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Innovative dynamic flooding design to evaluate the formation damage induced by nanoparticles-contained drilling fluids: X-ray CT insights in reservoir carbonates

par Faisal, Rasan Sarbast;Salih, Namam N.M.;Kamal, Ibtisam I.M.;Préat, Alain
Référence Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology, 15, 11, 166
Publication Publié, 2025-11

Article révisé par les pairs

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Résumé :

Enhancing the performance of drilling fluids by incorporating nanoparticles has significantly advanced drilling engineering, enabling the development of fluids with improved rheology, controlled fluid loss, and enhanced wellbore stability. Understanding the behavior of these advanced drilling fluids is essential for optimizing wellbore stability and minimizing formation damage. X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) is a high-resolution, non-destructive imaging technique widely used in petroleum and geoscience-related fields for quantitative analysis and 3D visualization. This study presents, for the first time, detailed Computed Tomography Number (CTN) measurements and 3D imaging of mud cakes and carbonate reservoir samples subjected to nanoparticle-based drilling fluids. The application of CT scanning provides crucial insights into mud cake structure and its role in stabilizing the wellbore. To investigate this, a novel dynamic high pressure high temperature (HPHT) filtration loop was designed to assess formation damage using drilling fluids enriched with green magnetite nanoparticles (NPs) and chitosan-coated green magnetite NPs. After circulating the drilling fluids through the loop, the produced mud cakes and core samples were analyzed using CT scanners. The captured X-ray images were processed with Hipax and Radiant Viewer to evaluate petrophysical properties such as porosity, permeability, density, and structural integrity. The results confirmed that high-performance water-based drilling fluids could mitigate formation damage in carbonate formations when formulated with an optimum concentration of 0.92% chitosan-coated magnetite NPs. The base drilling mud resulted in the highest formation damage, reducing porosity and permeability by 47.6% and 85.63%, respectively, compared to only 3.33% and 9.8% reductions using the new nanoparticle-based drilling fluid system. This study highlights the effectiveness of CT scanning for analyzing mud cake properties and assessing its role in protecting the formation from damage.