Application of Wellbore Strengthening Techniques in Carbonate Formation Solves Lost Circulation Challenges During Liner Running and Cementing
Authors: Al Noumani Muneer , Al Masoudi Younis , Al Mamari Mohammed , Al Rawahi Yaqdhan , Al Yaarubi Mohammed , Al Nabhani Safa , Cameron Iain , Knox David , Peralta Roberto , Therond Emmanuel 
Published: December 2021

For many years, the oil and gas industry has deployed techniques which enhance formation strength via the successful propping and plugging of induced fractures. Induced fracture sizes have been successfully treated using this method up to the 600 – 1,100-micron range. Static wellbore strengthening techniques are commonly deployed to cover 1,000 micron and all fracture size risks underneath.

The deployment of wellbore strengthening techniques has historically been confined to permeable formations. In most cases, wellbore strengthening has been deployed to operationally challenging sand fracture gradients or, where boundaries are pushed, lower ranges of permeability, such as silts. The subject of wellbore strengthening in shales or carbonates to this day, remains a challenge for the industry, with very few documented success stories or evidence of sustained ability to enhance fracture gradient across a drilling campaign.

This paper covers the history of lost circulation events which have been reported in the Khazzan/Ghazeer field in the carbonate Habshan formation. It also describes the design changes which were introduced to strengthen the rock and enable circulation/returns, during liner cementation. The design work built on experience applying wellbore strengthening techniques in carbonates in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. This work is also summarized in this paper.

The Habshan carbonate formation in Oman presents a lost circulation challenge through an ‘induced’ fracture risk. Since the beginning of the drilling campaign in the Khazzan/Ghazeer field, the Habshan formation has repeatedly experienced induced mud losses during well activities such as liner running, mud conditioning with liner on bottom and cementing, when the formation is exposed to higher pressures, less so during drilling. The Habshan challenge in Oman has led to regular, significant lost circulation events during cement placement, adding operational cost and more importantly, presenting difficulties around meeting zonal isolation objectives.

Through previous field experience in Norway, a set of criteria was developed to qualify a standard pill approach to carbonate strengthening. The currently deployed strategy is designed to address both the risk of induced fracture by propping and plugging (wellbore strengthening) and provide some ability to seal natural fractures which are often encountered with carbonates, or similarly flawed rocks. The strategy deployed aims to cover these two risks with a blanket approach to lost circulation risk in carbonates.

The success of this approach is demonstrated using well performance data from a total of 43 wells drilled before and after the introduction of the wellbore strengthening strategy.

As it was initially assumed that wellbore strengthening could not be applied to carbonate formations, other techniques had been tried to prevent lost circulation. Those techniques provided mixed results.

Since the implementation of wellbore strengthening significant improvements in achieving zonal isolation requirements and reducing fluid losses have been documented.