Unconventional Treatment Technologies to Control Lost Circulation in Fractured and Highly Permeable Formations; A Comprehensive Review

Zafari Dehkohneh, Hamid; Shahbazi, Khalil; Nazemi, Rasoul; Zaheri Abdehvand, Benyamin

doi:10.22059/jchpe.2026.378722.1532

Unconventional Treatment Technologies to Control Lost Circulation in Fractured and Highly Permeable Formations; A Comprehensive Review

Articles in Press

Document Type : Review paper

Authors

Hamid Zafari Dehkohneh

khalil shahbazi

Rasoul Nazemi

Benyamin Zaheri Abdehvand

Petroleum Engineering Department, Ahvaz Faculty of Petroleum, Petroleum University of Technology (PUT), Ahvaz, Iran

10.22059/jchpe.2026.378722.1532

Abstract

The lost of drilling fluid is seen as a significant cause of non-productive time (NPT) during drilling operations. Lost circulation is a frequent problem during drilling, casing running, completing, or cementing oil and gas wells. This phenomenon occurs when drilling fluid flows in formations with high permeability, natural fractures, and also in case of cavernous formations. Although the drilling fluid lost is costly, it also generates consequences that are not only even more expensive but can lead to the overall failure of the drilling operation. Different conventional solutions have been used to overcome the lost circulation problem including conventional lost circulation materials (LCMs), chemical sealants, hydratable pills, rigid plugs, gel polymers, and cement. Today, many changes have been made to different materials and compounds to achieve better, more applicable, and more useful products to cure different types of mud losses. This paper intends to present unconventional plugging fluids and new technologies to control lost circulation in highly permeable formations and fractured zones.

Keywords

Lost Circulation

Unconventional Plugging Fluid

Fractured Zones

New Technology

Lost Circulation Materials

Subjects