Cinemática de partículas em fluidos de viscosidade variável com o tempo e sua aplicação na construção de poços de petróleo: avaliação durante paradas operacionais

The new oil reservoirs discoveries in onshore and ultra deep water offshore fields and complex trajectories require the optimization of procedures to reduce the stops operation during the well drilling, especially because the platforms and equipment high cost, and risks which are inherent to the operation. Among the most important aspects stands out the drilling fluids project and their behavior against different situations that may occur during the process. By means of sedimentation experiments, a correlation has been validated to determe the sedimentation particles velocity in variable viscosity fluids over time, applying the correction due to effective viscosity that is a shear rate and time function. The viscosity evolution over time was obtained by carrying out rheologic tests using a fixed shear rate, small enough to not interfere in the fluid gelling process. With the sedimentation particles velocity and the fluid viscosity over time equations an iterative procedure was proposed to determine the particles displacement over time. These equations were implemented in a case study to simulate the cuttings sedimentation generated in the oil well drilling during stops operation, especially in the connections and tripping, allowing the drilling fluid project in order to maintain the cuttings in suspension, avoiding risks, such as stuck pipe and in more drastic conditions, the loss of the well

Incorporação de resíduo cerâmico para prevenção da retrogressão da resistência de cimentos de poços de petróleo submetidos à injeção de vapor

Steam injection is the most used thermal recovery method of oil nowadays because of the high degree of development of the technique that allows high recovery factors. However, injection of superheated steam into the reservoir affects the entire structure of the well, including the cemented layer that presents a retrogression of compressive strength and increases the permeability due to formation of more crystalline and denser phases at temperatures above 110 °C. These changes result in failures in the cement that favor the entrance of formation fluids into the annulus space resulting in unsafe operations and restrictions in the economic life of the well. But the strength retrogression can be prevented by partial replacement of cement by silica-based materials that reduce the CaO/SiO2 ratio of cement slurries changing the trajectory of the reactions, converting those deleterious phases in phases with satisfactory mechanical strength and permeability. The aim of this study was to evaluate the behavior of a ceramic waste material rich in silica in partial and total substitution of a mineral additive used to fight the strength retrogression of cement slurries subjected to high temperatures. The evaluation was made by compression, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetry (TG/DTG). The samples were submitted to a cycle of low temperature (38 °C) for 28 days and a cycle of low temperature followed by exposure to 280 ºC and 1000 psi by 3 days. The results showed that slurries with additions of up to 30% of the waste material are not enough to prevent the strength retrogression, while slurries with additions of the waste material combined with silica flour in various proportions produced hydrated products of low Ca/Si ratios that maintained the compressive strength at satisfactory levels

Efeito da adição de cargas minerais leves na resistência mecânica de grautes para cimentação de poços offshore

The preparation of cement slurries for offshore well cementing involves mixing all solid components to be added to the mixing water on the platform. The aim of this work was to study the formulation of pre-prepared dry mixtures, or grouts, for offshore oilwell cementing. The addition of mineral fillers in the strength of lightweight grouts applied for depths down to 400 m under water depths of 500 m was investigated. Lightweight materials and fine aggregates were selected. For the choice of starting materials, a study of the pozzolanic activity of low-cost fillers such as porcelain tile residue, microsilica and diatomaceous earth was carried out by X-ray diffraction and mechanical strength tests. Hardened grouts containing porcelain tile residue and microsilica depicted high strength at early ages. Based on such preliminary investigation, a study of the mechanical strength of grouts with density 1.74 g/cm3 (14.5 lb/gal) cured initially at 27 °C was performed using cement, microsilica, porcelain tile residue and an anti-foaming agent. The results showed that the mixture containing 7% of porcelain tile residue and 7% of microsilica was the one with the highest compressive strength after curing for 24 hours. This composition was chosen to be studied and adapted for offshore conditions based on testes performed at 4 °C. The grout containing cement, 7% of porcelain tile residue, 7% of active silica and admixtures (CaCl2), anti-foaming and dispersant resulted satisfactory rheology and mechanical strength after curing for 24 hours of curing

Simulação de fluxo de fluidos em meios porosos desordenados uma análise de efeito de escala na estimativa da permeabilidade e do coeficiente de arrasto

