Patent ID: 12203362

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to a method of injecting multiple tracer tag fluids at an injection concentration into a wellbore according to an injection sequence. A tracer tag fluid is synthesized polymeric nanoparticles suspended in a solution. The synthesized polymeric nanoparticles bind to a wellbore cutting and are configured to undergo a thermal de-polymerization at a specific temperature. The thermal de-polymerization of the synthesized polymeric nanoparticles generates a specific mass spectra. The injection sequence has an injection duration and an injection pause. The injection duration is determined by a depth interval of the wellbore to be tagged by the respective synthesized polymeric nanoparticles. The concentration of the wellbore cuttings is dependent on the concentration in the mud due to the injected tracer tag fluid. It does not build up over time. The duration of the injection dictates how thick a zone is drilled and tagged or, equivalently, how long is the duration of tagged cuttings arriving on the shale-shakers. The injection pause prevents mixing of two consecutively-injected tracer tag fluids in the wellbore and on the wellbore cuttings. The tracer tag fluids are injected into the wellbore according to the injection concentrations and the predetermined injection sequence. Injecting multiple tracer tag fluids according to the injection sequence (the injection duration and the injection pause) creates a barcoded nanoparticle tagging of the wellbore cuttings over the depth of the wellbore.

Implementations of the present disclosure realize one or more of the following advantages. The quality of direct petro-physical characterization of wellbore cuttings can be improved. For example, mud logging correlation to logging while drilling tools can be improved. Formation analysis where logging while drilling tools are not available or cannot be used is improved. For example, depth correlated formation analysis can become available without longing while drilling tools. Inaccuracies of depth determination from over gauge hole drilling, wellbore drilling mud hydraulic flows, wellbore cleaning operations, and gravitational debris accumulation can be reduced. Additionally, inaccuracies from labelling or sorting practices of the wellbore cuttings can be reduced. For example, logging while drilling tools may not be available in some small wellbore hole diameters. The tagging of the wellbore cutting at the depth at which a specific wellbore cutting is generated decreases the depth uncertainty. Significantly, this barcoded nanoparticle tagging of the cuttings applies a time and depth correction based on the downward traveling drilling mud arrival time, which is much shorter than the upward-traveling drilling mud returns arrival time. Also, the time and depth correction is much better known, as the internal drill pipe and drill string tools' internal dimensions are accurately machined and constant, whereas the wellbore dimensions in the open-hole section are not generally well known at the time of drilling and can depend considerably on the drilling practices and formation integrity.

Other advantages include increased injection control, better timed injection durations and injection pauses, including quicker transition times between injecting and not injecting the tracer tag fluid. For example, a sharp transition between a valve open state for injecting the tracer tag fluids to a valve closed state for stopping the injection of the tracer tag fluids can be achieved. Improved accuracy of quantity of the tracer tag fluid injection can be achieved. The injection cycles can be automated to allow for long duration logging analysis. Waste of costly and difficult to manufacture synthesized polymeric nanoparticles is reduced.

Other advantages include increased personnel safety. For example, the risk of explosion from electrical equipment in proximity to volatile substances off-gassing from the drilling mud is reduced.

As shown inFIG.1A, a wellbore cuttings tagging system100is installed on a drilling rig102. A drilling assembly104is suspended from the drilling rig102. The drilling assembly104removes portions of rock from the Earth to create a wellbore106. The portions of rock removed from the Earth are wellbore cuttings108a. A drilling assembly104can include a drill pipe110with a drill bit112attached to the bottom of the drilling assembly104. Additionally, the drilling assembly104can include measurement while drilling tools, logging while drilling tools, stabilizers, reamers, motors, and coiled tubing assemblies. The drill bit112applies the weight of the drilling assembly104and the rotational movement of the drill string104to remove the portions of rock to generate the wellbore cuttings108a. Drilling mud is pumped by a mud pump114from a mud pit116on the surface144of the Earth to the drilling assembly104. The drilling mud travels down the interior118of the drilling assembly104to the exit the drill bit112at the bottom120of the wellbore106. The drilling mud carries the wellbore cutting108ain an uphole direction from the bottom of the wellbore106in an annulus122defined by the outer surface124of the drilling assembly104and the wellbore106. The wellbore cuttings108aexit the annulus122at the wellhead124and is carried to the shale shaker126. The shale shaker126separates the wellbore cuttings108afrom the drilling mud. The drilling mud without the wellbore cuttings108ais returned to the mud pit116. Wellbore cuttings108acan be disposed in a shale pit128or analyzed by mud logging analysis equipment130.

