A method and system for removing solids or displacing a fluid from a wellbore wherein a plurality of resilient rubber-like flexible reticulated open cell foam elements are dispersed in a fluid and pumped through drill pipe and into the annulus between the wellbore and the drill pipe. In the annulus, the foam elements impact and dislodge solids such as proppants, gravels, drilled cuttings and other solids or a fluid to be displaced and the proppants, etc. or the fluid are carried by the fluid containing the foam elements back to the surface or a different location in the wellbore. At the surface, the fluid containing the foam elements and the proppants, etc., is carried to a shale shaker where the solids and the foam elements are separated from the fluid. The separated solids and foam are collected for disposal and, after adding new foam elements, the fluid can be recirculated down hole.