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Results
Alternative Drilling Fluid Weighting Agents: A Comprehensive Study on Ilmenite and Hematite
Tehrani, Ahmadi (M-I SWACO, a Schlumberger company) | Cliffe, Angelika (M-I SWACO, a Schlumberger company) | Hodder, Michael H. (M-I SWACO, a Schlumberger company) | Young, Steven (M-I SWACO, a Schlumberger company) | Lee, John (M-I SWACO, a Schlumberger company) | Stark, James (M-I SWACO, a Schlumberger company) | Seale, Suzanne (M-I SWACO, a Schlumberger company)
Abstract For many years, barite has been the standard weighting agent in the drilling fluid industry. Its high specific gravity has helped produce mud weights in excess of 19 lb/gal. Its hardness has rendered it easily millable to a particle size that reduces settling and minimizes losses on shaker screens and its adequate inertness has enabled it to be used in a wide range of drilling fluids containing different chemical components. Recently, however, dwindling supplies and increased consumption of premium barite have led to significant price increases across the world and a reduction in specific gravity in most commercial grades. This has led to renewed interest in alternative weight materials. Ilmenite and hematite are two minerals that have been used sporadically in the field. Compared to barite, their higher density impacts both the rheology of the fluids and the settling rate of the weight material. A known issue with these materials is their relatively high hardness, which can give rise to abrasion/erosion in the tubular and surface equipment. Another effect that has not been addressed sufficiently is the magnetic characteristic of these iron oxide-containing minerals which has the potential to affect the operation of direction drilling and some other downhole tools. There have been many studies on the use of ilmenite and hematite as weight agents for drilling fluids. These have dealt with the above issues individually or in a scattered manner. In this paper, we report the results of a comprehensive laboratory study on the application of ilmenite and hematite as weight materials for both water- and oil-based drilling fluids. The study includes the effects of different size grades of the materials on rheology and fluid loss, as well as dynamic and static sag. The paper will present relative abrasiveness of the materials compared to barite as measured by two different methods, and recommend size grades that can minimize the abrasion effects. The paper will also report the results of magnetic property measurements which impact operation of several downhole tools, and compares these with that of barite and several other minerals. To complete the comparative testing of these minerals, the results of heavy metal analysis will also be reported for each test mineral.
Copyright 2012, IADC/SPE Drilling Conference and Exhibition'; This paper was prepared for presentation at the 2012 IADC/SPE Drilling Conference and Exhibition held in San Diego, California, USA, 6-8 March 2012. This paper was selected for presentation by an IADC/SPE program committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper have not been reviewed by the International Association of Drilling Contractors or the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the author(s). The material does not necessarily reflect any position of the International Association of Drilling Contractors or the Society of Petroleum Engineers, its officers, or members. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper without the written consent of the International Association of Drilling Contractors or the Society of Petroleum Engineers is prohibited. Permission to reproduce in print is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words; illustrations may not be copied. The abstract must contain conspicuous acknowledgment of IADC/SPE copyright. Abstract Limited amount of rheological data generated under extreme high-pressure, high-temperature, (HPHT) conditions ( 500 F/30,000 psi) have been published due to lack of suitable viscometer and drilling fluid for such conditions. This paper compares the rheological properties of invert emulsion drilling fluid generated from four types of HPHT viscometers and provides a simple rheological model that can be used to predict the behavior of OBM under extreme-HPHT conditions.
Abstract Extended Reach Drilling (ERD) wells drilled nowadays can reach a step-out of 10 km (33,000 ft) and thus present many drilling challenges, including torque and drag, hole cleaning, wellbore stability, equivalent circulating density (ECD) management, lost circulation management, just to name a few. These challenges can severely limit the desired well depth or increase the operation time, particularly in deepwater environment. A new synthetic-based flat rheology drilling fluid (SBM) with new emulsifier and rheology modifier package has been designed for narrow margin ERD wells. This newly developed flat-rheology SBM utilizes a novel, single emulsifier to simplify fluid formulation, improve emulsion stability, enhance thermal stability, and provide surface wetting and fluid lubricity. This allows the system to be formulated for any ERD applications with mud weights up to 18.0 lb/gal and temperatures up to 350°F. In addition, the system uses a new rheology modifier that provides temperature-independent rheology profile for better hole cleaning, barite suspension, ECD management and lost circulation control. A recent field trial conducted in deepwater GoM indicated that the new system is easy to handle and provides good fluid performance in terms of drilling rate, ECD management, lost circulation control and hole cleaning. The SBM at one time was severely contaminated due to salt water flow but the fluid held together without any problems. Similar results on drilling performance were observed with another onshore field trial that used a non-synthetic-based fluid. This article describes the new flat-rheology SBM system with examples showing typical mud formulations, fluid properties, barite sag performance data, field test data and computer hydraulics simulation of ECD impacts.
- Europe > United Kingdom > North Sea > Central North Sea > Moray Firth > Moray Firth Basin > Block 13/22a > Captain Field > Captain Formation (0.99)
- Asia > Russia > Far Eastern Federal District > Sakhalin Island > Sea of Okhotsk > East Sakhalin - Central Sea of Okhotsk Basin > Odoptu License Block > Odoptu License Block > Odoptu Field (0.99)
- Well Drilling > Pressure Management > Well control (1.00)
- Well Drilling > Drilling Operations > Directional drilling (1.00)
- Well Drilling > Drilling Fluids and Materials > Drilling fluid selection and formulation (chemistry, properties) (1.00)
- Well Drilling > Drilling Fluids and Materials > Drilling fluid management & disposal (1.00)