Ch-1:

INTRODUCTION
TO
MUD
LOSS

1
 What is Lost Circulation
• Loss of drilling fluid to formation during drilling
• Loss of cement slurry to formation during cementing
operations
• Loss can be
– Gradual lowering of pits
– Complete loss of returns

What is not Lost Circulation

• Filtration loss
• Filling of new hole by mud drilled at faster ROP

2
 Classification of Mud Loss

Divided into three categories:

– Seepage losses
– Partial losses
– Severe or total losses

3
 Seepage Losses

• Rate of mud loss:

– Up to 10 barrels/ hour for oil base mud
– Up to 25 barrels /hr for water base mud

• Sometimes it may be ignored if mud loss also

taking place with dumped cuttings from shakers
• Starts at very slow rate similar to filtration loss in
highly permeable formations

4
 Seepage Losses (Contd.)

To find out whether mud loss is from surface

equipment or down hole
• Stop drilling and pull the bit off-bottom.
• Stop all mixing & non-essential solid removal
Equipment
• Observe well for seepage losses with and without
circulation

5
 Drilling too fast
• When high drilling rates are attained even in hole
sizes as small as 8.5”, suspected seepage loss can
actually be attributed to other factors.
• One such factor is normal displacement of drilled
solids with fluids.
• For example, while drilling 50 feet per hour in
– 8.5” hole, 3.5 bbls (≈0.60 cu m) of drilling fluid per hour
will be required to fill the new hole drilled.
– In 12-1/4” hole, 7.3 bbls (≈ 1.20 cu m) of drilling fluid per
hour will be required to fill the new hole drilled.
6
 Drilling too fast
• Another source of perceived seepage loss is drilling fluid
retained on drilled solids removed from system.
• One estimate for amount of mud loss attributed to this
effect is 1 bbl of mud per bbl of cuttings drilled. So, in
previous example, an additional 3.5 bbl (≈ 0.60 cu m) of
mud would be lost with drill cuttings in one hour. This
would total to 7 bbl (≈ 1.10 cu m) of perceived mud lost
per hour. In 24 hours of drilling this loss would be 168 bbl
(≈ 27 cu m)
• Thus prior to initiating any treatment for suspected
seepage loss, take these factors into account.
7
 Seepage Losses (Contd.)
• Decision to be made whether to drill ahead or
cure this first
• If formation damage and stuck pipe primary
concern, then cure this loss first.
• In exploratory area, loss to be controlled before
drilling ahead
• Seepage loss in deeper pay zone formations
also to be controlled
• May become partial/ total loss if ignored for too
long
8
 Partial Losses

• Rate of mud loss:

– 10 to 30 barrels/ hour for oil base mud
– 25-100 bbls/ hr for water base mud
• It may force to stop drilling ahead and tackle
this mud loss problem first
• If drilling fluid can be made available and well
pr are within operating limits, may drill ahead
with these losses.

9
 Severe or Total Losses
• Rate of mud loss > 100 barrels/ hour
• Regaining full circulation is main priority
• Reducing mud weight may be one of the options
for loss control but well has to be monitored all
the times for any influx in the well bore
• If drilling fluid can be made available and well pr
are within operating limits, may drill ahead with
these losses.

10
MECHANISMS,
CAUSES
AND
PROSPECTIVE
MUD
LOSS
ZONES
11
 Mud Loss Mechanisms

There are two mud loss mechanisms:

• Natural losses
• Induced losses

12
 Natural Losses

• Take place in
– Unconsolidated formations in top hole
– Highly permeable shallow sands
– Naturally fractured formations
– Cavernous or vugular limestones

13
 Unconsolidated Formations
• Generally at shallow depths in
surface hole
• Normally consist of sand or
loose gravels
• Pores usually too large for
formation of a competent filter
cake.
• Very high permeability of 10 -
100 m Darcies in coarse
unconsolidated formations.
• Enough for whole mud to be
lost 14
 Unconsolidated Formations (Contd.)
• Lost circulation may start while drilling, tripping or
circulating mud prior to running casing.
• Loss usually starts with a gradual reduction in pit
level
• Later on, rate of loss may become more than max
mud pumps discharge capacity if no remedial
action taken.
• Loss can range from seepage to severe losses and
may sometimes lead to stuck pipe.

