Technical Session: Fluid Technology I

摘要

Wellbore strengthening or stress cage has been recognized as an effective solution to lost circulation. One of the mechanisms found for strengthening a wellbore is propping fractures with particulate LCM that can increase hoop stress at the near wellbore region. However, without a good understanding of this mechanism, a potentially flawed design and implementation process can affect the job success in the field. One of the main issues is fracture stability under the strengthening conditions. This paper will describe those important factors for designing wellbore strengthening jobs under the necessary conditions including fracture stability through rock mechanics analysis.