Building a Better Pack Using a Solid-Free Non-Aqueous Carrier Fluid for α-β wave gravel packs

The operational practice of drilling wells with a nonaqueous fluid (NAF) followed by traditional completion brine carrier fluid concerns the operators when the borehole section has interbedded shales. Also, a large number of production wells in sandstone reservoirs require sand control due to the poorly consolidated formations, and open-hole gravel pack (OHGP) is still a popular sand control method. Significant progress has been made in the development of fluid systems for gravel packing with either water-based or oil-based fluid. However, drilling of build-up and horizontal sections in a single step, followed by alpha-beta wave gravel pack, is still a challenge that requires a Newtonian NAF fluid. In order to guarantee superior wellbore stability, lubricity, and shale inhibition in those long sections, a new type of nonaqueous fluids with internal phase brine were developed for use as a carrier medium to perform alpha-beta wave gravel packs. These fluids are designed to provide Newtonian behavior, minimum viscosity, proper gravel wetting and minimum formation damage. This article presents the results on the optimization of the low shear rheological behavior of the non-aqueous gravel carrier fluid. Selected carrier fluids formulations were evaluated for use as a gravel pack carrier fluid in a large-scale acrylic flow loop. The results showed that a proper alpha-beta wave gravel deposition is obtained with the designed NAF that have minimal viscosity variation at low shear rate.