Abstract: Apparatus and methods for simulation of bore hole fractures are disclosed. A device for simulating a fracture in a subterranean formation comprises a housing, a gap in the housing, and one or more shims positioned inside the gap. The shims cover at least a portion of a surface of a wall forming the gap. The device further comprises an inlet for directing a sample fluid into the gap. The sample fluid flows through the gap and flows out of the gap through an outlet.

Abstract: The physical properties of a fluid may be used in deriving the compositional properties of the fluid, which may, in turn, be used to influence an operational parameters of a drilling operation. For example, a method may include drilling a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation with a drilling fluid as part of a drilling operation; circulating or otherwise containing the drilling fluid in a flow path that comprises the wellbore; measuring at least one physical property of the drilling fluid at a first location and a second location along the flow path; deriving a compositional property of the drilling fluid at the first location and the second location based on the at least one physical property that was measured; comparing the compositional property of the drilling fluid at the first location and the second location; and changing an operational parameter of the drilling operation based on the comparison.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for the real-time detection and measurement of sag within a deviated borehole. One method includes measuring a first pressure at a first time at a point within the borehole, predicting a characteristic of the drilling fluid at the point using a computer model, thereby obtaining a predicted characteristic, calculating the characteristic based on the first pressure, thereby obtaining a calculated characteristic, and determining whether sag has occurred based on a comparison between the calculated characteristic and the predicted characteristic.

Abstract: A drilling fluid conditioning system can include a centrifuge, and at least one heat transfer property sensor that outputs real time measurements of a heat transfer property of a drilling fluid that flows through the centrifuge. A method can include measuring a heat transfer property of a drilling fluid, and determining, based on the measured heat transfer property, an operational parameter of a centrifuge through which the drilling fluid flows. A well system can include a drilling fluid that circulates through a wellbore, and a drilling fluid conditioning system including a centrifuge and at least one heat transfer property sensor that measures a heat transfer property of the drilling fluid.

Abstract: A disclosed dynamic receiver includes a housing defining a receiver chamber and having a first end cap at one end of the housing and a second end cap at an opposing end of the housing, a flexure membrane arranged within the receiver chamber and providing a membrane wall having a first end that is closed and arranged adjacent a fluid inlet into the receiver chamber and a second end that is open and secured to an inner wall of the receiver chamber, and a piston assembly movably arranged in the receiver chamber and including a piston head and a piston rod extending axially from the piston head, wherein, as filtrate from a test fluid enters the fluid inlet, the filtrate acts on the flexure membrane such that hydraulic fluid disposed within the membrane cavity is displaced and thereby moves the piston assembly axially within the receiver chamber.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for monitoring drilling fluids. One system includes a flow path containing a fluid having at least one component present therein, and a movable housing having at least one optical computing device configured to move with the movable housing along a detection path, the at least one optical computing device including at least one integrated computational element (ICE) configured to optically interact with the fluid over the detection path, wherein the at least one ICE is configured to detect a characteristic of the at least one component and generate an output signal corresponding to the characteristic.

Abstract: Methods of drilling or treating a well including the steps of: designing a fluid with high-gravity solids (e.g., barite); calculating the sagged fluid mud weight after allowing for sag according to formulas; forming a fluid according to the sagged fluid mud weight; and introducing the fluid into the well. The methods can be used to help control the well or to avoid excessive drilling torque or pressure, kick, or lost circulation due to sag of high-gravity solids such as barite.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for simulation of bore hole fractures are disclosed. A device for simulating a fracture in a subterranean formation comprises a housing, a gap in the housing, and one or more shims positioned inside the gap. The shims cover at least a portion of a surface of a wall forming the gap. The device further comprises an inlet for directing a sample fluid into the gap. The sample fluid flows through the gap and flows out of the gap through an outlet.

Abstract: The present invention provides for methods of treating a fluid loss zone in a wellbore in a subterranean formation including providing interlocking notched particulates having an outer face comprising at least one notch therethrough; wherein the at least one notch has a shape and an inner perimeter value; providing interlocking protruding particulates having an outer perimeter portion that protrudes in an approximate equivalent to the shape and value of the inner perimeter of the at least one notch; introducing the interlocking protruding particulates and the interlocking notched particulates into the wellbore in the subterranean formation; interlocking the interlocking protruding particulates and the interlocking notched particulates through the at least one notch to form an interlocking network of at least one interlocking protruding particulate and at least one interlocking notched particulate; sealing at least a portion of the fluid loss zone.

Abstract: A method of predictive modeling of a treatment fluid comprises: determining the value of properties of a base fluid and insoluble particulates; providing a proposed suspending agent; performing a first calculation of the suspendability of the proposed suspending agent as determined by a yield gravity function equation; evaluating if the result from the first calculation indicates a stable treatment fluid comprising the base fluid, the insoluble particulates, and the proposed suspending agent, or if the result does not indicate a stable treatment fluid, then: modifying the value of at least one of the properties of the proposed suspending agent, base fluid, and/or insoluble particulate; and performing a second calculation, wherein the same or different property values are continued to be modified and the calculation is continued to be performed until the result indicates a stable treatment fluid; and introducing the stable treatment fluid into a wellbore.

