While drilling the 12¼-in hole section of a water injector well at 1,860 m in Iraq, the operator encountered static lost circulation at a rate of 50 m³/h. Despite deploying 14 conventional plugs to mitigate the losses, none were successful. Drilling operations stalled for 14 days, creating significant NPT. As a result, the operator sought support from SLB to resolve the issue.
SLB recommended Losseal Max HT lost circulation control treatment, the latest SLB technology for severe lost circulation events. The treatment’s blend of solids and fibers is designed for easy mixing and preparation to reduce downtime at the wellsite. It is applicable to lost circulation scenarios for moderate to severe or total losses in land and offshore environments.
The SLB well integrity team immediately mobilized to the wellsite and pumped 100 bbl of the Losseal Max HT treatment. Following the treatment, well circulation was restored, reducing dynamic losses from 50 m³/h to 2 m³/h. A 35-barrel thixotropic cement squeeze was then applied and eliminated the losses. The operator was able to continue drilling to the section’s total depth, then run the intermediate casing string and complete the primary cement job without any further losses.
By responding quickly, mobilizing resources efficiently, and applying effective remediation measures, the use of the Losseal Max HT treatment successfully mitigated the losses and allowed the operation to continue.
