Potassium, for drilling

A Unique Source of Potassium for Drilling and Other Well Fluids... 

A number of cationic muds have been developed and used. These ate formulated around quaternary amines or positively charged polymers (108,109). The polymer in some iastances may be a cationic polyacrylamide. Poly(dimethylarnine-fi9-epichloiohydrin) is another material that has been used successfiiUy for drilling shale formations (110,111). Some of these additives may requite a salt such as sodium or potassium chloride for best results. 

Chemical additives for gas-based drilling fluids are limited to surfactants (qv), certain polymers, and occasionally salts such as sodium or potassium chloride. An aqueous solution of the additives is iajected iato the air or gas flow to generate a mist or foam. No additives are used ia dry air or gas drilling operations. Gas-based fluids are not recirculated and materials are added continuously. As the fluid exits the well, air or water vapor escapes to the atmosphere, gas and oil are burned, and water and formation soflds are collected into a pit for later disposal. Stable foams must be destabili2ed to separate the air from the Hquid phase for disposal. 

KCl-polymer (potassium chloride-polymer) muds can be classified as low solids-polymer muds or as inhibitive muds, due to their application to drilling in water-sensitive, sloughing shales. The use of polymers and the concentration of potassium chloride provide inhibition of shales and clays for maximum hole stability. The inverted flow properties (high yield point, low plastic viscosity) achieved with polymers and prehydrated bentonite provide good hole cleaning with minimum hole erosion. 

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. 

A composition for dissolving filter-cake deposits left by drilling mud in wellbores is composed of an aqueous solution of citric acid and potassium chloride, alkali metal formate, acid tetraphosphate, alkaline earth chloride, and alkali metal thiophosphate [1012]. 

Radenti et al. reported the corrosion rate of a typical potassium chloride fluid of 247 mils/year at 212°F. In contrast, they found by substituting potassium carbonate for potassium chloride, the corrosion rate was reduced to 3 mils/year t10 . Unfortunately, potassium carbonate is not optimum as a drilling fluid additive because it can produce massive amounts of calcium precipitation, may elevate the pH to undesirable levels, and in all cases reduces the calcium ion concentration to such a low level as to promote destabililzing cation exchange with clay minerals. 

Solutions of TKPP have been shown to have unique and advantageous properties for use in formulating a wide variety of well fluids. Its reasonable cost, worldwide availability, and nontoxic properties make it a preferred additive for use in many petroleum applications. It has been shown to be a most effective salt with respect to inhibiting hydration and swelling of clay minerals commonly encountered in drilling operations and/or reservoirs. Avoiding clay problems is the major impetus for the incorporation of potassium ions in well fluids, and the use of TKPP provides advantages over and above those available from other potassium salts. 

Figure 4.20.A shows a more recent cell reported by Cobben et al. It consists of three Perspex blocks, of which two (A) are identical and the third (B) different. Part A is a Perspex block (1) furnished with two pairs of resilient hooks (3) for electrical contact. With the aid of a spring, the hooks press at the surface of the sensor contact pads (4), the back side of which rests on the Perspex siuface, so the sensor gate is positioned in the centre of the block, which is marked by an engraved cross as in the above-described wall-jet cell. Part B is a prismatic Perspex block (2) (85 x 24 x 10 mm ) into which a Z-shaped flow channel of 0.5 mm diameter is drilled. Each of the wedges of the Z reaches the outside of the block. The Z-shaped flow-cell thus built has a zero dead volume. As a result, the solution volume held between the two CHEMFETs is very small (3 pL). The cell is sealed by gently pushing block A to B with a lever. The inherent plasticity of the PVC membrane ensures water-tight closure of the cell. The closeness between the two electrodes enables differential measurements with no interference from the liquid junction potential. The differential signal provided by a potassium-selective and a sodium-selective CHEMFET exhibits a Nemstian behaviour and is selective towards potassium in the presence of a (fixed) excess concentration of sodium. The combined use of a highly lead-selective CHEMFET and a potassium-selective CHEMFET in this type of cell also provides excellent results.

Detection.—Apart from naturally occurring ores of vanadium, vanadium steels, and ferrovanadium, the commonest compounds of vanadium are those which contain the element in the pentavalent state, viz. the pentoxide and the various vanadates. The analytical reactions usually employed are, therefore, those which apply to vanadates. Most vanadium ores can be prepared for the application of these reactions by digesting with mineral acids or by alkaline fusion with the addition of an oxidising agent. When the silica content is high, preliminary treatment with hydrofluoric acid is recommended. Vanadium steels and bronzes, and ferrovanadium, are decomposed by the methods used for other steels the drillings are, for instance, dissolved in sulphuric acid and any insoluble carbides then taken up in nitric acid, or they are filtered off and submitted to an alkaline fusion. Compounds of lower valency are readily converted into vanadates by oxidation with bromine water, sodium peroxide, or potassium permanganate. 

The micro channel system was fabricated by standard silicon micromachining via etching of a silicon wafer with potassium hydroxide using thermal oxide as an etch mask [6], The double mixing tee configuration consists of six micro channels. For fluid connection, an outlet hole was drilled into the silicon chip. The chip was anodically bonded to a glass slide with three inlet holes, clamped in a holder and, thereby, connected to a commercially available quench-flow instrument... 

Explosive Actuator XE-16A was developed at NAVORD Labs to replace the Mk 1 Mod 0 actuator for use in Mk 52 drill mine. Better surveillance characteristics were obtd by using Unique Powder (a smokeless proplnt of unspecified compn)as a substitute for Black Powder formerly used as the base chge. Milled normal Pb Styphnate was substituted for DDNP-Potassium Chlorate mix as die ignition chge. Several design- changes to increase ruggedness were also made. Laboratory field tests indicated that the XE-16A Actuator would be a satisfactory actuator in the Mk 52 Drill Mine Ref E.E. Kilmer M.J. Falbo, NAVORD Rept 6111(1958)... 

Holes are drilled in the top surface of the table for the tube leading down to the pump from the potassium-hydroxide trap, the two Dewars holding the traps, the bottom parts of the stopcocks, and a tube leading down to the ballast volume (which should be covered with a wire screen or else well taped because of the danger of implosion). The Dewars are best held in place by blocks of balsa wood which have a hole cut for the Dewar to fit into and which are attached to the under surface of the table. The traps should be large and of a durable construction (Fig. 1-20). 

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