Saudi Arabian Oil Company

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

Thomas Finkbeiner

Juan Carlos Santamarina

Timothy Eric Moellendick

Raed A Alouhali

Mohammad Arfaj

Ahmed Amr Mohamed Hafez Abdelaziz

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

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Thuwal, Saudi Arabia

Thomas Finkbeiner