Polymers used in Drilling

Fluids
By:
Prof. Vignesh Shenoy
Introduction
• One definition used to classify oilfield drilling and completion fluid polymers is: “an
organic chemical of above 200 molecular weight with greater than eight repeating
units.”
• The repeating units make up a main, long-chain of material called the backbone.
• Attached to the backbone are chemical side chains unique to that polymer.
• If the backbone of a polymer is broken, the functionally of the polymer is destroyed.
• If the side chain is changed, by temperature or chemical reaction, partial functionality
may remain or be changed/lost.
• The side chain chemistry is crucial to the complexity of the polymer and to determine
the polymers chemical reactivity, i.e., precipitation, flocculation, cross-linking, etc.
Introduction
• Polymers vary greatly in functionality and basic properties. Variations in fluid
functionality include:
• Rheology modification; bulk viscosity, low-shear rheology, bentonite extension.
• Fluid loss control; filter cake modification, seepage control, minimizing lost circulation
• Chemical reactivity; surface coating, clay attachment, flocculation/deflocculation, contaminant
removal
• Variations in molecular properties include:
• Temperature stability
• Chemical stability
• Biological stability
• Charge density and type
• Molecular weight
• Surface activity
 Polymers

Natural Modified Natural Synthetic

Starch CMC/PAC Polyacrylates

Guar HP guar Polyacrylamide

Xanthan gum CM/HP starch Vinyl copolymer

Styrene
Wellan gum HEC
copolymer

Diutan AMPS copolymer

Scleroglucan
Types of Polymers
Starch
• Starch is a natural polymer produced from either corn or potatoes, but can be made from other starchy
plants.
• It is supplied as a pregelatinized (water-dispersible) powder.
• Natural starch is usually treated with a preservative.
• Modified starches can be either cationic, anionic or nonionic, the most common drilling fluid additive being
anionic.
Examples:
• starch, cm-starch, hp-starch, cmhp-starch
Uses:
• Fluid loss control for all types of mud systems, particularly useful in salt water systems.
• Natural starch requires a bactericide while drilling. Modified starches are used in reservoir drill-in fluids.
Types of Polymers
Guar gum
• Derived from the seed of the Guar plant.
• Regular guar contains residue left from processing the guar bean, which can cause formation damage.
• HP-guar is further processed with hydroxypropyl side chains and cleaned of excess residue.
Uses:
• Not used in most drilling fluids (solids reactivity).
• Has been used in top-hole drilling for quick viscosity.
• HP-Guar—primary fracturing fluid viscosifier and fluid loss controller
Types of Polymers
Biopolymers
• Polysaccharides manufactured from bacterial or fungal fermentation.
• They have extremely complex structures with high molecular weights (500 to 2 million1).
• Their side chains are slightly anionic.
Examples:
• xanthan gum, wellan gum, diutan, scleroglucan
Uses:
• Rheology control.
• Develops high, low-shear-rate viscosities for suspension and carrying capacity.
Types of Polymers
CMC
• A polysaccharide linear polymer based on a plant cellulose backbone modified with carboxymethyl (CM) side
chains for water dispersion.
• Carboxylic acid side chains are anionic.
• Its functionality depends on the degree of substitution (DS), the number of CM side chains, and molecular
weight (MW).
Examples:
• High MW: Regular CMC or Hi viscosity CMC
• Low MW: Low viscosity CMC
• Tech grade: Usually high MW but contains up to 40% salt contamination.
• PAC (polyanionic cellulose): Higher DS than regular CMC.
Uses:
• Fluid loss control in drilling; high MW is a bulk viscosifiers with minimal low shear-rate viscosity and minimal
suspending ability.
Types of Polymers
HEC
• A polysaccharide linear polymer based on a plant cellulose backbone modified with hydroxyethyl side chains.
• Its side chains are nonionic.
• Its functionality depends upon its molecular weight.
• Usually supplied as a high molecular weight product, >250,000.
Uses:
• Bulk viscosifier for high density brine fluids, such as the saturated chlorides and bromides. N
• ot normally used in drilling fluids, but used in clear completion fluids, gravel packs, and fracturing fluids.
• It has no solids suspending ability.
Types of Polymers
Synthetics
• A multitude of synthetic polymers can be designed in chemical manufacturing plants.
• The two most common synthetics in drilling fluids are the acrylates and polyacrylamides.
Acrylates—
• Synthetic materials manufactured from acrylic acid. Not as complex structurally as the natural
polymers.
• Usually has a straight-chain carbon backbone but can have a multitude of different side chains,
depending on the end product desired. It is usually anionic.
Examples:
• polyacrylates, vinyl polymers, copolymers, vinyl acetate,maleic anhydride,
• Uses: Low molecular weight (,1000)—thinners, deflocculants
• Medium molecular weights—fluid loss, flocculent, shale stabilizer
• High molecular weights—bentonite extender, flocculent
Types of Polymers
Polyacrylamide
• A copolymer of acrylic acid and acrylamide in various ratios.
• Usually called a partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (PHPA).
• Usually anionic for drilling fluids; can be anionic, nonionic, or cationic for use as a dewatering flocculent.
Uses:
• flocculants, increased bulk viscosity, shale stabilizer

Cationic polymers
• A copolymer, many times with acrylates or acrylamides with ammonium (amides,amines) cationic side chains.
Uses:
• flocculants, Shale stabilizer
 Polymers as
Additives

Rheology Fluids Loss Chemical Activity

Modified starch, CMC/PAC, Polyacrylates (high

Xanthan gum, Polyacrylate (medium MW), Polyacrylamide,
Scleroglucan, Diutan, MW), Starch, Synthetics (high
HEC, Modified guar, Modified starch,
Polyacrylate (low MW) Wellan gum (cements) temperature)