IP Library Granted Patent US 12,385,334
Granted Patent B2
US 12,385,334 · App. 18/588,337 · Granted Aug 12, 2025

Controlling lost circulation while drilling

Inventor: Abdulrahman K. Aleid (Dhahran, SA)
Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
E21B21/003E21B34/08E21B49/0815E21B49/0875E21B49/088E21B2200/04
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,385,334
App. No.
18/588,337
Granted
Aug 12, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Techniques for controlling lost circulation while drilling include while drilling a wellbore, encountering a high-loss circulation zone by a bottomhole assembly; responsive to encountering the high-loss circulation zone, releasing a first lost circulation media retained within the bottomhole assembly; and receiving a second lost circulation media, by the bottomhole assembly, from circulation fluid circulated from a topside facility.

Claims (44)

1. A method, comprising:

while drilling a wellbore, encountering a high-loss circulation zone by a bottomhole assembly that comprises one or more actuable gates and a trigger;

responsive to encountering the high-loss circulation zone and to actuation of the actuable gates by the trigger, releasing a first lost circulation media retained within the bottomhole assembly;

capturing, with a camera of the bottomhole assembly, a first image of a portion of the high-loss circulation zone prior to release of the first lost circulation media from the bottomhole assembly in response to actuation of the one or more actuable gates by the trigger;

capturing with the camera, a second image of a portion of the high-loss circulation zone subsequent to release of the first lost circulation media from the bottomhole assembly in response to actuation of the one or more actuable gates by the trigger; and

receiving a second lost circulation media, by the bottomhole assembly, from circulation fluid circulated from a topside facility.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising releasing a sealant by the bottomhole assembly.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

subsequent to releasing the sealant, capturing, with the camera, a third image after the second lost circulation has been received by the bottomhole assembly.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein releasing the sealant by the bottomhole assembly comprises:

receiving a release signal subsequent to release of the first lost circulation media; and

based on the release signal, releasing the sealant from a sealing material reservoir through one or more sealing material nozzles.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the release signal is received in response to activation of the trigger to release the first lost circulation media retained within the bottomhole assembly.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the high-loss circulation zone is a first high-loss circulation zone, the method further comprising:

encountering a second high-loss circulation zone by the bottomhole assembly;

capturing, with the camera, a fourth image of the second high-loss circulation zone;

responsive to encountering the second high-loss circulation zone, releasing a third lost circulation media retained within the bottomhole assembly; and

receiving a fourth lost circulation media, by the bottomhole assembly, from circulation fluid circulated from a topside facility.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein a particle size of the third lost circulation media is substantially similar to the particle size of the first lost circulation media.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein a particle size of the fourth lost circulation media is substantially similar to the particle size of the second lost circulation media.

9. The method of claim 2 , wherein the sealant comprises resin.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first lost circulation media comprises larger particles than the second lost circulation media.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the trigger comprises a ball seat trigger, and releasing the first lost circulation media comprises:

receiving a ball by the ball seat trigger within the bottomhole assembly;

moving the ball seat trigger by a differential pressure across the seated ball; and

opening the one or more actuable gates retaining the lost circulation media by the moving ball seat trigger.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

capturing, with the camera, a third image after the second lost circulation has been received, by the bottomhole assembly.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

releasing a sealant by the by the bottomhole assembly prior to capturing the third image.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the high-loss circulation zone is a first high-loss circulation zone, the method further comprising:

encountering a second high-loss circulation zone by the bottomhole assembly;

capturing, with the camera, a fourth image of the second high-loss circulation zone;

responsive to encountering the second high-loss circulation zone, releasing a third lost circulation media retained within the bottomhole assembly; and

receiving a fourth lost circulation media, by the bottomhole assembly, from circulation fluid circulated from a topside facility.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein a particle size of the third lost circulation media is substantially similar to the particle size of the first lost circulation media.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein a particle size of the fourth lost circulation media is substantially similar to the particle size of the second lost circulation media.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising activating the trigger to release the first lost circulation media retained within the bottomhole assembly.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising actuating the one or more actuable gates by activating the trigger.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein actuating the one or more actuable gates comprises releasing the first lost circulation media retained within a lost circulation media reservoir in the bottomhole assembly.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the trigger comprises a ball seat trigger, and releasing the first lost circulation media comprises:

receiving a ball by the ball seat trigger within the bottomhole assembly;

moving the ball seat trigger by a differential pressure across the seated ball; and

opening the one or more actuable gates retaining the lost circulation media by the moving ball seat trigger.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 7, 2024
From: ALEID, ABDULRAHMAN K.
To: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
Reel/Frame 066685/0839 →
Continuity (2)
Division 17458032 · Aug 26, 2021
Related Publication 20240247554A1 · Jul 25, 2024
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