Functions of drilling fluids:

        Transport drilled cuttings and caving to the

 surface.
        Suspend drilled cuttings and caving in the
 annulus when circulation is stopped.
        Control subsurface pressure.
        Cool and lubricate the bit and drill string.
        Support the walls of the well bore.
        Help suspend the weight of the drill string
 and casing.
        Deliver hydraulic energy upon the
 formation beneath the bit.
        Provide a suitable medium for running wire
 line logs.
 
 The proper selection of drilling fluid must
be based on these major factors

  Economics.
  Available Make – up water.
  Contaminants to be encountered.
  Formation pressures to be encountered.
  Types of formations to be penetrated.
  Temperatures to be encountered.
  Environmental considerations.
 
Drilling fluid side effect:
 ·       Damage to subsurface formations, especially those may be
 production.
 ·       Corrosion of the drill string and casing.
 ·       Reduction of penetration rate.
 ·       Surge, swab and circulating pressure effects.
 ·       Loss of circulation.
 ·       Sticking of he drill string against the walls of the hole.
 ·       Erosion of the well bore.
 ·       Retention of undesirable solids by the drilling fluid.
 ·       Wear on pump parts.
 ·       Contamination of cement slurries.
 ·       Contamination of the natural environment.
Drilling fluid design criteria
        Viscosity and gel strength.
        Types of formation ( salt, shale ).
        Porous and permeable zones, ( if the porous
and permeable zone contained hydrocarbons,
then this filtration process could easily alter the
permeability around the well bore, Resulting in
lower production, a large deposit of solids (filter
cake ) on the porous and permeable zones can
create many mechanical problems ( excessive of
torque and drag ), increased surge and swab
pressures, and differential stuck.
        Solution : Controlling fluid loss in a drilling
fluid to minimize this high deposition of solids.
 Damaging Mechanisms:
   Permeability can be reduced by the
 invasion of foreign liquid and /or solids
 into the exposed part of formation
 adjacent
 to the well bore.
 · Solids within the formation can also
 reduced permeability by migrating and
 creating impassable restrictions.
 · Drilling fluid exposure can be a major
 cause of formation damage resulting in
 reduced permeability.
 
Damage due to filtrate invasion:
 Emulsion Formation
 Water Blocks:
 Change in Wet ability
 
Minimizing Formation Damage
 · First objective is reduction of the
 volume of mud filtrate lost to
 permeable formations.
 · The factors which affect the loss of
filtrate are:
 a) Time b) Temperature
 c) Pressure d) Mud solids
characteristics ( dispersion, viscosity
of filtrate, etc.).
 MINIMIZING DAMAGE BY SOLIDS INVASION:
  
Solids can be classified as either
 Compressible solids
 Incompressible solids
  SOLIDS HANDLING

1) Mechanical 2) Chemical
 Nearly balanced pressure:
 Under balanced pressure
  Proper stimulation methods