Abstract: System, methods and devices for analyzing drilling fluids are presented herein. A fluid analysis system for determining at least one characteristic of a drilling fluid is disclosed. The system includes a pump and two reversible fluid ports each configured, when in a first state, to intake drilling fluid into the fluid analysis system and, when in a second state, to expel drilling fluid from the fluid analysis system. A valve fluidly couples the reversible fluid ports to the pump. The valve controls the respective states of the reversible fluid ports. At least one measurement module is fluidly coupled to the pump to receive drilling fluid therefrom. The at least one measurement module is configured to determine at least one characteristic of the drilling fluid. Filters can be fluidly coupled with each of the reversible fluid ports. The filters prevent solids of a predetermined size from entering the fluid analysis system.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining a formation/fluid interaction of a target formation and a target drilling fluid is described herein. The method may include training an artificial neural network using a training data set. The training data set may include a formation characteristic of a source formation and a fluid characteristic of a source drilling fluid and experimental data on source formation/fluid interaction. Once the artificial neural network is trained, a formation characteristic of the target formation and fluid characteristic of target drilling fluid may be input. The formation characteristic of the target formation may correspond to the formation characteristic of the source formation. The fluid characteristic of the target drilling fluid may correspond to the fluid characteristic of the source drilling fluid. A formation/fluid interaction of the target formation and the target drilling fluid may be determined using a value output by the artificial neural network.

Abstract: A method of predictive modeling of a treatment fluid comprises: determining the value of properties of a base fluid and insoluble particulates; providing a proposed suspending agent; performing a first calculation of the suspendability of the proposed suspending agent as determined by a yield gravity function equation; evaluating if the result from the first calculation indicates a stable treatment fluid comprising the base fluid, the insoluble particulates, and the proposed suspending agent, or if the result does not indicate a stable treatment fluid, then: modifying the value of at least one of the properties of the proposed suspending agent, base fluid, and/or insoluble particulate; and performing a second calculation, wherein the same or different property values are continued to be modified and the calculation is continued to be performed until the result indicates a stable treatment fluid; and introducing the stable treatment fluid into a wellbore.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for monitoring drilling fluid components in real time. One system includes solids control equipment fluidly coupled to a borehole and configured to receive drilling fluid from the borehole, the solids control equipment having a first optical computing device arranged adjacent the inlet and configured to optically interact with the drilling fluid as it enters the solids control equipment and thereby generate a first output signal corresponding to a characteristic of the drilling fluid, a second optical computing device arranged adjacent the outlet and configured to optically interact with the drilling fluid as it exits the solids control equipment and thereby generate a second output signal corresponding to the characteristic of the drilling fluid, and a signal processor communicably coupled to the first and second optical computing devices and configured to receive the first and second output signals and provide a resulting output signal.

Abstract: A treatment fluid comprises: a metal oxide, wherein the metal oxide is capable of forming a chelate complex or coordination complex with a ligand, wherein the chelate complex or coordination complex has a setting time of less than 90 minutes at a temperature of 71° F. and a pressure of 1 atmosphere. A method of treating a portion of a subterranean formation comprises: introducing the treatment fluid into the subterranean formation; allowing or causing a chelate complex or coordination complex to form between the metal oxide and a ligand; and allowing or causing the chelate complex or coordination complex to set.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for simulation of bore hole fractures are disclosed. A device for simulating a fracture in a subterranean formation comprises a housing, an inlet for directing a sample fluid to the housing, and a first disk and a second disk positioned within the housing. The second disk is movable relative to the first disk to form an adjustable gap between the first disk and the second disk and the sample fluid flows through the adjustable gap. A common collector receives at least a portion of the sample fluid that flows through at least one of the first disk and the second disk.

Abstract: A method of wellbore strengthening may include providing a wellbore strengthening fluid comprising a drilling fluid, a particulate, and a fiber; introducing the wellbore strengthening fluid into a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation; and forming a plug comprising the particulate and the fiber in a void near the wellbore, the plug being capable of maintaining integrity at about 1000 psi or greater overbalance pressure.

Abstract: Methods including providing a wellbore in a subterranean formation having at least one pore opening; providing a proposed wellbore operation; providing a proposed treatment fluid; providing proposed FLCM particulates; calculating the suspendability of the proposed FLCM particulates in the proposed treatment fluid as determined by a yield gravity function based on properties of the proposed treatment fluid and properties of the proposed FLCM particulates or as determined by an experimental FLCM function; manipulating at least one of the properties of the proposed treatment fluid, the properties of the proposed FLCM particulates, or the proposed wellbore operation based on the yield gravity function or the experimental FLCM function so as to produce a FLCM-suspension treatment fluid; and introducing the FLCM-suspension treatment fluid into the wellbore in the subterranean formation so as to contact the at least one pore opening.

Abstract: Equipment associated with a gelled fluid may be manipulated based on a stress response of the gelled fluid as determined by a gel microstructure destruction model comprising an equivalent work integral function. Further, systems and devices may be configured to manipulated equipment associated with a gelled fluid based on a stress response of the gelled fluid as determined by a gel microstructure destruction model comprising an equivalent work integral function.

Abstract: Methods of treatment subterranean formations including providing a treatment fluid comprising a base fluid and a lubricating agent, wherein the lubricating agent is selected from the group consisting of bismuth dialkyl dithiophosphate; tungsten disulfide; a mixture of micronized graphite and micronized metal disulfide; and any combination thereof; and introducing the treatment fluid into a wellbore in the subterranean formation.