Controlling Losses When Recompleting Low-Pressure Reservoirs

A challenge in many permeable, water-sensitive, subhydrostatic reservoirs is avoiding the loss of completion fluid when completing or working over wells. To overcome the limitation of conventional fluid-loss-control pills, a low-viscosity system was developed. The system is composed of a viscous disproportionate permeability modifier (VDPM) with sized synthetic polymer particles and fibers, which degrade into organic acids. The VDPM reduces the effective permeability to water-based fluids, and the sized particles create an impermeable filter cake.