The mud logging analysis equipment130can include a gas chromatography—mass spectrometry instrument including a pyrolyzer. A gas chromatography—mass spectrometry instrument including a pyrolyzer heats up a sample of the wellbore cuttings108awith the synthesized polymeric nanoparticles140a-c. The synthesized polymeric nanoparticles140a-cdecompose. The gas chromatography—mass spectrometry instrument detects the different elements, compounds, and quantities contained in the sample. The analysis of the tagged wellbore cuttings108acan occur after a time delay allowing the wellbore cuttings108ato be collected. For example, the time delay can be 0.5 hours to 1 hour. The analysis is time-correlated with the pumping of tracer tag fluids138a-cin a pre-determined sequence, and is proceeding in parallel with injecting subsequent tracer tag fluids138a-c.

The wellbore cutting tagging system100discharges multiple tracer tag fluids138a-cthrough an injection conduit134coupled to the mud pump suction136. Each tracer tag fluid138a-cincludes synthesized polymeric nanoparticles140a-csuspended in a solution142a-c, respectively. The synthesized polymeric nanoparticles140a-care configured to bind to wellbore cuttings108a. The synthesized polymeric nanoparticles140a-care configured to undergo a thermal de-polymerization at a specific temperature. When the synthesized polymeric nanoparticles140a-cundergo thermal de-polymerization, a unique mass spectra is produced. Each tracer tag fluid138a-cincludes different synthesized polymeric nanoparticles140a-c, so different unique mass spectra are produced from different tracer tag fluids138a-c. The first tracer tag fluid138aincludes synthesized polymeric nanoparticles140asuspended in a first solution142a. The second tracer tag fluid138bincludes synthesized polymeric nanoparticles140bsuspended in a second solution142b. The third tracer tag fluid138cincludes synthesized polymeric nanoparticles140csuspended in a solution third142c. Fewer or more tracer tag fluids138a-ccan be included in the wellbore cutting tagging system100.

The tracer tag fluid138a-ccan be mixed with a hydrophilic co-monomer or ionic surfactant to make the tracer tag fluid138a-ccompatible with a water based mud. The tracer tag fluid138a-cmay be reverse emulsified to make the tracer tag fluid138a-ccompatible with an oil based mud.

The mud pump114moves the first tracer tag fluid138aalong with the drilling mud through the drilling assembly104described above to exit the drill bit112at the bottom of120of the wellbore106. Upon exiting the drill bit112, the synthesized polymeric nanoparticles140afrom the first tracer tag fluid136acontact a wellbore cuttings108awhile the drill bit112is drilling and generating wellbore cuttings108aat a first depth146at a first time. The synthesized polymeric nanoparticles140abind to the wellbore cutting108a. The wellbore cutting108abound to the synthesized polymeric nanoparticles140ais pumped up the annulus122of the wellbore106as described earlier.

The drill bit112continues to remove the portions of rock to generate the wellbore cuttings108b. Referring toFIG.1B, the depth146(shown inFIG.1A) of the wellbore106increases to a second depth148deeper from the surface144of the Earth than the first depth146over a period of time. At the second depth, the wellbore cutting tagging system100discharges the second tracer tag fluid138bthrough the injection conduit134coupled to the mud pump suction136. The mud pump114moves the second tracer tag fluid138balong with the drilling mud through the drilling assembly104described above, to exit the drill bit112at the new bottom of120of the wellbore106at the second depth148. Upon exiting the drill bit112, the synthesized polymeric nanoparticles140bfrom the second tracer tag fluid138bcontact a second wellbore cutting108bgenerated at the second depth148. The synthesized polymeric nanoparticles140bbind to the second wellbore cutting108b. The wellbore cutting108bbound to the synthesized polymeric nanoparticles140bare pumped up the annulus122of the wellbore106as described earlier. The drill bit112continues to remove the portions of rock to generate the wellbore cuttings108. The depth of the wellbore106increases to a third depth deeper from the surface144of the Earth than the first depth146and the second depth148over a second period of time. At the third depth, the wellbore cutting tagging system100discharges the third tracer tag fluid138cand the process continues. The process of drilling to generate wellbore cuttings108band injecting tracer tag fluids138bcontinues until drilling the wellbore106is completed or the mud logging operations are completed.

