Patent ID: 8322419
Filing Date: 2012-12-04
Classification: C09K,E21B

Abstract:
1. A method of gravel packing a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, the wellbore comprising a cased section and an uncased section, and the wellbore having a synthetic or an oil-based drilling fluid containing drilled solids disposed in the wellbore, the method comprising: introducing a fresh synthetic or oil-based displacement fluid that is essentially free of drilled solids into the wellbore to displace the synthetic or oil-based drilling fluids from the uncased section of the wellbore; then introducing a water-based displacement fluid into the wellbore to displace fluids within the cased section of the wellbore, wherein the water-based displacement fluid is isolated from the uncased section of the wellbore; then running a sand control screen assembly to a selected depth within the uncased section of the wellbore; and then introducing a gravel pack slurry containing gravel and a water-based carrier fluid into the wellbore.