Sea Water/ Flocculated Bentonite Slugs Mud

Sea Water/ Bentonite is a simple mud system for top hole drilling. Viscous bentonite slugs pumped regularly for good hole cleaning. Returns are not be
taken to surface during conductor pipe cleaning/ under-reaming; ports in the conductor pipe can be used to minimise the hydrostatic head.
These sections can be successfully and economically drilled with sea water, slugging the hole periodically with 5 to 10 m3 of high viscosity fluid.
The use of flocculated bentonite slugs is recommended to provide the viscosity necessary to ensure that the hole is kept clean throughout these intervals.
If under-reaming is required, prior to running casing, displace the hole with a viscous bentonite slurry, this will ensure that hole fill is reduced and that
any tendency for the hole to slough in will be reduced.
Product Functions
Bentonite (API): Montmorillonite clay for viscosity and fluid loss control.
Barite: Weighting agent.
Fluid loss reducing agent.
Lime: Flocculating agent for high viscosity slugs. Also to be used for pH control together with soda ash.
Soda ash: To control soluble calcium levels. Also to be used for pH control together with lime.
Environmentally acceptable biocide.
System Formulation
Sea water/flocculated bentonite slugs:
BENTONITE 70 kg/m3
LIME 2.0 kg/m3
SODA ASH 0.75 kg/m3
Weighted bentonite/polymer fluid:
BENTONITE 70 kg/m3
BARITE 200 kg/m3
Fluid Loss 11 kg/m3
LIME 2.0 kg/m3
SODA ASH 0.75 kg/m3
BIOCIDE 0.3 kg/m3
Mixing Procedure
1. Fill the tanks with the required amount of drill water and reduce the total hardness to below 150 mg/l with soda ash. Increase the pH to +/- 9 with a
combination of lime and soda ash.
Na2CO3 + Ca(OH)2 = CaCO3 + 2NaOH
A ratio of 106 kg soda ash to 74 kg lime is required for this reaction or approximately 4 sacks of soda ash to every 3 sacks of lime.
2. Add 100 kg/m3 bentonite and allow to hydrate, under maximum shear conditions, for at least six hours.
Just prior to use, dilute with sea water to a bentonite concentration of 60 - 70 kg/m3 and flocculate the fluid by adding 2 kg/m3 lime.
4. For the weighted bentonite/polymer fluid:
(a) Add the Fluid loss additive @ 5 - 10 mins per sack.
(b) Add the barite to the required density.