Ultrasonic Removal of Near Wellbore Damage Caused by Fines and Mud Solids

SPE Drilling & Completio
Abstract

Laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the feasibility of using ultrasonic energy to reduce formation damage caused by fines and mud solids. Cores were damaged with drilling muds in a dynamic filtration cell. Damage due to fines migration was simulated using fresh water injection. The damaged cores were then treated with ultrasonic energy at various frequencies and intensities. Experiments were conducted with fully brine saturated cores and cores partially saturated with decane. The permeability was monitored as a function of ultrasonic treatment time, during backflow, for three different sections of each core. The permeability increase, the depth of treatment and the ultrasonic energy requirements were investigated for both sandstone and limestone cores. The results showed that the permeability increased by a factor of 3 to 7 after ultrasonic treatment for cores that were damaged by mud solids and fines migration. Treatment was successful for frequencies of approximately 20-80 KHz and acoustic intensities of approximately 20-250 W/m2. For these wavefield parameters, the effective depth of treatment for reducing fines damage was approximately 2.5 inches. Damage caused by mud infiltration penetrated only the first 2.5 inches of the cores and, thus, ultrasonic treatment had no effect on deeper sections.

 

 

Date Published
09/1995
Volume
10
Issue
03
Number of Pages
193-197
DOI
10.2118/27388-PA
Other Numbers
SPE 27388-PA