Families of Fluids

History of Fluid Types

1920’s Barite and bentonite for drilling fluids

1950’s Foam drilling technology

1960’s Invert emulsions
1970’s Solids control equipment.
1980’s High Temperature Water-based mud
Heavy brine solids-free inverts
Cationic systems
Drilling in fluids
1990’s Biodegradable drilling fluids
Extreme HPHT fluids
2000+ Water-based muds with invert
capabilities
Why do we have “Families of Fluids”?

An approach to uniform technical and

economical recommendations around the
world using consistent drilling fluid
references.
Benefits of having Families

Similar drilling conditions exist around the world

Standard Approaches/Solutions for similar drilling

conditions

Easy access and cross referencing to find data

Basic Drilling Fluid Types
Drilling Fluids
any fluid used to successfully drill the well
Drilling In (or Drill-in) Fluids
specialized fluid to drill the pay zone
Completion Fluids
fluid placed across the pay zone prior to production
Workover Fluids
fluid used during remedial work after producing
Packer Fluids
fluid between tubing and casing above a packer
Clay or Polymer system
How do we build viscosity and control fluid loss?
•If clay controlled it is a clay system
•If polymer controlled it is a polymer system
Clay based systems use
•montmorillonite
•attapulgite
Polymer based systems use various polymers
•starches
•poly- anionic cellulose - PAC
•xanthan gums
•etc
Additional chemicals
Additional chemicals are then sometimes added
to enhance the fluid properties for more specific
roles:
•lubrication - fatty acids, emulsifiers, surfactants
•inhibition - KCl, BARASIL (silicate), PerformaTrol,
•shale stabilizers - GEM (glycols), PHPAs
Dispersion & Inhibition
Dispersion describes the tendency for the clays to break up
Inhibition describes the ability of the mud to prevent
dispersion through water intake
WBM Categories based on dispersion and inhibition
•Non-dispersed / Non-inhibited
•Non-dispersed / Inhibited
•Dispersed / Non-inhibited
•Dispersed / Inhibited
Generic Types of WBM
Clay-Water Suspensions
Calcium Treated Clay Water Suspensions
Salt Water Systems
Polymer Systems
High Temperature Polymer Systems
Enhanced water based fluids:
•Glycol Enhanced Muds
•Silicate Muds
•Calcium Chloride Muds
Fluid Recommendations
Considerations include:
•Health & Safety
•Technical
•Environmental
•Economic
Fluid Recommendations Health & Safety
Type of fluid system
•WBM - OBM - Synthetic - Ester based systems
No of days on a well
•Days of exposure to risk
Risk assessments/safety cases for different systems
•Gas solubility
•Gas hydrate suppression
Fluid Recommendations -Technical
Questions to ask include:
•Can it be done? Has it been done before?
•What are the inherent technical risks?
•What experience do we have with various fluids and in the region?
Types of wells drilled today:
•High Pressure / High Temperature
•Horizontal / ERD / Deviated
•Conventional (?) vertical low pressure / low temperature
•Deepwater
Fluid Recommendations Technical
Technical environment:
•Deep water
•Shallow water
•Environmentally sensitive areas
•Remote locations
The requirement is to be effective in all
areas - Health & Safety, Environmental,
Technical and Economic.
Innovation
Fluids to drill the reservoir:
•Invert Emulsion gravel packs
New/revised systems - Enhanced WBMs
•Silicates, Glycols, Calcium Chloride fluids, hpwbm
New products which increase effectiveness
•cold riser rheology modifiers
•divalent salt polymers
•hole cleaning
•inhibiting / flocculating polymers
•WBM lubricants
Fluid Recommendations - Environmental
New products which are more acceptable
•Chrome free
•removal of aromatic compounds
Legislation
•Constantly changing
Risk assessment
•“Cuttings Re-injection” versus “Ship to Shore” versus
“Dischargeable Fluid”
Corporate images
Fluid Recommendations - Economic

“Cost/bbl” v “Total Well Cost”

Production rates
Conclusions
Wide range of functions
need to prioritise the important ones

Systems are constantly changing due to

environmental, economic and technical pressures
need to keep up-to-date databases, training etc
need to develop a common fluid language
Conclusions
Uniformity helps in the planning phases
•sort by Families rather than by regional names
Consistent product application solutions to
drilling problems worldwide
Future requirements:
Real Time Operations?