Foam drilling well control

Gas/Liquid Systems Producing oilwell and well-head foams Oil flotation process froth Distillation and fractionation tower foams Fuel oil and jet fuel tank (truck) foams Foam drilling fluid Foam fracturing fluid Foam acidizing fluid Blocking and diverting foams Gas-mobility control foams... 

Flexibility of Foam Drilling. Foam is the most versatile of all the low density drilling fluids. The water (LVF) and percentage of gas (GVF) can be easily controlled at the surface to achieve bottom hole pressures sufficient to drill the well. Various surfactant chemicals can be added to the water phase to address such problems as influxes, shale... 

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. 

Any kind of dispersion that was useful in the reservoir may be, or may become, an undesirable dispersion when produced at a well-head. This could include used drilling fluid that has returned to the surface, conventional oil production that occurs in the form of a W/O emulsion, or foam from an enhanced oil-recovery process. These can present some immediate handling, process control, and storage problems. In addition, pipeline and refinery specifications place severe limitations on the water, solids, and salt contents of oil they will accept in order to avoid corrosion, catalyst poisoning, and process-upset problems. For pipeline transportation, an oil must usually contain less than 0.5% basic sediment and water (BS W). 

Uses Synthetic fibers evaporation retardant on water surfaces surfactant for polymerization emollient in cosmetics foam control agent cosolvent plasticizer mfg. of household/industrial cleaners, personal care prods., textile auxs.. plasticizers, ore flotation, oil well drilling, metal lubricants, agric. additives raw material, consistency agent, emollient for pharmaceuticals as antihistamine in surf, lubricants for mfg. of food-contact metallic articles Regulatory EDA 21CER 178.3910... 

Nitrogen and foamer solution (1.5% surfactant, 0.4% shale control polymer) were pumped at a rate of 500 scfm and 25 gpm respectively. The rate of penetration averaged 50 feet/hour. The horizontal section was drilled in 14 hours. Over the course of drilling, 300 bbl of foam solution were pumped and over 250 bbl of 35° oil were produced. This was viewed as a technological success, as the well was effectively drilled with foam in the presence of nearly a 50% oil influx. 

Excellent foaming agent especially effective in salt conditions of 12% or greater. Primarily used as an air drilling surfactant for oil and gas wells. Also used in well cleanout and as a mobility control agent for C02. Reported use in ag Chem foam field markers. 

Derivatives of EMA resins are useful in both the oil field and as additives for fuel oils or lubricants. As additives for oil well drilling muds, the derivatives help reduce water loss due to filtration and perform as viscosity control agents. Long-chain alkyl amine derivatives are useful as antistatic additives for fuel oils. Antistatic coatings are also readily available for many other applications. Aqueous solutions of EMA resins are claimed to be useful in foam systems for dust control. For example, aqueous solutions of the resins can be used to trap 90-95% of the airborne dust generated in a coal cutting laboratory. ... 

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