The main objective of using selective flocculation is to increase the efficiency of the fluid system and the solids-control equipment. Removing drill cuttings from the fluid system is important for increasing the drilling efficiency and success of the overall operation. Selective flocculation is proven to efficiently remove drilled solids, especially smaller- or colloidal-sized particles. The performance of drilling fluid components increases because larger quantities are allowed to interact with the drilled formation, which is preferred. This process provides various benefits, including decreased water consumption, which reduces requirements for additional new fluids to be mixed for dilution and consumption of sustaining properties for rheology, filtration control, and inhibition. The design process focuses on the operation of centrifuges but begins by performing a detailed evaluation using specialized equipment of all solids-control equipment available on the drilling rig, from the shakers to centrifuges. Damaged parts and accessories are repaired and/or replaced, and a simple barite retrieval system and an array of valves for the injection of a concentrated flocculant solution composed of a specialized clay polymer are installed in the centrifuges. The flow necessary for operation of the centrifuges is separated from the drilling circuit as the design current. The specialized polymer solution is injected, and the process ends with the arrangement of injection rates to obtain an output current with a clay content value measured using a methylene blue test (MBT) at zero or near zero. This current's properties must remain close to those of a new fluid without weighting material. When the treatment was evaluated, an increase in solids-control equipment efficiency of approximately 10% was obtained, and a 12% reduction in total new drilling fluid volume was observed, which could be optimized up to approximately 30%. Savings in water consumption were directly proportional, and cost savings were influenced by the reduced consumption of fluid products.
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