Date Fruit Cap LCM for Drilling Fluid Lost Circulation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Lost circulation during drilling operations poses challenges due to excessive fluid loss, leading to well control issues, formation damage, and environmental concerns, with conventional lost circulation materials being non-biodegradable and costly.

Innovation Solution

The use of date fruit caps as a lost circulation material (LCM) in drilling fluids to reduce fluid loss by sealing fractures and fractures, with untreated date fruit caps added to the drilling fluid at a concentration of at least 10 pounds-per-barrel, providing a sustainable and eco-friendly solution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of substance

If conventional LCMs are used to control lost circulation, then fluid loss is reduced, but environmental harm increases due to non-biodegradability and toxicity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefluid lossVSAvoidenvironmental harm

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses date fruit caps, a natural biodegradable material, as LCM instead of conventional non-biodegradable materials. These organic caps decompose naturally after use, eliminating environmental persistence and toxicity issues while maintaining effective lost circulation control during drilling operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the material parameter from synthetic non-biodegradable LCM to natural biodegradable date fruit caps. This parameter change transforms the environmental impact from harmful to benign while maintaining the functional property of plugging fractures and controlling fluid loss

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Loss of substance

If conventional LCMs are imported to drilling locations, then lost circulation is controlled, but cost and time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefluid lossVSAvoidimportation time

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes date fruit caps that can be sourced locally at drilling locations rather than requiring importation. This self-service approach allows drilling operations to obtain LCM from local agricultural sources, eliminating importation costs and time delays while maintaining effective lost circulation control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Object-affected harmful factors

If date fruit caps are used as LCM, then environmental friendliness and cost-effectiveness improve, but plugging efficiency must be maintained

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental impactVSAvoidplugging efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes parameters of date fruit caps including size distribution, concentration in drilling fluid (at least 10 pounds-per-barrel), and physical properties to ensure adequate plugging efficiency. These parameter adjustments maintain reliability of fracture plugging while preserving the environmental and economic advantages of using biodegradable organic material

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The date fruit cap LCM effectively reduces lost circulation by 80% or more, outperforming conventional LCMs in plugging efficiency and environmental impact, while being biodegradable and cost-effective.

Implementation Method 1

Lost circulation materials (LCMs) are used to mitigate the lost circulation by blocking the path of the drilling mud into the formation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhysical barrier blocking:

Data Source

PatentUS11046878B2Flaky date fruit cap for moderate to severe loss control

Publication Date: 2021.06.29 SAUDI ARABIAN OIL CO

AI summary

A lost circulation material (LCM) having date fruit caps is provided. The date fruit cap LCM includes date fruit caps from a date tree. The date fruit caps have multiple flakes (for example, three flakes) attached at one end to an end cap and free at the other end. The date fruit caps may be obtained from the waste product of date tree and date fruit processing. The date fruit cap LCM may be added to a drilling fluid (for example, a drilling mud) to mitigate or prevent such lost circulation in a well. Methods of lost circulation control with the date fruit cap LCM are also provided.