The present study provides a methodology that gives a predictive character the computer simulations based on detailed models of the geometry of a porous medium. We using the software FLUENT to investigate the flow of a viscous Newtonian fluid through a random fractal medium which simplifies a two-dimensional disordered porous medium representing a petroleum reservoir. This fractal model is formed by obstacles of various sizes, whose size distribution function follows a power law where exponent is defined as the fractal dimension of fractionation Dff of the model characterizing the process of fragmentation these obstacles. They are randomly disposed in a rectangular channel. The modeling process incorporates modern concepts, scaling laws, to analyze the influence of heterogeneity found in the fields of the porosity and of the permeability in such a way as to characterize the medium in terms of their fractal properties. This procedure allows numerically analyze the measurements of permeability k and the drag coefficient Cd proposed relationships, like power law, for these properties on various modeling schemes. The purpose of this research is to study the variability provided by these heterogeneities where the velocity field and other details of viscous fluid dynamics are obtained by solving numerically the continuity and Navier-Stokes equations at pore level and observe how the fractal dimension of fractionation of the model can affect their hydrodynamic properties. This study were considered two classes of models, models with constant porosity, MPC, and models with varying porosity, MPV. The results have allowed us to find numerical relationship between the permeability, drag coefficient and the fractal dimension of fractionation of the medium. Based on these numerical results we have proposed scaling relations and algebraic expressions involving the relevant parameters of the phenomenon. In this study analytical equations were determined for Dff depending on the geometrical parameters of the models. We also found a relation between the permeability and the drag coefficient which is inversely proportional to one another. As for the difference in behavior it is most striking in the classes of models MPV. That is, the fact that the porosity vary in these models is an additional factor that plays a significant role in flow analysis. Finally, the results proved satisfactory and consistent, which demonstrates the effectiveness of the referred methodology for all applications analyzed in this study.

Análise de viabilidade de injeção de fluidos alternativos ao vapor em reservatórios de óleo pesado

Many of hydrocarbon reserves existing in the world are formed by heavy oils (°API between 10 and 20). Moreover, several heavy oil fields are mature and, thus, offer great challenges for oil industry. Among the thermal methods used to recover these resources, steamflooding has been the main economically viable alternative. Latent heat carried by steam heats the reservoir, reducing oil viscosity and facilitating the production. This method has many variations and has been studied both theoretically and experimentally (in pilot projects and in full field applications). In order to increase oil recovery and reduce steam injection costs, the injection of alternative fluid has been used on three main ways: alternately, co-injected with steam and after steam injection interruption. The main objective of these injection systems is to reduce the amount of heat supplied to the reservoir, using cheaper fluids and maintaining the same oil production levels. This works discusses the use of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, methane and water as an alternative fluid to the steam. The analyzed parameters were oil recoveries and net cumulative oil productions. The reservoir simulation model corresponds to an oil reservoir of 100 m x 100 m x 28 m size, on a Cartesian coordinates system (x, y and z directions). It is a semi synthetic model with some reservoir data similar to those found in Brazilian Potiguar Basin. All studied cases were done using the simulator STARS from CMG (Computer Modelling Group, version 2009.10). It was found that waterflood after steam injection interruption achieved the highest net cumulative oil compared to other fluids injection. Moreover, it was observed that steam and alternative fluids, co-injected and alternately, did not present increase on profitability project compared with steamflooding

Metodologia para avaliação de cinemática de partículas gasosas em fluidos de viscosidade variável com o tempo e sua aplicação na construção de poços de petróleo

Many challenges have been presented in petroleum industry. One of them is the preventing of fluids influx during drilling and cementing. Gas migration can occur as result of pressure imbalance inside the well when well pressure becomes lower than gas zone pressure and in cementing operation this occurs during cement slurry transition period (solid to fluid). In this work it was developed a methodology to evaluate gas migration during drilling and cementing operations. It was considered gel strength concept and through experimental tests determined gas migration initial time. A mechanistic model was developed to obtain equation that evaluates bubble displacement through the fluid while it gels. Being a time-dependant behavior, dynamic rheological measurements were made to evaluate viscosity along the time. For drilling fluids analyzed it was verified that it is desirable fast and non-progressive gelation in order to reduce gas migration without affect operational window (difference between pore and fracture pressure). For cement slurries analyzed, the most appropriate is that remains fluid for more time below critical gel strength, maintaining hydrostatic pressure above gas zone pressure, and after that gels quickly, reducing gas migration. The model developed simulates previously operational conditions and allow changes in operational and fluids design to obtain a safer condition for well construction

