Lost circulation material from drilling fluid packaging

Abstract

Drilling fluid used in borehole drilling is supplemented with a particulate additive obtained by shredding the packaging material in which the drilling fluid is supplied, for use as lost circulation material. This reduces the materials costs, shipping costs, and waste disposal costs associated with borehole drilling.

1 . In a method for drilling a bore hole at a worksite in a subterranean formation, said method comprising drilling said formation with a drill bit and, as said bore hole is being formed, circulating a drilling fluid through said bore hole and feeding lost circulation material into said bore hole to minimize loss of said drilling fluid into said formation, said drilling fluid having been transported to said formation in a package in which said drilling fluid is enclosed in packaging material,
 the improvement comprising shredding said packaging material after said package has been emptied of said drilling fluid, and using said packaging material thus shredded as at least a portion of said lost circulation material.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said improvement comprises using said packaging material thus shredded as all of said lost circulation material. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said improvement comprises shredding said packaging material to a particle size of less than or equal to ¼ inch. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said packaging material is paper. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said packaging material is plastic. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said packaging material is a combination of paper and plastic.