Formation damage is a critical concern in the efficient development of conventional oil and gas reservoirs, as any alteration of the target rock's permeability can result in substantial productivity losses and elevated operational and economic costs. This phenomenon encompasses a set of physical, chemical, and mechanical processes that occur during the drilling, completion, stimulation, and even production phases, with effects that may manifest both in the short and long term. Quantitatively, permeability losses associated with formation damage may range from 10% to 50%—or even higher, with field experience reporting up to 80%—of the reservoir's original capacity. The impact is particularly severe in mature fields undergoing secondary or tertiary recovery programs, as well as in wells drilled or completed using water injection or other fluid-based treatments ("products"). Formation Damage From a scientific perspective, formation damage is defined as any adverse change in the petrophysical properties of the porous medium—particularly effective porosity, pore size distribution, and hydraulic conductivity—caused by fluid invasion, precipitate formation, or fine particle mobilization. These processes can be grouped into three main categories:
Cabello et al. (Mon,) studied this question.