Date Palm Seed Lost Circulation Material for Drilling Fluids

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional lost circulation materials (LCMs) are not biodegradable, toxic, and costly, posing environmental risks and inefficiencies in controlling lost circulation during drilling operations, which affects well control, production, and formation stability.

Innovation Solution

A date palm seed-based LCM comprising untreated ground date palm seed particles is introduced into the drilling fluid to reduce fluid loss by sealing permeable paths and fractures, offering enhanced swelling properties and stability, thus minimizing lost circulation and environmental impact.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

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

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelost circulation control effectivenessVSAvoidenvironmental harm

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses date palm seed particles as a biodegradable, disposable LCM that naturally decomposes after serving its purpose of plugging lost circulation zones, eliminating long-term environmental persistence and toxicity issues associated with conventional LCMs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts date palm seeds, which would otherwise be agricultural waste, into a beneficial LCM product. This transforms a potential environmental burden (waste disposal) into an environmentally friendly solution that mitigates lost circulation while being biodegradable and non-toxic

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Reliability

If conventional LCMs are imported to drilling locations, then lost circulation control is achieved, but costs and time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelost circulation control effectivenessVSAvoidimportation time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables drilling operations to produce their own LCM from locally available date palm seeds at or near the drilling site, eliminating the need for external importation and reducing both time and logistical costs while maintaining effective lost circulation control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If conventional LCMs are used, then lost circulation is controlled, but manufacturing and disposal costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelost circulation control effectivenessVSAvoiddisposal costs

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs date palm seed particles that are inexpensive to produce from agricultural waste and require no expensive disposal processes since they biodegrade naturally, reducing both manufacturing and end-of-life management costs compared to conventional LCMs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent facilitates easy discarding of LCM after use through natural biodegradation, eliminating costly recovery or specialized disposal processes required for conventional non-biodegradable LCMs while maintaining effective lost circulation control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

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 palm seed LCM effectively reduces lost circulation by up to 80% and is environmentally friendly, biodegradable, and non-toxic, providing a cost-effective solution for controlling fluid loss and formation stability during drilling.

Implementation Method 1

The date palm seed LCM includes a plurality of untreated particles including ground date palm seeds

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Implementation Method 2

offering enhanced swelling properties and stability

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSwelling:

Data Source

PatentUS11060008B2Date palm seed-based lost circulation material (LCM)

Publication Date: 2021.07.13 SAUDI ARABIAN OIL CO

AI summary

A date palm seed-based lost circulation material (LCM) is provided. A date palm seed LCM may be manufactured by drying date palm seeds and grinding the dried date palm seeds to create a plurality of particles. The particles may have sizes less than 4 mm, from 1 mm to 2 mm, or from 2 mm to 4 mm. The date palm seed LCM may have a volumetric swelling greater than an LCM formed from tree nuts and may have a volumetric swelling of at least 0.3 cubic centimeters per gram. The date palm seed LCM may have a D50 shift factor less than an LCM formed from calcium carbonate and may have a D50 shift factor of at least 0.38%. The date palm seed LCM may have a stability index of at least 0.95. Methods of lost circulation control and manufacture of a date palm seed LCM are also provided.