Gelation Performance of PAM/PEI Polymer-Based Mud System for Lost Circulation Control

Lost circulation is one of the most common problems in the drilling of oil and gas wells where mud escapes through natural or induced fractures. Lost circulation can have severe consequences from increasing the operational cost to compromising the stability of wells. Recently, polymeric formulations have been introduced for wellbore strengthening purposes where it can serve as Loss Circulation Materials (LCMs) simultaneously. Polymeric LCMs have the potential to be mixed with drilling fluids during the operation without stopping to avoid non-productive time. In this study, the significance of most common conventional mud additives and their impact on the gelation performance of Polyacrylamide (PAM) / Polyethyleneimine (PEI) has been investigated. This work helps in better understanding the process of using polymeric formulations in drilling activities. It provides insights to integrate gelling systems that are conventionally used for water shut-off during the drilling operation to replace the conventional loss circulation materials to provide a higher success rate.The authors would like to acknowledge the support of Qatar National Research Fund (a member of Qatar Foundation) through Grant # NPRP10-0125-170240. The findings achieved herein are solely the responsibility of the authors. Special thanks with gratitude to SNF Company for supplying the polymers used in this study.Scopu