15
 Unconsolidated Formations (Contd.)

• Important to prevent shallow losses as washing

out of unconsolidated formations may form a
large cavity around the rig
• This is less stable and could cave-in from the
overburden.

16
 Highly Permeable Formations
• Mainly depleted reservoirs
• Can occur at any depth.
• Depletion due to producing
oil from formations in the
same field or nearby fields.
• High permeability allows
entry of whole drilling fluid
into rocks.

17
 Highly Permeable Formations(contd.)

• Loss can be from seepage to severe depending

on porosity and permeability of formations
• Can often lead to differential sticking pipe.
• May cause formation damage

18
 Natural Fractures
• Loss occurs mainly in formations with natural
fractures or fissures.
• Only thing required by fractures is mud
hydrostatic pr to exceed the pore pr in the rock.
• Can happen at overbalances as low as 50 psi.
• Initial loss can be seepage but likely to become
severe with passage of time if drilling continues.
• This type of loss difficult to cure as it may not be
localized but may be in large geological area.
19
Natural Fractures

Fractures in core

20
Fracture Porosity

21
 Natural Fractures (Contd.)
• Older, harder and consolidated formations likely
locations for natural fractures.
• Created by geological movements underground
• Higher frequency of occurrence near faults and
areas that have been subjected to tectonic forces .
• This type of loss can cause some of the most
troublesome lost-circulation incidents.

22
 Cavernous Or Vugular Formations
• Usually in low pr carbonate (limestone and
dolomite) or coral reefs.
• In limestone, vugs created by continuous flow of
water for very long time dissolving part of the
rock matrix (leaching)
• Thus created void spaces often later filled with
fluid.
• When these formations are drilled, drill string
may freely fall thru void zones accompanied with
sudden loss of returns
23
Vugs in core

24
Vugular Porosity

25
Cavernous Or Vugular Formations (Contd.)

• Loss rate often exceeds max mud pump discharge

capacities.
• Caverns can be localized or part of a more
extensive system
• Voids may range in size from pinholes to tunnels.
• Caverns are most difficult lost-circulation zones to
re-establish returns

26
Cavernous Or Vugular Formations (Contd.)

• In many cases the well must be drilled “blind”, i.e.,

with no returns.
• If caverns are close to surface, location collapse is
possible.
• Volume of mud loss will depend on degree to
which vugs are interconnected.
• In areas with a drilling history, these losses are
usually predictable.
27
 Induced Losses

• Induced losses can happen in all

formations.
• These fractures occur when sum of
all exerted pr on rocks exceeds
fracture gradient of rock, causing
formation to break down.
• Once a fracture created or opened
by an imposed pressure, difficult to
heal and formation may never
regain original strength. 29
 Induced Losses (contd.)
• Fracture propagation pr is always less than
fracture initiating pr.
• It has been observed that induced losses
account for majority of all the recorded lost-
circulation incidents.
• Accordingly, pre-planning is very important
• These losses often occur due
– Intermediate casing being set in the wrong place
– By excessive down hole circulating and surge pr

30
 Induced Losses:
Circulation Rate & ECD

• Flow properties and circulation rate used should

develop minimum pr losses consistent with efficient
cuttings removal to avoid pipe sticking and annulus
loading.
• Excessive circulation rate & fluid rheological
properties may expose formation to high pr &
Equivalent Circulating Density (ECD).

31
 Induced Losses:
Circulation Rate & ECD (contd)
• Insufficient circulation rate results in drilled
solids being loaded in mud causing high ECD.
• This increase in ECD may be sufficient to
induce losses.

