Evaluation of formation damages during filter cake deposition and removal process: The effect of primary damage on secondary damage

The properties of oil and gas formation could be significantly damaged during drilling and completion operations as a result of mud invasion, fluid incompatibility and interaction with rock minerals. This paper presents a systematic method for evaluating formation damage during filter cake deposition (primary damage) and removal process (secondary damage). The role of primary damage in the evolution of secondary damage was also investigated. The interaction of the filter cake solvent (chelating agent solution) with the rock samples was implemented through core flooding experiment. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) was used to evaluate the properties of the rock sample, pre and post filter cake deposition and removal processes. The results show that secondary damaged is a strong function of the location and the intensity of the primary damage. The rock type and its pore structure also play important roles in both primary and secondary damage. The extent of secondary damage depends on the amount of barium sulphate deposited during primary damage. The chelating agent used to dissolve the barites in sandstones, deposited the barite in the small pores while it enlarges the bigger pores. In contrast, the chelating agent in the carbonate samples had multiple barite deposition points.