Palygorskite has shown satisfactory performance in salted water-based fluids, especially as a rheological agent. However, this type of formulation has been used in the petroleum industry only in well drilling operations. This study proposes the development of a salted water-based fluid with palygorskite, which presents an adequate performance as a liquid barrier element in temporary abandonment operations of wells. Based on a factorial design, seven fluid formulations were prepared with varying concentrations of palygorskite and PAC LV and were tested by measuring the HPHT filtrate volume, rheological properties, density, and pH. For comparison purposes, the results of the seven formulations were evaluated against a formulation without palygorskite and analyzed for their performance in abandonment operations. The results showed that the presence of palygorskite reduces filtrate volumes by at least 21%, thereby helping control the pressure exerted by the fluid column, which is the primary requirement for abandonment operations. Furthermore, the fluid that contained the highest amount of palygorskite and PAC LV (20 g and 8 g, respectively) showed the best results regarding filtrate control (11.2 mL) and solid sedimentation. Therefore, it is a very promising alternative for use as a well barrier element in the temporary abandonment of wells.

Formation damage caused by wellbore fluids remains a key concern in carbonate reservoirs, where pore plugging and filtrate invasion can severely reduce permeability. This study investigates the influence of filtrate-control components in cellulose-based polymeric fluids on the potential for formation damage in carbonate rocks and evaluates the performance of HPA starch as an alternative to cellulose, focusing on its comparative effects on formation permeability. Experimental tests were performed using Indiana Limestone cores to measure filtration behavior and permeability recovery after exposure to different polymeric solutions. The results revealed distinct mechanisms associated with each additive: PAC LV controlled fluid loss mainly by adsorption and pore plugging, while HPA starch formed more deformable and permeable structures. Glycerin, when used alone, did not induce formation damage but increased fluid viscosity, favoring more stable dispersion of the polymeric phase. Micronized calcite enhanced external cake consolidation through particle bridging. The combined use of PAC LV, glycerin, and calcite provided the most efficient filtration control and minimized formation damage. These findings contribute to understanding the isolated and synergistic roles of filtrate-control agents and support the design of optimized polymer-based fluids for well intervention and abandonment operations.

Plug and abandonment (P&A) operations demand valuable time and resources with operational procedures and materials to establish the well barrier element. This study proposes the use of a water-based fluid as a liquid well barrier element for temporary abandonment, based on esti-mates of its lifespan and survival probability on downhole conditions acquired through acceler-ated life tests. For that, the water-based formulation was tested and exposed to 95, 110, 140 and 150°C, for time intervals ranging from 1 to 10 days. After temperature exposure, the fluid prop-erties were verified and failure was detected by accounting for any deterioration in rheological parameters and/or a substantial increase in filtrate volume. Statistical analysis of failure data was performed in R software using Weibull Model, and fluid average lifespan and survival probability were estimated for P&A temperatures. The results obtained demonstrates that the degradation of the fluid only was observed for 140 and 150°C and is mostly related to the CMC deterioration. The reliability metrics shows that until 80°C the fluid is a promising alternative for temporary abandonment, with no need of monitoring. For higher downhole temperatures, theses metrics should be considered to define the maximum time of operation and requirements for monitoring management in the operation design.

This study aims to evaluate how the operational procedure adopted for pellet placement and the exposure to subsurface conditions influence the mechanical integrity of bentonite plugs used as barrier elements in the abandonment of petroleum wells. To this end, the plugs were formed by hydrating the pellets directly in water, simulating the onshore procedure, while the offshore plugs were obtained from pellets hydrated in deionized water after immersion in diesel or olefin, which are suggested as displacement fluids. The plugs obtained were tested by compression and adhesion tests. These mechanical tests were also carried out for specimens obtained from plugs exposed to four formulations of synthetic formation waters. The results obtained demonstrated that, in the offshore procedure, the previous contact with olefin may adversely affects the mechanical stability of bentonite plugs, while plugs formed from pellets immersed in diesel presented satisfactory mechanical properties. However, the contact with formation water evidenced that the onshore plug presents superior resistance than the offshore plug previously immersed in diesel. The highly successful performance of the onshore plug was attested by the maintenance of the compressive strength, which exhibited a maximum reduction of 13%, even after exposure to the most saline formation waters.

Glycerin-based fluids are proposed as a promising alternative to inhibited fluids in the drilling of highly-reactive formations. However, even with the use of these fluids, it is still possible to observe the occurrence of problems related to the balling of drill bits and drill pipes, such as the agglomeration and accretion of cuttings. This study aims to analyze how the interaction between expandable minerals from reactive formations and glycerin-based drilling fluids affects the stability of oil wells, focusing on the occurrence and extent of the accretion phenomenon. For this purpose, bentonite pellets were characterized regarding their mineralogical composition and plastic behavior. In addition, accretion tests were performed in order to evaluate the interaction between bentonite pellets and glycerin-based drilling fluids containing different types of inhibitors. The results revealed that the pellets were predominantly composed of interstratified illite–smectite (IS) clay minerals and presented highly plastic properties with a high degree of expansion. Furthermore, it was found that the accretion percentages were significant for all the fluids studied, at higher than 58%. Therefore, it was found that using glycerin in drilling fluids did not stabilize expandable minerals in reactive formations, even with different expansion inhibitors, which were ineffective in reducing the rock expansibility.

One of the operational challenges regarding the use of bentonite pellets as sealing materials in the abandonment of offshore fields consists of their placement inside the well. This study aimed to analyze the interaction of fluid media, consisting of saline solutions (NaCl, CaCl₂ and KCl) and organic compounds (diesel, glycerin and olefin), with bentonite pellets, for their applications as displacement fluids in offshore oil well abandonment operations. The physical integrity of the bentonite pellets in contact with the fluids was verified through visual inspections and dispersibility tests. Linear swelling tests were also performed to evaluate the swelling potentials of the pellets in deionized water after their contact with the fluid media. The results indicated that the NaCl, CaCl₂ and KCl solutions completely compromised the physical integrity of the pellets, while diesel and olefin showed the best responses regarding the structural preservation. Furthermore, the linear swelling tests showed that, even after the contact with diesel and olefin for 1 h, the bentonite pellets reached a total swelling of 78% in water after 24 h. In this way, diesel and olefin proved to be highly promising alternatives to be used as displacement fluids for bentonite pellets in wells that will be abandoned in a submarine environment.