32
 Induced Losses: ECD
• ECD calculated by following equation:
ECD (ppg) =
[{ρ (ppg)} + {Pa (psi)/ (o.052*TVD (ft))}]
– Where
– ρ = Mud weight in lb/gal
– Pa = pressure loss in annulus in psi
Example:
If ρ = 10 ppg, Pa = 50 psi, TVD = 10,000’
– Then ECD = [{10} + {50/ (0.052*10000)}]
= 10 + 0.1 = 10.1 ppg
33
 Induced Losses: High Pump Pr
• If circulation after round trip started at normal
SPM may cause induced losses due to
development of very high circulating pr
• Pump pr surging also caused by increasing
pump SPM too rapidly after pipe connections
• This condition occurs when drilling at deeper
depths.
• Becomes critical when present mud gradient is
approaching fracture gradient.

34
Induced Losses : High Pump Pressure
(Contd.)
• Experienced in some wells in Mumbai High
– Pump pr. shoots to 125 kg/cm2 even at 10-15 SPM
when circulation resumed after round trip.
– Slowly pr comes down and SPM can be increased
thereafter to normal SPM.
– Takes time before we see returns due to less SPM
– Highly gelled mud on shakers at bottoms up.

35
 Induced Losses: Surge Pressure

• Lowering string too fast on connections can

develop high surge pr
• Tripping in string too fast can also develop
high surge pr.
• Running in casing creates piston effect and a
surge pressure.
• This can cause induced fractures

36
 Induced Losses: Surge Pressure
(Contd.)

• This problem made worse by

– Break circulation not carried out at regular intervals
during RIH drill string in deeper holes with long
open hole sections
– Packed-hole assemblies
– When drilling fluid has high gel strengths.

37
 Induced Losses: Surge Pr (Contd.)

• Breaking circulation, rapid lowering of drill

string or casing can cause high pr peak that
can break down formation.
• Then induced fracture propagates rapidly at
fracture propagation pr causing losses.
• Fracture propagation pr is significantly lower
than formation breakdown pr.

38
 Induced Losses: Excessive ROP

• May result in huge amount of cutting

accumulation in annulus when drilling in soft
formation in larger size holes as mud may not
be able to lift drilled cuttings entirely.
• Results in high ECD
• When formation with a low-fracture gradient
exposed in OH section, may lead to mud loss.

39
 Induced Losses:
Sloughing or Caving Shales
• Increase drilled solids in annulus, causing very high
ECD.
• May also result in hole pack off.
• When annulus is restricted, pump pr starts rising.
• If SPM not reduced, high circulating pr when
transmitted to formation may cause fractures.
• Even temporary pack off can cause high pr

40
 Induced Losses: Washouts

• Hole washout leads to drop in mud velocity in

washed out well bore section.

• So cuttings accumulate in washed hole section.

• Cuttings also accumulate in larger size rat hole

caused by casing short landing.

41
 Induced Losses: Washouts (contd.)

• Accumulated cuttings fall back into hole,

leading to pack off or creating bridges in
absence of drill string.

• Pack offs then increases pump pr resulting in

formation breakdown.

42
 Induced Losses: Mud Weight
• Minimum safe mud weight required to :

– Hold back formation pr

– Allow tripping (with safe trip margin).

– Stabilize well bore (weak formations require an

effective fluid overbalance for stability).

43
Induced Losses: Mud Weight (contd.)

• While drilling, transition from an abnormally

pressured zone to a normal or sub-pressured
zone may be encountered. Example: #
Rokhia-1

• Higher mud weight will cause induced loss in

lower depleted or sub-normal zones

44
 Induced Losses: Mud Weight (contd.)
• These induced losses occur by hydraulically
fracturing of formations.
• Pr may be sufficient to cause whole mud loss
into permeable sandstone.
• If hydraulically fracturing of formation
suspected, most probable point of loss is just
below casing shoe.

45
 Induced Losses: Well Control
• During well control situations, loss can occur when
the well is shut-in.
• Shut-in pr transmitted down the well bore may
break the formation at its weakest point.
• If well remains closed on gas kick without circulating
it out, very high pr will be exerted on well bore.
• This not only results in lost circulation, but losing
control of well.

