc. are available in the industry to combat loss of circulation. Superfine fibrous type of materials are used to mitigate seepage losses. These fibrous materials are derived from wood fibers. The objective of this paper is to develop an eco-friendly, biodegradable superfine fibrous lost circulation materials from date tree fibers for addressing seepage type losses. We have developed a novel fibrous lost circulation material (Arc Fiber SF) using date tree waste available locally as the raw material. Small scale crushing and grinding process were used for lab scale sample preparation. A suitable particle size distribution of the superfine materials required for seepage loss control have been achieved by sieving process. In order to demonstrate the seepage loss control ability of the superfine materials, low sold non-dispersive KCl-polymer samples have been formulated incorporating superfine fibrous materials and for comparison, a mud formulated using commercially available seepage loss control material. HPHT filtration control experiments carried out at 212 °F and 500 psi also proved the ability of these materials in reducing the amount of filtrate. This observation suggests that the date tree fiber based LCM is a suitable alternative to commercial fibrous LCMs used in the industry. The in-house product Arc Fiber SF has been developed by simple grinding and sieving process of date tree waste and has the potential to replace the commercial equivalents. Introduction Lost circulation is the partial or total loss of drilling mud or cement slurries inside the wellbore during drilling, running casing or cementing operations. Lost circulation is one of the frequently occurring challenge encountered during drilling operations and it was reported that around 20 to 25% of well drilled around the globe encounter lost circulation (Economides 1998). Lost circulation can be encountered during any stage of drilling operation. It results in drilling fluid or drilling mud pumped into a well returns partially or does not return to the surface. While some fluid loss is anticipated, extreme fluid loss is undesirable from a safety, an economical, or an environmental point of view. It is one of the most difficult and expensive problems faced while drilling a well. Millions of dollars are being spent each year owing to lost circulation and the detrimental effects it causes. Lost circulation is also responsible for reduced production in that loss zones resulted in failure to secure production tests and samples, while the plugging of production zones have led to decreased productivity (Bruton 2001).