The article explores the topic of the quality of materials used to isolate lost circulation zones when drilling oil wells at the facilities of Rosneft Oil Company. The article provides an example of data analysis on the quality of lost circulation materials (LCM). The analysis revealed shortcomings in existing approaches among manufacturers and service organizations to quality control of LCM based on fractionated materials. The quality indicators used for LCM are difficult to interpret from the point of view of practical application. To control the quality of colmatants the authors, based on world experience, proposed monitoring the size of LCM particles using the values of the percentiles of the particle size distribution (PSD). The article provides definitions of the terms used in mathematical statistics and their description from a practical point of view. Methods for visualizing PSD data of colmatants known in the literature are presented. PSD percentiles are determined by calculation based on the results of analysis of the fractional composition by different methods. The choice of analysis technique depends on several criteria described in the article. Sieve analysis (SA) is the most common and accessible method for analyzing the particle size of bulk materials. Based on the methodology for calculating the main percentiles of the PSD, the authors developed special requirements for the SA methodology to increase the accuracy of the calculation. As a result, a new technique for controlling the main percentiles of PSD using the sieve analysis method was developed, implemented and certified. The article provides a complete description of the analysis methodology and an example of calculating the main percentiles based on SA data. The proposed approach to LCM quality control lays the foundation for increasing the efficiency of LCM technology during the construction of wells at the facilities. The article is intended for specialists in the oil and gas industry, manufacturing enterprises, and research organizations involved in the production, application and quality control of LCM used in well drilling.
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