46
Induced Losses: Well Control

47
Induced Losses: Well Control (contd.)

• If influx volume is more, shut-in pressures more

will be more

• So surface pressure exerted on well bore will be

more.

• If proper procedures are not followed, an

underground blowout can occur.

48
 Induced Losses:
Inefficient Hole Cleaning
• Cuttings affects lost circ in several ways.
• When hole cleaning inadequate, cuttings
accumulate in annulus, loading up drilling fluid until
losses are induced.
• In deviated wells, cutting beds are not properly
eroded.

49
 Induced Losses:
Inefficient Hole Cleaning (Contd.)

• After build up, cutting beds may slump down

in hole.
• Pack off will take place
• Pump pr rise may lead to formation
breakdown

50
 Consequences of Mud Loss during
Drilling
• IMMEDIATE CONSEQUENCES:
– Hole instability
– Lost time
– Loss of mud
• LONG TERM CONSEQUENCES:
– Reduced safety
– Well kicks
– Unable to reach TD
– Stuck pipe
– Poor cement job
52
 Consequences of Mud Loss during
Drilling
• The loss of hydrostatic head that may result in a well-
control situation.
• The reduction in the pr gradient may lead to wellbore
instability, which could result in hole collapse and/or
stuck pipe.
• Side tracks or complete loss of the well.
• Failure to achieve adequate annular cement
coverage.
• Good quality formation evaluation may not be
possible.

53
 Consequences of Mud Loss during
Primary Cementing

• Reduced safety
• Gas migration
• Reduced annular coverage
• Poor zone isolation
• Annulus activity
• Casing corrosion

54
 Mumbai High
• About 5 % of rig time utilized to tackle mud
loss and other complications
• L-III has 13 sub layers (A1, A2-I, A2-II, A2-III,
A2-IV, A2-V, A2-VI, A2-VII, N,B, C, D and E)
• Porosity mainly intergranular, vuggy and micro
fractures
• Limestone and dolomite dissolved by water
over time causing fractures and caverns
ranging from pin size to tunnel size resulting in
severe mud loss
55
 POSITION OF LOSS ZONE
• Locating the loss zone position is paramount
to rectifying lost-circulation problems. Correct
identification of the position of the theft zone
allows for proper placement of the lost-circulation
material.
• The theft zone can be located from previous
drilling records, drilling rates, drilling breaks,
formation changes and from various logging
techniques.

56
 POSITION OF LOSS ZONE
• If the losses are experienced while drilling, loss
zone likely is on-bottom and caused by natural
fractures, caverns or highly permeable
formations.
• If losses are experienced while tripping or while
increasing mud weight, the loss zone probably
is not on-bottom and is a result of induced
fractures.
• Recognizing a loss while tripping back into the
hole requires attention to the volume of fluid
being displaced by the pipe.
57
 POSITION OF LOSS ZONE
• This volume can be determined by either visual
observation or from regular examination of pit level
record.
• Drilling into a sub-normally pressured, naturally
fractured formation usually is indicated by a
sudden high loss of returns accompanied by an
increase in rotary torque. This is a reliable
indication that the lost circulation zone is at bit
depth when no previous problems have been
encountered.

58
 POSITION OF LOSS ZONE
• Losses are normally “on-bottom” if:
– They first occur while drilling ahead.
– The loss is accompanied by a notable change in ROP,
torque, or drilling roughness.
• • Induced fractures on-bottom can be caused by a
balled-up BHA or bit restricting the annulus.
• • The loss is due obviously to natural fractures,
faults, caverns, vugs or high-permeability sands
and gravels

59
 POSITION OF LOSS ZONE
• • Losses are normally “off-bottom” if:
– They first occur while tripping, drilling fast or
increasing drilling fluid weight.
– They are obviously the result of an induced fracture.
– They are result of shutting the well in and killing well.
– Annular loading increases the return and the apparent
mud weight is higher than the last casing shoe fracture
gradient.

60