Lost Circulation Drilling Fluids Comprising Elastomeric Rubber Particles and a Method for Decreasing Whole Mud Loss Using Such Composition

• Main Author: FONTENOT JAMES BLAIR
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 08.01.2015
• Subjects: ADHESIVES; CHEMISTRY; DYES; EARTH DRILLING; EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FORELSEWHERE; METALLURGY; MINING; MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS; MISCELLANEOUS COMPOSITIONS; NATURAL RESINS; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR ASLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS; PAINTS; POLISHES; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

The disclosed invention is a unique drilling fluid composition and method for reducing lost mud circulation in wellbores due to seepage loss into fluid permeable subterranean formations. The drilling fluid composition comprises a variety of shapes and sizes of distinctive unadulterated elastomeric rubber particles derived from the tire retreading (recapping) process. These elastomeric rubber particles are incorporated into an aqueous, hydrocarbon, or synthetic drilling fluid in sufficient amounts as to plug holes, fractures, and fissures, form a mud cake, and thus stem the loss of drilling fluids from the lost circulation zone.