Review and prospect of bridging plugging technology in fractured formation

In China, 83% of deep oil and gas remains to be developed, and it is a major strategic task to secure national energy security to enter deep oil and gas resources. However, lost circulation in fractured formation is the key “stuck neck” problem restricting ultra-deep oil and gas drilling. The research and development of special plugging materials to form efficient plugging technology and improve the success rate of plugging in deep fractured formations is one of the focuses of current research and practice in drilling engineering field. Bridge plugging is one of the most commonly used plugging techniques in fractured leakage formation. Therefore, this paper gives a detailed review on the bridging plugging technology of fractured formation, summarizes the classification of bridging plugging materials, the mechanism of action, the design method and composition of bridging plugging formula, expounds the mechanism of improving the stability of the bridging plugging layer of fractured formation and pressure plugging mechanism, and clarifies the formation, failure and structural evolution mechanism of the bridging plugging layer. Meanwhile, the development prospect of fracture formation bridging plugging technology is prospected, which is of great significance for realizing efficient and safe drilling, speeding up the process of ultra-deep oil and gas development, and ensuring national energy security.