Referring toFIGS.1A and1B, the wellbore cutting tagging system100includes a controller150. In some implementations, the controller150is a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by one or more processors to perform operations described here. In some implementations, the controller150includes firmware, software, hardware or combinations of them. The instructions, when executed by the one or more computer processors, cause the one or more computer processors to determine a plurality of injection concentrations of a respective plurality of tracer tag fluid138a-c, determine an injection sequence of the respective tracer tag fluids138a-cinto a wellbore106, and inject the respective tracer tag fluids138a-cinto the wellbore according to the injection concentrations and the injection sequence. The controller150is configured to determine injection concentrations of the tracer tag fluids138a-c, to determine an injection sequence of the tracer tag fluids138a-cinto the wellbore106, and to control the injection of the tracer tag fluids138a-cinto the wellbore106according to the injection concentrations and the injection sequence. The controller150is configured to receive data inputs from the drilling rig102. Some inputs from the drilling rig102include wellbore106design and construction such as physical wellbore106dimensions and geologic formation lithology and composition; drilling mud properties such as mud density, viscosity, chemical composition, pH, and dissolved solids content; and drilling parameters such as time, depth, rate of penetration, pump pressures, and pump flow rates.

The controller150determines the injection concentrations of the tracer tag fluids138a-cfrom the data inputs from the drilling rig102to determine a minimum detectable concentration of the synthesized polymeric nanoparticles140a-cneeded in the wellbore106based on the wellbore106conditions (i.e. data inputs from the drilling rig102). For example, a 5 ppm synthesized polymeric nanoparticles concentration may be necessary as the synthesized polymeric nanoparticles140a-ccontact the wellbore cuttings108a,bfor the mud logging equipment130to detect the synthesized polymeric nanoparticles140a-con the surface144of the Earth. Specifically, the concentration of the respective synthesized polymeric nanoparticles140a-cin the drilling mud depends on each of the concentrations of the synthesized polymeric nanoparticles140a-csuspended in a solution142in the respective tracer tag fluid tank158a-cand on the volumetric flow rate at which that the respective tracer tag fluid138a-cis pumped into the mud pump suction136through the injection conduit134, relative to the drilling mud circulation flow rate produced by the mud pump114.

The tracer tag fluid138a-cinjection flow rate is controlled by the air pressure delivered to an air source156(for example, a tank or a compressor) through the conduits154. The pressure delivered by the air source156is constant over time. The tracer tag fluid tanks138a-138ccan be are pressurized one at a time with the same supply pressure by actuating value152described below. Adjusting a pressure of the air source156can vary the injection rate of the tracer tag fluid138a-138cfrom the respective buffer tag fluid tank158a-158cthrough the injection manifold164, into the injection conduit134, and into the mud pump suction136.

A volumetric flow-meter168can be installed on the injection manifold164to measure the volumetric flow rate of the tracer tag fluid138a-cbeing injected. A signal representing the volumetric flow rate can be sent to the controller150.

In some implementations, a throttle valve170can be positioned in the injection manifold164. The throttle valve170can control the injection flow rate of the tracer tag fluid138a-c. The throttle valve170can be set manually. Alternatively, the controller150can direct an air compressor coupled to the air source156to raise or lower the air pressure in the air source156. The throttle valve170should be operated manually or by pneumatic control of an electrically operated solenoid air valve152(located at a distance from the wellbore106and the mud pit116to minimize the risk of explosion from electrical equipment in proximity to volatile substances off-gassing from the drilling mud). The throttle valve170can be used in with the air source156to apply a higher air pressure (when compared to multiple lower pressure air sources156for each individual tracer tag tank158a-158c) and then throttling (reducing) the tracer tag fluid138a-cthe fluid flow rate. The throttle valve170can be a needle valve.

The controller150determines an injection sequence of the tracer tag fluids138a-cinto the wellbore106. The injection sequence includes an injection duration and an injection pause. The injection duration is a time period during which the injection of the tracer tag fluids138a-coccurs. The injection duration is determined by a depth interval of the wellbore to be tagged by the respective plurality of synthesized polymeric nanoparticles. The injection pause is a time period between injection durations. The injection pause prevents mixing of consecutively-injected tracer tag fluids138a-cin the wellbore106and on the cuttings108a,b, that is, provides adequate depth and time separation during the drilling and injecting process to clean and flush the wellbore cutting tagging system100with a buffer fluid166, and the drilling assembly104and the wellbore106with the drilling mud. The controller150injects the tracer tag fluids138a-cinto the wellbore106according to the injection concentrations and the injection sequence.