Uma intervenção educativa para profissionais de saúde na prevenção de pneumonia associada à ventilação mecânica

Quasi-experimental study, prospective with quantitative approach, performed at the Hospital do Coração in Natal, aimed at verified the existence of difference between the care given by health professionals to the patients under mechanical ventilation (MV) in the Intensive Care Unit, before and after an educative intervention. The population was of 31 professionals, with data collected between november 05 of 2007 to march 27 of 2008. The results show a yong population, female gender, middle level of education, nursing technique, working between 05 and 09 years on nursing profession, and 01 to 04 years on Intensive Care Unit; almost all, never had an kind of training over prevent pneumonia associated to mechanical ventilation; from those that had training, occur on the work place with duration from 12 to 24 hours. About endotracheal intubation, the cuff was tested with a sterilized syringe had a positive change after a educative intervention, increased from 75,0% to 100,0%; the sterile guide was used on 75,0% before and 100,0% after an educative intervention. Regarding endotracheal suction procedure, was not informed to the patient on 72,7% before, however was informed on 56,7% after; the hands was not previously washed 68,5% before, however was 63,3% after the procedure; mask was used on 74,2 % opportunities before and 76,7% after; the aspiration catheter had adequated size on 98,9% observation before and 100,0% after; the gaze was sterilized on 95,7% before and 100,0% after; the ventilator was connected to the patient during the aspiration intervals on 94,4% observation before and 100,0% after; the ambu bag was clean and protected on 76,1% before and 85,7% after; the aspiration catheter was discarded after be used on 98,9% before and 100,0% after; FIO2 was turned to the begging value on 32,9% observation before and 12,0% after; before the procedure 71,9% professions washed their hands and 73,3% after; before, notes of aspiration results were performed on 70,8% observation and 86,7% after. Regarding devices used on respiratory tract, aspirator flasks were not swapped on 84,6% observations before and 71,0% after; daily látex extention change was not performed on 93,6% observation before and 87,1% after; the ambu bag change was not performed on 50,0% observation before even if was duty or unprotected and on 75,8% opportunities was changed, after; nebulization was not prepared with sterile fluids or manipulated aseptically on 65,2% observation before, perhaps was on 71,7% after; before nebulizers were not changed on 65,2% observations, perhaps were on 60,9% after. Concerning ventilator breathing circuits, condense fluids cumulated on circuits were removed on 55,0% opportunities before, and 64,0% after; moisturizer was not filled with sterile water when already had small amount of liquid inside on 78,4% observations before, and 90,2% after; MV circuits were changed on 97,0% observations on presence of visible duty or when presents some kind of failure, before and 98,4% after. About body position, on 51,3% observations the decubitus position change were done before and 78,2% after; fowler position was maitened on 95,5% observations before and 98,2% after; Regarding respiratory physiotherapy, enteral diet was not interrupted before respiratory physiotherapy on 94,9% before and 90,0% after; respiratory physiotherapy devices were not disinfected or sterile on 69,6% observations before but they re on 60,0% after; before the cateter was not tested before introduction enteral diet or medications on 100,0% but after was done on 15,2%. About enteral feeding, intestine motility and measure of stomach contents were not done on 100,0% observations before, but was 15,2% after. We conclude that 05 of 07 valuated procedures in relation to MV, had a significant improvement on quality of care given after educative intervention, when compared before intervention

Aplicando análise de envoltória de dados -DEA à avaliação de desempenho acadêmico: um estudo em programas de pós-graduação em engenharia mecânica e produção no Brasil

