HPHT Drilling Fluid Challenges By Ron Bland, SPE

Group Number 2 | Wahaj Ahmad Khan | Muhammad Idrees | Muneeb Tahir | Usman Muneer | Ashir Naeem | Noman Raza
 Fundamentals of OBM
OBM: A fluid in which the oil represents the continuous phase while water the
discontinuous phase.
Composition

• Continuous Phase
• Diesel
• Crude Oil • OWR (80/20, 85/15, or 90/10)
• Mineral Oil
• Water droplets act as colloidal solids.
• Discontinuous Phase
• Water • These water droplets play a vital role
in making an effective filter cake.
• Additives
• Emulsifiers
• Viscosifiers Emulsion
• Weighting Agent
• Fluid Loss Control
• Rheology Modifier
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Group Number 2 | Wahaj Ahmad Khan | Muhammad Idrees | Muneeb Tahir | Usman Muneer | Ashir Naeem | Noman Raza
 Fundamentals of OBM

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Group Number 2 | Wahaj Ahmad Khan | Muhammad Idrees | Muneeb Tahir | Usman Muneer | Ashir Naeem | Noman Raza
 Fundamentals of OBM
Plastic Viscosity

Yield Point

Low Share
Rheology
• Higher the HC, lower the PV
Properties OWR
• Thinning the Base Fluid, Lower the YP
Lime
• Higher the OWR, Lower the ES
Electrical Stability

Oil Wetting

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Group Number 2 | Wahaj Ahmad Khan | Muhammad Idrees | Muneeb Tahir | Usman Muneer | Ashir Naeem | Noman Raza
 HPHT Drilling Fluid Challenges
High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) Wells: Having pressure more than 300°F and use the Well Pressure Control
Equipment with 10K ratings are termed as HPHT wells.

HPHT wells are classified into three types;

• Tier One Major Challenges

• Temperature: 300°F to 350 °F
• Pressure: 10,000 psia to 15,000 psia • Deeper wells, need High HSP
• Known as HPHT Wells
• Low Rate of Penetration
• Tier Two • High Temperature Bearable Bottom Hole
• Temperature: 400°F Equipment
• Pressure: 15,000 psia to 20,000 psia • Water Based Mud is useless
• Known as Extreme HPHT Wells • Compression and Expansion of Drilling
Mud
• Tier Three • Gas Solubility in Mud
• Temperature: 500°F • Problem in Gas Kick Detection
• Pressure: 20,000 psia to 30,000 psia • Narrow Mud Window
• Known as Ultra HPHT Wells

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Group Number 2 | Wahaj Ahmad Khan | Muhammad Idrees | Muneeb Tahir | Usman Muneer | Ashir Naeem | Noman Raza
 HPHT Drilling Fluid Challenges

PVT Analysis

The PVT information is used to find

out the effect of temperature on the
Mud Density at any depth.

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Group Number 2 | Wahaj Ahmad Khan | Muhammad Idrees | Muneeb Tahir | Usman Muneer | Ashir Naeem | Noman Raza
 HPHT Drilling Fluid Challenges

ECD

Performing the density correction

every 100 feet of Vertical depth has
proven to be an acceptable method for
Equivalent Static Density (ESD)
prediction.

Mud Density: 18.21 ppd

OWR: 89/11

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Group Number 2 | Wahaj Ahmad Khan | Muhammad Idrees | Muneeb Tahir | Usman Muneer | Ashir Naeem | Noman Raza
 HPHT Drilling Fluid Challenges

Hydraulic Modelling and Well Monitoring

The Power Law Fluids
• Rheological Properties are measured by
HPHT viscometer

• Base Fluid density adjusted for the

measured PVT behavior

• Hershel Bulkley Rheological Model

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Group Number 2 | Wahaj Ahmad Khan | Muhammad Idrees | Muneeb Tahir | Usman Muneer | Ashir Naeem | Noman Raza
 HPHT Drilling Fluid Challenges

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Group Number 2 | Wahaj Ahmad Khan | Muhammad Idrees | Muneeb Tahir | Usman Muneer | Ashir Naeem | Noman Raza
 HPHT Drilling Fluid Challenges

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Group Number 2 | Wahaj Ahmad Khan | Muhammad Idrees | Muneeb Tahir | Usman Muneer | Ashir Naeem | Noman Raza
 HPHT Drilling Fluid Challenges

Drilling Fluid Formulation

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Group Number 2 | Wahaj Ahmad Khan | Muhammad Idrees | Muneeb Tahir | Usman Muneer | Ashir Naeem | Noman Raza
 Critical Review: HPHT Drilling Fluid Challenges

Use of Oil Based mud in HPHT wells Use of Water Based mud in HPHT wells

• Gas Dissolves We need to used specialized HPHT high

• Disturbed Rheology of Mud molecular weight polymers. Such as, Glycol with
• Heat – up; destroy rubbers of pumps PHPA.
• Additional installation of mud coolers
• Workers need special PPE We need to remove the lignosulfonate and lignite
• Highly aromatic, fumes are hazardous from the mud, can cause problems under HPHT
• Disposal Problems conditions.
• Too much costly when mud losses
• Fire Problems
• Special Logging tools are required
• Causes problem in mud logging

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Group Number 2 | Wahaj Ahmad Khan | Muhammad Idrees | Muneeb Tahir | Usman Muneer | Ashir Naeem | Noman Raza
Thank you

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We Are Expecting Some
Really Good Question

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