Publications

Lost circulation is a prevalent problem in drilling operations as it incurs excessive costs in drilling fluid and consequent formation damage, increases rig time and jeopardizes zonal isolation. It may also lead to a catastrophic event by triggering a kick, this consequently results in a blowout and loss of well. A particular Sejadi field, located near Kalimantan Island, which is currently in its development phase, was found to have several depleted zones during drilling. The contentious well was being drilled when 40 bbl/hr of dynamic lost circulation occurred in an 8.5-in open hole. Within 2 days, a total volume of 1208 bbl of drilling fluid and the mud company’s LCM was lost to the formation and drilling could not be continued. Numerous standard LCM treatments were done by the Mud Company, but none were able to stop or slow the losses. A decision was made to use the cement slurry with engineered fibers to combat the lost circulation. A cement plug with engineered LCM fibers was placed across the lost circulation zone with effective results. Drilling was thereafter continued. This paper presents the case history and field application of these novel engineered fiber-based lost circulation cement plugs for the successful treatment of severe mud losses to formation in the wells in Sejadi field of Indonesia. The paper also includes a discussion of the methodology, material properties and applications of engineered fiber-based lost circulation cement slurries.