This Master of Science Thesis deals with applying DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) to the academic performance evaluation of graduate programs in Brazil, exploring it on a Mechanical and Production Engineering Program 2001-2003 data. The data used is that of the national assessment carried by CAPES, the governmental body in charge for graduate program assessment and certification. It is used the CCR output oriented DEA model, the CCR-Output with Assurance Region, and Window Analysis. The main findings are first that the CCR has the concerning problem of zero values of weights of outputs that is not appropriate in a sense that a graduate program has the higher efficiency score zeroing some output (e.g., number of academic papers published). Secondly, the Assurance Region method proved useful. Third, the Window Analysis also gave some light to the consistency of the performance in the time frame analysed. Also, the analysis results in the understanding that the Mechanics and Production Engineering should not be assessed jointly like currently applied by CAPES and rather should be assessed in its own field separately. Finally, the result of the DEA analysis showed some serious inconsistencies with the CAPES method. Graduate programs considered excellent has got low performance score and vice versa. This Thesis provides a strong argument in order to use DEA at least as a complimentary methodology for graduate program performance evaluation in Brazil

Um sistema para estimação da vazão de gás de poços produzindo por Plunger Lift para vaso separador de teste em plataformas de petróleo

This work intends to analyze the behavior of the gas flow of plunger lift wells producing to well testing separators in offshore production platforms to aim a technical procedure to estimate the gas flow during the slug production period. The motivation for this work appeared from the expectation of some wells equipped with plunger lift method by PETROBRAS in Ubarana sea field located at Rio Grande do Norte State coast where the produced fluids measurement is made in well testing separators at the platform. The oil artificial lift method called plunger lift is used when the available energy of the reservoir is not high enough to overcome all the necessary load losses to lift the oil from the bottom of the well to the surface continuously. This method consists, basically, in one free piston acting as a mechanical interface between the formation gas and the produced liquids, greatly increasing the well s lifting efficiency. A pneumatic control valve is mounted at the flow line to control the cycles. When this valve opens, the plunger starts to move from the bottom to the surface of the well lifting all the oil and gas that are above it until to reach the well test separator where the fluids are measured. The well test separator is used to measure all the volumes produced by the well during a certain period of time called production test. In most cases, the separators are designed to measure stabilized flow, in other words, reasonably constant flow by the use of level and pressure electronic controllers (PLC) and by assumption of a steady pressure inside the separator. With plunger lift wells the liquid and gas flow at the surface are cyclical and unstable what causes the appearance of slugs inside the separator, mainly in the gas phase, because introduce significant errors in the measurement system (e.g.: overrange error). The flow gas analysis proposed in this work is based on two mathematical models used together: i) a plunger lift well model proposed by Baruzzi [1] with later modifications made by Bolonhini [2] to built a plunger lift simulator; ii) a two-phase separator model (gas + liquid) based from a three-phase separator model (gas + oil + water) proposed by Nunes [3]. Based on the models above and with field data collected from the well test separator of PUB-02 platform (Ubarana sea field) it was possible to demonstrate that the output gas flow of the separator can be estimate, with a reasonable precision, from the control signal of the Pressure Control Valve (PCV). Several models of the System Identification Toolbox from MATLAB® were analyzed to evaluate which one better fit to the data collected from the field. For validation of the models, it was used the AIC criterion, as well as a variant of the cross validation criterion. The ARX model performance was the best one to fit to the data and, this way, we decided to evaluate a recursive algorithm (RARX) also with real time data. The results were quite promising that indicating the viability to estimate the output gas flow rate from a plunger lift well producing to a well test separator, with the built-in information of the control signal to the PCV

Efeito de adições poliméricas na aderência de pastas de cimento a tubos metálicos após ciclagem térmica

Thermal recovery methods, especially steam injection, have been used to produce heavy oils. However, these methods imply that the metallic casing-cement sheath interface is submitted to thermal cycling. As a consequence, cracking may develop due to the thermal expansion mismatch of such materials, which allows the flow of oil and gas through the cement sheath, with environmental and economical consequences. It is therefore important to anticipate interfacial discontinuities that may arise upon Thermal recovery. The present study reports a simple alternative method to measure the shear strength of casing-sheath interfaces using pushthrough geometry, applied to polymer-containing hardened cement slurries. Polyurethane and recycled tire rubber were added to Portland-bases slurries to improve the fracture energy of intrinsically brittle cement. Samples consisting of metallic casing sections surrounded by hardened polymer-cement composites were prepared and mechanically tested. The effect of thermal cycles was investigated to simulate temperature conditions encountered in steam injection recovery. The results showed that the addition of polyurethane significantly improved the shear strength of the casing-sheath interface. The strength values obtained adding 10% BWOC of polyurethane to a Portland-base slurry more than doubled with respect to that of polyurethane-free slurries. Therefore, the use of polyurethane significantly contributes to reduce the damage caused by thermal cycling to cement sheath, improving the safety conditions of oil wells and the recovery of heavy oils

