Lost Circulation in Geothermal Wells: Research and Development Status at Sandia

Abstract

The most common severe problems encountered in drilling and completing geothermal wells are lost circulations (loss of fluid returns to the surface), stuck pipe, and inadequate cementing. Lost circulation is the single most costly and troublesome well development problem; it may also cause or aggravate stuck pipe and cementing problems. Sandia National Laboratories is conducting an aggressive research and development program aimed at understanding and solving lost circulation problems. The program is aimed at finding and characterizing loss zone, modeling and dynamics of zone plugging, testing materials and techniques in the laboratory, and developing systematic procedures for field use in combating lost circulation. Significant work ahs been completed in instrumentation, materials testing, and numerical modeling. Work devising an "expert" system for fluid loss control has begun.