The controller150controls the injection of tracer tag fluids138a-cinto the wellbore106according to the injection concentration and injection sequence by operating components of the wellbore cutting tagging system100. The controller150injects a single tracer tag fluid138a-cat a time by pressurizing that tracer tag fluid tank158a-cselectively. Specifically, the controller150is configured to actuate valves152positioned in conduits154between a pressurized air source156and multiple tracer tag fluid tanks158a-cand a buffer fluid tank160containing the buffer fluid166. The valves152can be individually positioned in the conduits154or combined in a manifold. The valves152can be electrically actuated solenoid air valves. The valves152can be coupled to sensors configured to sense valve conditions and transmit signals representing the sensed valve conditions to the controller150. For example, the sensor can sense the valve152open and closed position. The sensors can transmit a signal representing the open and closed sensed valve positions to the controller150.

The air source156is configured to store pressurized air. The air source156provides pressurized air through the conduits154to pressurize the tracer tag fluid tanks158a-cand buffer fluid tank160. The air source156can include an air compressor to maintain air tank pressure to pressurize the tracer fluid tanks158a-c. In some implementations, the nominal operating pressure of the wellbore cutting tagging system100is 100 psi. The wellbore cuttings system100can operate at lower or higher pressures. For example, the wellbore cuttings system100can operate at 30 to 80 psi or 200-300 psi. The air source156is configured to be coupled to sensors configured to sense air source156conditions and transmit signals representing the sensed air source156conditions to the controller150. For example, the sensor can sense air source156pressure or temperature.

The tracer tag fluid tanks158a-care configured to be pressurized by the air tank165. Tracer tag fluid tanks158a-care fluidically coupled to the air source156by conduits154. The tracer tag fluid tanks158a-chold the tracer tag fluids138a-c, respectively. The tracer tag fluids138a-care stored at known concentrations in the tracer tag fluid tanks158a-c. The first tracer tag fluid tank158aholds the first tracer tag fluid138a. The second tracer tag fluid tank158bholds the second tracer tag fluid138b. The third tracer tag fluid tank158cholds the third tracer tag fluid138c. The tracer fluid tanks158a-care fluidically coupled to an injection manifold164. The injection manifold164is fluidically coupled to the mud pump suction136through the injection conduit134to inject the multiple tracer tag fluids138a-cinto the wellbore106. The tracer fluid tanks158a-care configured to be coupled to sensors configured to sense tracer fluid tank158a-cconditions and transmit signals representing the sensed tracer fluid tank158a-cconditions to the controller150. For example, the sensors can sense tracer fluid tank158a-cpressure, temperature, level, or tracer tag fluid concentration. The tracer fluid tanks158a-coperate at wellbore cutting system100nominal operating pressure. The tracer fluid tanks158a-ccan be metal or reinforced polymer composite. For example, tracer fluid tanks158a-ccan be steel, aluminum, or high density polyethylene with fiberglass or carbon fiber wrapping. In another example, a steel liquid propane storage tank of suitable size can be used. Such tanks are widely available, low-cost, rugged, transportable, and rated for pressures greater than or equal to 250 psi. Tracer fluid tanks158a-ccan have the same volume capacity or different volume capacities. For example, the tracer fluid tanks158a-ccan have a 5 gallon, 100 gallon, 275 gallon, or 330 gallon capacity. Tracer tag fluid tanks158a-ccan be placed close to the mud pump suction136to reduce tracer tag fluid138a-cwaste and minimize delay in the arrival of tracer fluid pulses into mud pump114.

The tracer tag fluid tanks158a-ccan each include a fill conduit (not shown). The fill conduits can allow additional tracer tag fluids138a-c, for example one of tracer tag fluids138a,138b, or138c, to be added to the respective tracer tag fluid tank158a-c, for example, one of tracer tag fluid tanks158a,158b,158c. The fill conduit can allow for a rapid fill of the tracer tag fluid138a-cto be added to the tracer tag fluid tank158a-cbefore, during, or after operation of the wellbore cuttings tagging system100.

The tracer tag fluid tanks158a-ccan each include a vent (not shown). The vent can allow a pressure of each tracer tag fluid tank158a-cto be reduced, in other words, pressure vented. Venting can allow for rapid depressurization in the tracer tag fluid tanks158a-cand the injection manifold164and improve safety and flow rate of tracer tag fluid138a-cinto the tracer tag fluid tanks158a-c.

