Methods and compositions for treating subterranean formations with swellable lost circulation materials
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorsDale E. Jamison, Robert J. Murphy, Matthew L. Miller
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Abstract
Methods of treating a fluid loss zone in a wellbore in a subterranean formation including providing swellable particles having an initial unswelled volume, wherein the swellable particles upon swelling adopt a specific shape; introducing the swellable particles into the wellbore in the subterranean formation; and swelling the swellable particles so as to adopt a swelled volume beyond the initial unswelled volume; and sealing at least a portion of the fluid loss zone.
Claims20
A method of treating a fluid loss zone in a wellbore in a subterranean formation comprising:
- providing swellable particles having an initial unswelled volume,
- wherein the swellable particles upon swelling adopt a specific shape;
- introducing the swellable particles into the wellbore in the subterranean formation;
- and
- swelling the swellable particles so as to adopt a swelled volume beyond the initial unswelled volume;
- and
- sealing at least a portion of the fluid loss zone.
A method of treating a fluid loss zone in a wellbore in a subterranean formation comprising:
- providing a hollow, flexible member having at multiple ends and a shape;
- providing a swellable particle having an initial unswelled volume;
- placing the swellable particle into a first portion of the hollow, flexible member, while leaving a second portion empty;
- collapsing the second portion of the hollow, flexible member around the swellable particle so as to form a collapsed swellable particle having a volume approximately equivalent to the initial unswelled volume of the swellable material;
- introducing the collapsed swellable particle into the wellbore in the subterranean formation;
- and
- swelling the swellable particle so as to adopt a swelled volume beyond the initial unswelled volume,
- wherein the swelling of the swellable particle causes the swellable particle take the shape of the hollow, flexible member so as to form an encased swelled fluid loss particle;
- and
- sealing at least a portion of the fluid loss zone.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.