US 12,134,733 B2
Curing lost circulation of water-based drilling muds
Waseem Abdulrazzaq, Dhahran (SA); Jay Deville, Houston, TX (US); and Carlos Arturo Carrera, Dhahran (SA)
Assigned to Halliburton Energy Services, Inc., Houston, TX (US)
Filed by Halliburton Energy Services, Inc., Houston, TX (US)
Filed on Jan. 25, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/101,475.
Prior Publication US 2024/0247179 A1, Jul. 25, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. E21B 21/06 (2006.01); C04B 28/10 (2006.01); C09K 8/16 (2006.01); C09K 8/504 (2006.01); E21B 21/00 (2006.01); E21B 21/08 (2006.01); C04B 103/20 (2006.01)
CPC C09K 8/5045 (2013.01) [C04B 28/105 (2013.01); C09K 8/16 (2013.01); E21B 21/003 (2013.01); E21B 21/062 (2013.01); E21B 21/08 (2013.01); C04B 2103/20 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
circulating a water-based drilling fluid though a drill string to extend a wellbore through a subterranean formation;
separating at least a portion of the water-based drilling fluid from the circulated water-based drilling fluid to form a separated portion of water-based drilling fluid and mixing a metal salt and a metal oxide into the separated portion of water-based drilling fluid to form a mixture and shearing the mixture to form a chemical sealing pill, wherein the chemical sealing pill comprises the portion of the water-based drilling fluid, the metal salt, and the metal oxide; and
after mixing and shearing, introducing the chemical sealing pill into the drill string and flowing the chemical sealing pill into a lost circulation zone in the subterranean formation,
wherein at least a portion of the chemical sealing pill sets in the lost circulation zone to form a set plug, wherein the set plug seals the lost circulation zone and reduces loss of fluid into the lost circulation zone from subsequently introduced fluids, and
wherein loss of subsequently-introduced fluid into the lost circulation zone is prevented with the set plug.