Drilling Fluids Technology

Section 9
Foam and Aerated Fluids
Overview
Air drilling
Foam drilling
Aerated mud
Determining hydrostatic loss
caused by gas-cut mud
Corrosion

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Overview

Applications for air, foam, and aerated muds This section

covers operational guidelines for air, foam, and aerated
mud drilling systems.

Common formulas are listed for some of the most popular

muds. In addition, a section on corrosion explains how to
avoid severe corrosion problems with the different mud
systems.

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Applications for Air, Foam, and Aerated

Muds

Air, foam, and aerated muds are effective alternatives

when drilling with normal drilling fluids is not appropriate.
Best applied when drilling the following formations:
 Extremely porous formations
 Sub-normally pressured formations
 Cavernous formations

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Types Aerated Fluids and Recommended

Applications

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Air Drilling
Compressed gas for hole cleaning is the most commonly
used gas, but natural gas and other gases can also be used.
Problems that can be encountered with gas drilling include
• Regulation of gas pressure
• Influxes of formation fluids
• Erosion of the wellbore
The gas stream and the cuttings erodes the wall and the
annulus widens. So, increased gas volume is required to
maintain gas velocity.

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Air Drilling

Sometimes water or mud is misted into the well to inhibit

shales and reduce torque and drag.

The most important aspect of gas drilling is to maintain an

adequate annular velocity.

An annular velocity of 3,000 ft/min is normally required

for air drilling. It removes the cuttings,so,they do not
accumulate and cause stuck pipe.

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Foam Drilling
Foam drilling uses foam as the carrying agent for cuttings
removal instead of air under great velocity. Foam drilling
requires less volume than air drilling and relies on bubble
strength to remove cuttings while air and mist drilling
depend on extremely high flow rates.
An indication of effective foam drilling is a continued and
regular flow of foam at the blooey line. A pulsating,
irregular flow (heading) can indicate problems with the
flow columns.

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Foam Drilling

In addition to cleaning the wellbore, the foam deposits a

thin filter cake on the walls of the wellbore to improve
borehole stability.
To thicken foam and improve hole cleaning and water
tolerance, a slurry of polymers and/or bentonite is
injected.

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Determining Air and Fluid Volumes

In foam drilling, the injected air controls the amount of
foam. Air volume requirements are calculated using the
following formula:

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Controlling the Foam Drilling Fluid

During the drilling operation, changes to foam injection

rates are made based on:
 Changes in the character of the foam at the blooey
line
 Changes in torque
 Changes in pressure

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Conditions for Effective Drilling

 Foam drilling is most effective when the lowest possible

standpipe pressure is maintained.
 Pressure on the standpipe can range from 80 to 350
psi.
 Foam at the blooey line should be similar in appearance
and texture to shaving foam.
 For optimal removal of cuttings, foam returns at the
blooey line should be continuous.

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Aerated Mud
Aerated mud systems are used in areas with very low
fracture gradients to:
 reduce lost circulation
 minimize shale hydration
 minimize corrosion
Effective mud weights of 4 to 6 ppg(0.48-0.72 sg) are
possible with an aerated system.
These weights substantially reduce differential pressure in
the wellbore. Because of the lower pressure, the driller
can reach a higher penetration rate than is possible with
normal drilling fluids.

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Equipment Required for Aerated Mud

Drilling
The following equipment is needed for an aerated mud
system:
 An air compressor capable of 850 SCFM
 A back-up compressor capable of 850 SCFM
 An air bypass
 A Barton recorder
 An air-mud separator (gas buster) at the flowline

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Equipment Required for Aerated Mud

Drilling

 An air vent on the top of the tank aimed toward the

reserve pit
 A mud flow discharge on the bottom of the tank

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Recommended Operating Procedures for

Aerated Mud

When using aerated mud systems:

 Inject air into the standpipe and arrange the piping so

air can be bypassed at the floor for making
connections, etc.
 Plumb the piping so mud can be pumped downhole
while air is bypassed.

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Recommended Operating Procedures for

Aerated Mud

 Run the bit with open water courses (no jets) to

prevent excessive air pressure requirements. With the
reduced bottomhole pressure, jet impact is not as
critical for cleaning the bottom of the hole.
 Larger drill pipe sizes of 4 1/2 or 5 inches are
recommended to reduce compressor volume
requirements.

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Recommended Operating Procedures for

Aerated Mud (cont.)
 Filling the hole between trips is not necessary with aerated
mud.
 Circulate the mud system at a constant rate of 6 to 8 bbl per
minute and treat it as a normal mud system. Do not vary
pump output to maintain constant bottomhole pressure or to
control gains and losses; instead, regulate the airflow to
correct these problems.
 Use the aerated mud chart to determine the amount of air to
inject to achieve a specific reduction in bottomhole pressure.
 Install float valves in the drillstring approximately every 200
feet (61 meters) to prevent backflow on connections.

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Determining Hydrostatic Loss Caused by

Gas-cut Mud
1. To find Bottom Hole Pressure (BHP) loss due to gas­cut mud:
 Find hydrostatic pressure of uncut mud.
 Start with hydrostatic pressure at bottom of chart (See Figure next
page).
 Proceed up to intersect percent gas in mud.
 Read on right the BHP loss due to gas content.
 Subtract loss from original BHP to find new effective head of gas-
cut mud.

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Ref.: White, R. J.

"Bottom-Hole Pressure Reduction

Due to Gas Cut Mud, "

Journal of Petroleum
Technology, July 1957.

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Corrosion
 Foam and aerated fluids can be corrosive.
 The injected air contains carbon dioxide and oxygen
that promote corrosion.
 Inhibitors are needed to counter the effect of these
gases. There are products to use minimize and prevent
corrosion problems according to the application.
 Examine corrosion coupons and rings to ensure that
enough inhibitors are being used.

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