Drilling fluids control

Water-Based Muds. About 85% of all drilling fluids are water-based systems. The types depend on the composition of the water phase (pH, ionic content, etc), viscosity builders (clays or polymers), and rheological control agents (deflocculants or dispersants (qv)). 

Starches, used first in the late 1930s for filtration control (71), are stiU in use in the 1990s. Com starch is most commonly used in the United States. Potato starch is also used in the United States but primarily in Europe and elsewhere. Both com and potato starches are pregelatinized before dispersion in water (72). The API specifications for drilling fluid starch are listed in Table 8 (73). 

Acrylate and acrylamide polymers have several uses in drilling fluids, one of which is for filtration control. Sodium polyacrylates [9003-04-7] having molecular weights near 250,000 are exceUent temperature-stable filtration control agents for both fresh- and salt water muds, provided the concentration of water-soluble calcium is <400 mg/L (83). The calcium ions are precipitated using a carbonate such as soda ash, before adding the polyacrylate at concentrations up to ca 6 kg/m (3 Ib/bbl). 

Alkalinity Control. Water-base drilling fluids are generaHy maintained at an alkaline pH. Most mud additives require a basic environment to function properly and corrosion is reduced at elevated pH. The primary additive for pH control is sodium hydroxide [1310-73-2] in concentrations from 3 to 14kg/m (1—51b/bbl). 

The main use of these clays is to control, or adjust, viscosity in nonaqueous systems. Organoclays can be dispersed in nonaqueous fluids to modify the viscosity of the fluid so that the fluid exhibits non-Newtonian thixotropic behavior. Important segments of this area are drilling fluids, greases (79,80), lubricants, and oil-based paints. The most used commercial products in this area are dimethyl di (hydrogen a ted tallow) alkylammonium chloride [61789-80-8] dimethyl (hydrogen a ted tallow)aLkylbenzylammonium chloride [61789-72-8] and methyldi(hydrogenated tallow)aLkylbenzylammonium chloride [68391-01-5]. 

Alkylphenol ethoxylates are chemically stable and highly versatile surfactants that find appHcation in a large variety of industrial products including acid and alkaline metal cleaning formulations, hospital cleaners, herbicides (qv) and insecticides, oil-weU drilling fluids, synthetic latices, and many others (see Disinfectants AND antiseptics Elastop rs, synthetic Insect control technology Metal surface treati nts Pesticides Petroleum, drilling fluids). 

Testing of Drilling Fluids 652. Composition and Applications 664. Oil-Based Mud Systems 675. Environmental Aspects 682. Typical Calculations in Mud Engineering 687. Solids Control 691. Mud-Related Hole Problems 695. Completion and Workover Fluids 701. 

Corrosion Theory 1259. Forms of Corrosion Attack 1268. Factors Influencing Corrosion Rate 1292. Corrodents in Drilling Fluids 1300. Corrosion Monitoring and Equipment Inspections 1312. Corrosion Control 1323. Recommended Practices 1340. 

Dispersed Noninhibited Systems. Drilling fluid systems typically used to drill the upper hole sections are described as dispersed noninhibited systems. They would typically be formulated with freshwater and can often derive many of their properties from dispersed drilled solids or bentonite. They would not normally be weighted to above 12 Ib/gal and the temperature limitation would be in the range of 176-194°F. The flow properties are controlled by a deflocculant, or thinner, and the fluid loss is controlled by the addition of bentonite and low viscosity CMC derivatives. 

In onshore drilling there is no need for chlorides above these background levels. Potassium chloride has been added to some drilling fluids as an aid to controlling problem shale formations drilled. Potassium acetate or potassium carbonate are acceptable substitutes in most of these situations. 

The drill string is defined here as a drill pipe with tool joints and drill collars. The drill stem consists of the drill string and other components of the drilling assembly that includes the kelly, subs, stabilizers, reamers as well as shock absorbers, and junk baskets or drilling jars used in certain drilling conditions. The drill stem (1) transmits power by rotary motion from the surface to a rock bit, (2) conveys drilling fluid to the rock bit, (3) produces the weight on bit for efficient rock destruction by the bit, and (4) provides control of borehole direction. 

Air and natural gas are often used as a drilling fluid with no additives placed in the injected stream of compressed fluid. This type of drilling is also often referred to as dusting because great dust clouds are created around the drill rig when no formation water was present. However, modern air and gas drilling operations utilize a spray at the end of the blooey line to control the dust ejected from the well. Figure 4-185 shows a typical site plan for air drilling operations. 

In most air and gas drilling operations, open-hole well completions are common. This type of completion is consistent with low pore pressure and the desire to avoid formation damage. It is often used for gas wells where nitrogen foam fracturing stimulation is necessary to provide production. In oil wells drilled with natural gas as the drilling fluid, the well is often an open hole completed with a screen set on a liner hanger to control sand influx to the well. 

Stable Foam. When a well is drilled with stable foam as the drilling fluid, there is a back pressure valve at the blooey line. The back pressure valve allows for a continuous column of foam in the annulus while drilling operations are under way. Thus, while drilling, this foam column can have significant bottom-hole pressure. This bottomhole pressure can be sufficient to counter formation pore pressure and thus control potential production fluid flow into the well annulus. 

Salts are sometimes added to drilling muds to obtain certain desired mud characteristics. They can also enter the drilling fluid through contamination by addition of makeup water, formation-fluid inflow, and drilled formations such as salt domes, gypsum or anhydride formations. In freshwater systems, if salt contamination reaches undesirable levels, the following methods should be considered for control. 

Scale Inhibitors. When scaling conditions exist, scale inhibitors can be used to control the scaling tendencies, and keep metal surfaces free of scale deposits. Scale inhibitors are chemicals that interrupt and deform the normal crystalline growth pattern of carbonate scales. The three most commonly used classes of scale-inhibiting chemicals used in drilling fluid are [191,197] ... 

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