Methods of mitigating lost circulation while drilling a wellbore
US11035195B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 13, 2018 |
| Grant date | Jun 15, 2021 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 24, 2039 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC E)Fixed Constructions
- CPC primaryE21B33/138
- WIPO fieldCivil engineering
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
Methods of mitigating lost circulation while drilling a wellbore. The methods include circulating a drilling mud to a downhole end of the wellbore via a drill string and, during the circulating, drilling the wellbore with a drill bit of the drill string. The methods also include detecting lost circulation within the wellbore while drilling the wellbore and include providing a monomer solution to the wellbore. The methods further include providing a catalyst to the wellbore responsive to detecting the lost circulation event and combining the monomer solution and the catalyst to polymerize a monomer from the monomer solution, within the wellbore, and forming a viscous plug within the wellbore. Subsequent to the combining, the methods include flowing at least a portion of the viscous plug within the wellbore and into a zone of lost circulation that extends within a subsurface region. The methods further include at least partially occluding fluid flow from the wellbore and into the zone of lost circulation with the viscous plug.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.