Open Access

ARTICLE

Experimental Development and Optimization of a Particle-Fiber-Powder Composite Temporary Plugging System for Diversion Fracturing

Xiaoyong Wen¹, Hongjiang Zou², Zhiwen Li¹, Jianan Li², Chengwang Wang¹, Yugong Wang², Wenxiong Wang¹, Fa Yang², Hanxi Peng³, Zhenglan Li^3,*

1 Oil and Gas Technology Research Institute, Changqing Oilfield Company, PetroChina, National Engineering Laboratory for Exploration and Development of Low-Permeability Oil and Gas Fields, Xi’an, China
2 Drilling and Production Engineering Technology Research Institute, CNPC Chuanqing Drilling Engineering Company Limited, National Engineering Laboratory for Exploration and Development of Low-Permeability Oil and Gas Fields, Guanghan, China
3 State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, China

* Corresponding Author: Zhenglan Li. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Fluid and Thermal Dynamics in the Development of Unconventional Resources IV)

Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing 2026, 22(7), 10 https://doi.org/10.32604/fdmp.2026.085796

Received 18 May 2026; Accepted 15 July 2026; Issue published 31 July 2026

Abstract

This study develops a particle-fiber-powder composite temporary plugging system and systematically investigates the dynamic plugging behavior of single-component, binary, and ternary formulations to elucidate the mechanisms governing plug formation and optimize material composition for diversion fracturing applications. Conventional temporary plugging materials often exhibit inadequate plug formation, limited pressure-bearing capacity, and poor plugging stability, compromising stimulation effectiveness in heterogeneous reservoirs. Experimental results show that neither the particle-only nor the particle-powder system can establish a stable load-bearing structure, resulting in poor plugging performance. In contrast, fiber incorporation fundamentally transforms weak particle bridging into a mechanically stable plug, with a distinct concentration threshold governing this transition. The addition of powder to the particle-fiber system further accelerates plug formation and enhances plug compactness by reducing pore connectivity. Among the formulations investigated, the ternary system containing 1 wt% particles, 0.5 wt% fibers, and 4 wt% powder exhibits the highest pressure-bearing capacity, achieving a maximum plugging pressure of 13.97 MPa, whereas increasing the powder concentration to 5 wt% produces the shortest plug formation time. Based on these findings, a synergistic plugging mechanism is proposed in which particles form the primary load-bearing skeleton, fibers reinforce and stabilize the particle framework, and powder densifies the pore structure to improve sealing integrity.

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Keywords

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