Laboratory, bench and field studies wave and jet colmatation of permeable rock

Colmatation is a well-known phenomenon in both natural and industrial processes, particularly in the construction and operation of wells. During drilling, natural colmatation occurs when solid particles from the drilling fluid and cuttings create a weakly permeable internal pore layer and a loose filter cake on the wellbore wall. These formations complicate subsequent casing operations and reduce the quality of cementing. Moreover, they do not prevent interlayer flows, leading to losses of drilling and cementing fluids, as well as contamination of the reservoir with filtrate and solid particles, sometimes extending considerable distances from the well. Consequently, the costs, timeframes, and complexity of well completion, development, and commissioning can increase significantly. Well-construction experience has demonstrated that certain types of forced colmatation during drilling can effectively address these issues. Two methods have emerged as the most widely utilized in the oil and gas industry: Hydrodynamic jet colmatation Wave-induced cavitation-vortex colmatation, which is based on advancements in nonlinear wave mechanics of multiphase media.

The primary goal of this laboratory and field research is to determine which of these two colmatation methods is more effective. This comparison will facilitate the development of more efficient techniques and technologies for well construction. This paper presents mathematical models that have been developed based on laboratory bench-scale experiments. These models describe the effects of key parameters on the wave- and jet-induced forced commutation in permeable rock.

The study revealed a positive effect of these treatments on the properties of clay-based drilling fluids. In particular, the fluids demonstrated enhanced resistance to sedimentation of the solid phase, due to simultaneous dispersion during treatment. Extensive field trials of wave and jet colmatation technologies were also conducted, which confirmed the laboratory results and validated initial expectations. Among the two methods, wave-induced colmatation proved to be more effective.

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