The buffer fluid tank160is configured to hold the buffer fluid166. The buffer fluid tank160is configured to be pressurized by the air source156. Buffer fluid tank160is fluidically coupled to the air source156by conduit154. The buffer fluid tank160is fluidically coupled to the injection manifold164. The injection manifold164is fluidically coupled to the mud pump suction136through the injection conduit134to inject the buffer fluid166into the wellbore106. Buffer fluid166is supplied from the buffer fluid tank160into the injection manifold164to clean the injection manifold164of the previously injected tracer tag fluid138a-c. The buffer fluid tank160is configured to be coupled to sensors configured to sense buffer fluid tank160conditions and transmit signals representing the sensed buffer fluid tank160conditions to the controller150. For example, the sensors can sense buffer fluid tank160pressure, temperature, or level. The buffer fluid tank160is configured to operate at wellbore cutting system100nominal operating pressure. The buffer fluid tank160can be metal or polymer. For example, the buffer fluid tank160can be steel, aluminum, or high density polyethylene. Multiple buffer fluid tanks160can be coupled to the injection manifold164. The buffer fluid tank160can be sized to have different capacities. For example, the buffer fluid tank160can have a 100 gallon, 500 gallon, 5000 gallon, or 10000 gallon capacity.

The buffer fluid166, when injected in the injection manifold164, separates multiple tracer tag fluids (138a,138b,138c) with the buffer fluid166to avoid cross-contamination of the different tracer tag fluids (for example138a,138b, or138c) while wellbore cuttings108bare being tagged by the respective synthesized polymeric nanoparticles (140a,140b, or140c). The buffer fluid166flushes the most recently injected tracer tag fluid (138a,138b, or138c) out of the injection manifold164and the injection conduit134from the tracer tag fluid tanks (158a,158b, or158c) into the mud pump114and the wellbore106, thereby providing a repeatable starting condition for the subsequent tracer tag fluid (138a,138b, or138c) injected. The injection conduit134can be several feet in length, potentially storing a quantity of tracer tag fluid (138a,138b, or138c), which will need to flow into the mud pump suction136. Also, the buffer fluid166also provides a fluid force to rapidly shut the respective check valves162a-c, resulting in a sharp transition from an open state for injecting the tracer tag fluids (for example138a,138b,138c) to a closed state for stopping the injection of the tracer tag fluids (for example138a,138b,138c).

The buffer fluid166can be water. In some cases, the buffer fluid166is a clean oil based mud (for example, no wellbore cuttings108a,bor formation residue from the drilling process). The clean oil based mud buffer fluid166is highly miscible with the drilling mud. For example, the buffer fluid166can be a diesel-brine invert emulsion.

Valves162a-care positioned in the injection manifold164. Valves162a-care configured to allow flow from the tracer tag fluid tanks158a-cand the buffer fluid tank160into the injection conduit134and stop flow from the injection conduit134back into the tracer tag fluid tanks158a-cand the buffer fluid tank160. The valves162a-ccan be check valves.

As a selected tank, either one of the tracer tag fluid tanks158a-cand/or the buffer fluid tank160, is aligned to receive the pressurized air by actuating open a respective electrically actuated solenoid air valves152to an open position, the pressurized tank (one of the tracer tag fluid tanks158a-cand/or the buffer fluid tank160) will have a higher in pressure than the other tanks, thereby causing the other respective check-valves162a-cto close swiftly as the selected tank's check valve162a-copens from the fluid pressure. All the other conduits from the injection manifold164to the remaining tracer tag fluid tanks158a-cwill be filled with their most recent tracer tag fluid138a-cbut will not receive any ingress from the selected tracer tag fluid tank's158a-cfluid, as they will be dead-ended for flow with their check valves162a-cclosed.

FIG.2shows another wellbore cuttings tagging system200configured to inject a single tracer tag fluid238into the wellbore106. The wellbore cutting tagging system200discharges a tracer tag fluid238through an injection conduit234coupled to the mud pump214suction236in mud pit216. The mud pump214is connected to a drilling rig substantially similar to drilling rig102described earlier. The tracer tag fluid238is substantially similar to the tracer tag fluid138a-cdescribed earlier.

The tracer tag fluid tank258is fluidically coupled to a pump232by conduit254a. The tracer tag fluid tank258is configured to hold the tracer tag fluid238. The tracer tag fluid238is stored at known concentrations in the tracer tag fluid tank238. The tracer fluid tank258is not pressurized. The tracer tag fluid tank258is similar to the tracer tag fluid tanks158a-cdescribed earlier.