Metalização mecânica de ZrO2 com Ti para brasagem ZrO2/Aço com ligas de adição sem metal ativo

Metal/ceramic interfaces using zirconia have dominated the industrial applications in the last decade, due to the high mechanical strength and fracture toughness of zirconia, especially at temperatures below 300 ºC. Also noteworthy is the good ionic conductivity in high temperatures of this component. In this work joining between ZrO2 Y-TZP and ZrO2 Mg-PSZ with austenitic stainless steel was studied. These joints were brazed at high-vacuum after mechanical metallization with Ti using filler alloys composed by Ag-Cu and Ag-Cu-Ni. The influence of the metallization, and the affinity between the different groups (ceramic / filler alloys) was evaluated, in order to achieve strong metal/ceramic joints. Evaluation of joints and interfaces, also the characterization of base materials was implemented using various techniques, such as: x-ray diffraction, leak test, three-point flexural test and scanning electron microscopy with chemical analysis. The microstructural analysis revealed physical and chemical bonds in the metal/ceramic interfaces, providing superior leak proof joints and stress cracking, in order to a good joint in all brazed samples. Precipitation zones and reaction layers with eutetic characteristics were observed between the steel and the filler metal

Avaliação tribológica dos polímeros NBR, PTFE e PTFE gravitado em contato com aço AISI 52100

Low cost seals are made of NBR, Nitrile Butadiene Rubber, a family of unsaturated copolymers that is higher resistant to oils the more content of nitrile have in its composition, although lower its flexibility. In Petroleum Engineering, NBR seal wear can cause fluid leakage and environmental damages, promoting an increasing demand for academic knowledge about polymeric materials candidate to seals submitted to sliding contacts to metal surfaces. This investigation aimed to evaluate tribological responses of a commercial NBR, hardness 73 ± 5 Sh A, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), hardness 60 ± 4 HRE and PTFE with graphite, 68 ± 6 HRE. The testings were performed on a sliding tribometer conceived to explore the tribological performance of stationary polymer plane coupons submitted to rotational cylinder contact surface of steel AISI 52100, 20 ± 1 HRC Hardness, under dry and lubricated (oil SAE 15W40) conditions. After screening testings, the normal load, relative velocity and sliding distance were 3.15 N, 0.8 m/s and 3.2 km, respectively. The temperatures were collected over distances of 3.0±0.5 mm and 750±50 mm far from the contact to evaluate the heating in this referential zone due to contact sliding friction by two thermocouples K type. The polymers were characterized through Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA). The wear mechanisms of the polymer surfaces were analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and EDS (Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy). NBR referred to the higher values of heating, suggesting higher sliding friction. PTFE and PTFE with graphite showed lower heating, attributed to the delamination mechanism

Simulação computacional do escoamento em bombas de cavidades progressivas

The use of Progressing Cavity Pumps (PCPs) in artificial lift applications in low deep wells is becoming more common in the oil industry, mainly, due to its ability to pump heavy oils, produce oil with large concentrations of sand, besides present high efficiency when compared to other artificial lift methods. Although this system has been widely used as an oil lift method, few investigations about its hydrodynamic behavior are presented, either experimental or numeric. Therefore, in order to increase the knowledge about the BCP operational behavior, this work presents a novel computational model for the 3-D transient flow in progressing cavity pumps, which includes the relative motion between rotor and stator, using an element based finite volume method. The model developed is able to accurately predict the volumetric efficiency and viscous looses as well as to provide detailed information of pressure and velocity fields inside the pump. In order to predict PCP performance for low viscosity fluids, advanced turbulence models were used to treat, accurately, the turbulent effects on the flow, which allowed for obtaining results consistent with experimental values encountered in literature. In addition to the 3D computational model, a simplified model was developed, based on mass balance within cavities and on simplification on the momentum equations for fully developed flow along the seal region between cavities. This simplified model, based on previous approaches encountered in literature, has the ability to predict flow rate for a given differential pressure, presenting exactness and low CPU requirements, becoming an engineering tool for quick calculations and providing adequate results, almost real-time time. The results presented in this work consider a rigid stator PCP and the models developed were validated against experimental results from open literature. The results for the 3-D model showed to be sensitive to the mesh size, such that a numerical mesh refinement study is also presented. Regarding to the simplified model, some improvements were introduced in the calculation of the friction factor, allowing the application fo the model for low viscosity fluids, which was unsuccessful in models using similar approaches, presented in previous works

