During drilling operations of oil and gas, geothermal, ground source heat pump heat exchangers and other wells, problems occur from an imbalance of pressures between the formation pore pressure and the wellbore. Many of these problems can be solved by injecting and setting SPI gels into the problem formation.

Click here for a larger view. (Problem Zone)

Click here for a larger view. (SPI Treated)

"Lost Circulation Zone" issues can be resolved by pumping a small volume of fast setting, high strength SPI gels into the problem zone, allowing full mud circulation in the wellbore and continued drilling. SPI gels can prevent the loss of these expensive drilling muds.

Pumping a small volume of fast setting, high strength SPI gels can solve the problem of high volume (mostly water) influx from a formation during air, underbalanced or managed-pressure drilling of wells. Such problems can stop drilling or cause an expensive conversion to lower efficiency mud drilling. SPI gels can reduce or prevent further high volume influx so that drilling can continue. When using our SPI Gel Technology, disposal of high volumes of salt water and conversion to slower mud drilling are expensive choices that can be avoided.

At this time preplanning is required to perform these treatments on a rapid response basis. Once a problem zone in a given area is identified by an operator, SPI can be put on standby notice for such treatments.