The buffer fluid tank260is configured to hold buffer fluid266. Buffer fluid tank260is fluidically coupled to the pump232by conduit254bto clean the injection conduit234of the previously injected tracer tag fluid238as described earlier. The buffer fluid tank260is similar to the buffer fluid tank160described earlier.

The pump232has a pump suction236fluidically coupled to the tracer tag fluid tank258and the buffer fluid tank260to draw buffer fluid266from the tracer tag fluid tank258and the buffer fluid tank260. The pump232has a pump discharge268fluidically coupled the injection manifold234and configured into inject the tracer tag fluid238into the wellbore. The pump232can be a reciprocating pump. The pump232can be powered electrically or pneumatically.

FIG.3is a flow chart of an example method300of injecting multiple tracer tag fluids into a wellbore. At302, injection concentrations of respective tracer tag fluids are determined. Each of the respective tracer tag fluids include respective synthesized polymeric nanoparticles suspended in respective solutions. The respective synthesized polymeric nanoparticles are configured to bind to respective wellbore cuttings. The respective synthesized polymeric nanoparticles are configured to undergo a thermal de-polymerization at a respective temperature. Thermal de-polymerization of the respective synthesized polymeric nanoparticles generates a respective mass spectra.

At304, an injection sequence into the wellbore of the respective tracer tag fluids is determined. The injection sequence includes an injection duration and an injection pause. The injection duration is determined by a depth interval of the wellbore to be tagged by the respective plurality of synthesized polymeric nanoparticles. The injection pause prevents mixing the tracer tag fluids in the wellbore.

At306, each of the respective tracer tag fluids at respective known concentrations are stored in tracer tag fluid tanks. At308, buffer fluid is stored in a buffer fluid tank.

At310, a tracer tag fluid is drawn from the respective tracer tag fluid tank according to the injection sequence. The tracer tag fluid can be drawn from the tracer tag fluid tank by electrically actuating a respective solenoid air valve positioned in respective conduits fluidically connecting an air tank to the respective tracer tag fluid tanks. The air tank is configured to pressurize the respective tracer tag fluid tanks when the respective electrically actuated solenoid air valves are opened according to the injection sequence. The tracer tag fluid may be mixed with a hydrophilic co-monomer or ionic surfactant to make the tracer tag fluid compatible with a water based mud. The tracer tag fluid may be reverse emulsified to make the tracer tag fluid compatible with an oil based mud.

At312, responsive to pressurizing the respective tracer tag fluid tank, a respective check valve positioned in a respective second conduit fluidically connecting the respective tracer tag fluid tank to the wellbore is opened. At314, the respective check valve is maintained open for the injection duration to inject the respective tracer tag fluid into the wellbore.

At316, the electrically actuated solenoid air valve is shut to depressurize the respective tracer tag fluid tank. Simultaneously, buffer fluid is drawn from the buffer fluid tank into an injection manifold. The buffer fluid can be drawn from the buffer fluid tank by electrically actuating a respective solenoid air valve positioned in a conduit fluidically connecting an air tank to the buffer fluid tank. The air tank is configured to pressurize buffer fluid tank when the respective electrically actuated solenoid air valve is opened according to the injection sequence. At318, responsive to depressurizing the respective tracer tag fluid tank and drawing the buffer fluid into the injection manifold, the respective check valves is shut. At320, responsive to shutting the respective check valve, the injection of the respective tracer tag fluid into the wellbore is stopped.

At322, the synthesized polymeric nanoparticles bind to wellbore cuttings. At324, the synthesized polymeric nanoparticles bound to wellbore cuttings are pumped to the surface of the Earth. At326, the synthesized polymeric nanoparticles bound to the respective plurality of wellbore cuttings are collected. At328, the synthesized polymeric nanoparticles bound to the wellbore cuttings are analyzed. The synthesized polymeric nanoparticles bound to the wellbore cuttings cab be analyzed with a gas chromatography—mass spectrometry instrument including a pyrolyzer.

At330, a second tracer tag fluid is drawn from a second tracer tag fluid tank according to the injection concentration. At332, the second tracer tag fluid is injected into the wellbore according to the injection sequence.

Although the present implementations have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made hereupon without departing from the principle and scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, the scope of the present disclosure should be determined by the following claims and their appropriate legal equivalents.