King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

Saudi Arabian Oil Company

Juan Carlos Santamarina

Thomas Finkbeiner

Timothy Eric Moellendick

Raed A Alouhali

Mohammad Arfaj

Ahmed Amr Mohamed Hafez Abdelaziz

Marisol Salva Ramirez

Qi Liu

Salma AlSinan

Eduardo David Gramajo Silva

Carlos Daniel Rodriguez Hernandez

Lost circulation materials may be particles having a core-shell structure. Said particles may include: a core comprising an expandable material; and a shell around the core, the shell comprising an outer permeable membrane, an inner permeable membrane, and a hardenable material between the outer and inner permeable membranes; and wherein the core-shell structure is folded. The particles may be initially folded where, upon exposure to a stimulus, the core expands in volume (which unfolds the particles) and the shell increases in strength. The expanded particles can then clog large openings/apertures in the formation.

Foldable particles for lost circulation materials and related method

Lost circulation materials may include a plurality of self-aggregating particles having a degradable coating, wherein the self-aggregating particles are capable of bonding via mechanical interactions, electrical interactions, magnetic interactions, chemical interactions, or any combination thereof into a plurality of aggregated particles. The aggregated particles have a larger effective size and can seal large openings/apertures in the subsurface that cause lost circulation during a wellbore drilling operation.

Self-aggregating particles for lost circulation materials and related method

A method may include determining an energy factor based on scratch test data and ultrasonic wave data regarding a geological region of interest. The method may further include determining an amount of inelastic energy regarding the geological region of interest using triaxial compression data and rock property data. The method may further include determining a tensile strength regarding the geological region of interest using Brazilian test data. The method may further include generating a geomechanical model regarding the geological region of interest using the energy factor and the amount of inelastic energy. The geomechanical model may include various brittleness values for the geological region of interest. The method may further include determining an injection fluid pressure to induce a hydraulic fracture at a predetermined location in the geological region of interest using the geomechanical model, the tensile strength, and fracture plane roughness data.

Method and system for determining energy-based brittleness

A method for investigating well integrity, the method including pumping a magnetic fluid into an annulus of the well; magnetizing with a magnet the magnetic fluid while in the annulus of the well; moving a magnetic sensing probe through a casing of the well and recording a magnetic field generated by the magnetic fluid; and processing the recorded magnetic field to determine a distribution of magnetic particles into the magnetic fluid in the annulus.

Well monitoring with magnetic tool

A method for determining a specific surface area of a given material includes preparing plural samples of a dye and the given material; imagining the plural samples to generate digital images; calculating from the digital images, a saturation S for each of the plural samples; selecting a single saturation S value that corresponds to an excess dye condition; and calculating the specific surface area Sbased on the single saturation S value, for the given material.

Colorimetry and image analysis determination of specific surface area

A system for measuring an angle of repose includes an angle of repose device that holds a granular material, and a portable smart device having a camera and a processor. The angle of repose device is configured to open a slit to allow a first part of the granular material to remain in an upper chamber while a second part of the granular material moves freely, due to gravity, from the upper chamber to a lower chamber. The portable smart device uses the camera to take a digital image of the first part and the second part of the granular material and uses an app installed on the processor to calculate an internal angle of repose and an external angle of repose.

Growing community of inventors

Thuwal, Saudi Arabia

Juan Carlos Santamarina