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Preparation, Performance Research and Field Application Practice of Temperature-Sensitive Lost Circulation Material
Wenzhe Zhang1,2, Jinsheng Sun1,3, Feng Shen2
1School of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, China.
Polymers
|September 13, 2025
Summary
Novel temperature-sensitive lost circulation material (TS-LCM) particles were developed to effectively seal fractures in oil and gas wells. These shape-memory polymer particles expand and adapt to seal unknown fracture widths, significantly improving plugging success rates and reducing drilling costs.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Petroleum Engineering
- Polymer Chemistry
Background:
- Drilling fluid losses into formation voids increase operational costs and nonproductive time.
- Conventional lost circulation materials are often ineffective when the size of the loss zone is unknown.
- Development of advanced materials is crucial for mitigating drilling fluid losses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize novel temperature-sensitive lost circulation material (TS-LCM) particles.
- To evaluate the sealing performance and adaptive sealing mechanism of the TS-LCM.
- To assess the effectiveness of TS-LCM in field applications for shale oil wells.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of TS-LCM particles using diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) and 4,4'-diaminodiphenyl methane.
- Analysis of molecular structure via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.
- Evaluation of thermal properties (glass transition temperature) using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC).
- Assessment of shape-memory properties, expansion, mechanical strength, and sealing performance under high temperature and pressure conditions using specialized testing apparatus.
Main Results:
- TS-LCM particles exhibit a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 70.24 °C, with shape recovery above Tg.
- Activated TS-LCM particles expand from flaky to cube shapes, effectively bridging and sealing fractures up to 4 mm wide without prior knowledge of the width.
- Field tests demonstrated a significant increase in plugging success rate (from 32% to 82.5%) and a reduction in drilling cycle time (average 14.3%).
Conclusions:
- The developed TS-LCM particles offer an efficient and adaptive solution for fluid loss control in fractured formations.
- TS-LCM exhibits excellent compatibility with saltwater-based drilling fluids and significantly enhances wellbore integrity.
- The material shows strong potential for widespread application in the oil and gas industry, particularly in challenging drilling environments.
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