A New Type of Plugging Material For Egs: Shape Memory Polymer

The hot dry rock developed by EGS (Enhanced Geothermal System) is called "the future of geothermal energy". EGS drilling often encounters large fractures or fracture holes, and serious lost circulation of drilling fluid occurs under differential pressure. Lost circulation increases costs, causes reservoir damage and insufficient productivity, and even boreholes abandoned, which is an important factor restricting the commercial development of EGS. Conventional plugging materials have poor adaptability and insufficient high-temperature resistance, and the success rate of one-time plugging in geothermal drilling is low. Shape memory polymer (SMP) is a new type of intelligent plugging material successfully applied in oil and gas drilling, which is expected to provide innovative solutions for EGS plugging. By analyzing the literature, this paper expounds the research status and plugging mechanism of SMP, discusses the feasibility and technical approach of applying SMP to EGS drilling fluid plugging, and proposes the research direction of SMP materials for EGS. This research has been funded by the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant No. 2023M730947).