Simulação computacional da interação fluido-estrutura em bombas de cavidades progressivas

The pumping through progressing cavities system has been more and more employed in the petroleum industry. This occurs because of its capacity of elevation of highly viscous oils or fluids with great concentration of sand or other solid particles. A Progressing Cavity Pump (PCP) consists, basically, of a rotor - a metallic device similar to an eccentric screw, and a stator - a steel tube internally covered by a double helix, which may be rigid or deformable/elastomeric. In general, it is submitted to a combination of well pressure with the pressure generated by the pumping process itself. In elastomeric PCPs, this combined effort compresses the stator and generates, or enlarges, the clearance existing between the rotor and the stator, thus reducing the closing effect between their cavities. Such opening of the sealing region produces what is known as fluid slip or slippage, reducing the efficiency of the PCP pumping system. Therefore, this research aims to develop a transient three-dimensional computational model that, based on single-lobe PCP kinematics, is able to simulate the fluid-structure interaction that occurs in the interior of metallic and elastomeric PCPs. The main goal is to evaluate the dynamic characteristics of PCP s efficiency based on detailed and instantaneous information of velocity, pressure and deformation fields in their interior. To reach these goals (development and use of the model), it was also necessary the development of a methodology for generation of dynamic, mobile and deformable, computational meshes representing fluid and structural regions of a PCP. This additional intermediary step has been characterized as the biggest challenge for the elaboration and running of the computational model due to the complex kinematic and critical geometry of this type of pump (different helix angles between rotor and stator as well as large length scale aspect ratios). The processes of dynamic generation of meshes and of simultaneous evaluation of the deformations suffered by the elastomer are fulfilled through subroutines written in Fortan 90 language that dynamically interact with the CFX/ANSYS fluid dynamic software. Since a structural elastic linear model is employed to evaluate elastomer deformations, it is not necessary to use any CAE package for structural analysis. However, an initial proposal for dynamic simulation using hyperelastic models through ANSYS software is also presented in this research. Validation of the results produced with the present methodology (mesh generation, flow simulation in metallic PCPs and simulation of fluid-structure interaction in elastomeric PCPs) is obtained through comparison with experimental results reported by the literature. It is expected that the development and application of such a computational model may provide better details of the dynamics of the flow within metallic and elastomeric PCPs, so that better control systems may be implemented in the artificial elevation area by PCP

Análise tribológica de um sistema de acionamento alternativo de pigs para a indústria do petróleo

It is analyzed through the concepts of tribology and mechanical contact and damage the suggestion of implementing a backup system for traction and passage of Pipeline Inspection Gauge (Pig) from the inside of pipelines. In order to verify the integrity of the pipelines, it is suggested the possibility of displacement of such equipment by pulling wires with steel wires. The physical and mechanical characteristics of this method were verified by accelerated tests in the laboratory in a tribological pair, wire versus a curve 90. It also considered the main mechanisms of wear of a sliding system with and without lubricant, in the absence and presence of contaminants. To try this, It was constructed a test bench able to reproduce a slip system, work on mode back-and-forth ("reciprocation"). It was used two kinds of wires, a galvanized steel and other stainless steel and the results achieved using the two kinds of steel cables were compared. For result comparative means, it was used steel cables with and without coating of Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC). The wires and the curves of the products were characterized using metallographic analysis, microhardness Vickers tests, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-Ray Refraction (XRF) and tensile tests. After the experiments were analyzed some parameters that have been measurable, it demonstrates to the impracticality of this proposed method, since the friction force and the concept of alternating request at the contact between the strands of wire and the inner curves that are part ducts caused severe wear. These types of wear are likely to cause possible failures in future products and cause fluid leaks