An Environmentally Safe Water-Based Alternative to Oil Muds

Enright, Dorothy P.; Dye, William; Smith, Martin Ferguson

doi:10.2118/21937-pa

Cited by 17 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 6 publications

(3 reference statements)

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“…The protection of the environment from pollutants becomes increasingly important [208]. The toxicity of oil-based fluids can be reduced by the replacement of diesel oil with low-aromatic mineral oils.…”

Section: Anti-accretion Additivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, there are interactions of the aqueous phase of the fluid with the drill bit, such as bit balling, which occurs when the adhesive forces between the bit surface and drill chip become greater than the cohesive forces holding the chip together [208]. In order to decrease bit balling, the adhesive forces between the deformable shale chip and the bit surface must be reduced.…”

Section: Anti-accretion Additivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Drilling Fluids

2015

Water-Based Chemicals and Technology for Drilling, Completion, and Workover Fluids

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Section: Anti-accretion Additivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Anti-accretion Additivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Drilling Fluids

2015

Water-Based Chemicals and Technology for Drilling, Completion, and Workover Fluids

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“…The former shows better stability and fewer swelling issues over the latter. In addition, OBDF has stable rheology, less filtration and better hole cleaning than WBDF [30][31][32], and is often used in completing the pay-zone section [33]. However, the oil presence in OBDF complicates the filter cake removal processes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Novel Cake Washer for Removing Oil-Based Calcium Carbonate Filter Cake in Horizontal Wells

et al. 2020

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An impermeable layer “filter cake” usually forms during the overbalanced drilling technique. Even though it helps in protecting the formation from a further invasion of drilling fluids, the removal of this layer is essential for a proper cement job and to avoid any reduction in wellbore deliverability. The design of the removal process is complicated and depends on the filter cake composition and homogeneity. This paper presents an experimental evaluation on the usage of a novel cake washer (NCW) in the removal of a filter cake formed by an invert emulsion oil-based drilling fluid that contains calcium carbonate as a weighting material while drilling a horizontal reservoir. The proposed NCW is a mixture of organic acid, mutual solvent and nonionic surfactant. It is designed to enable restored wellbore permeability for a sustainable production. Since the filter cake mainly consists of the weighting material, the solubility of calcium carbonate in NCW at different ranges of temperature, duration and concentration was investigated. An actual casing joint was used to test the corrosion possibility of the treating solution. High-pressure and high-temperature (HPHT) filtration tests on ceramic discs and Berea sandstone core samples were conducted to measure the efficiency of the filter cake removal and the retained permeability. Ethylene glycol mono butyl ether (EGMBE) was used as a mutual solvent and the solubility was higher compared to when the mutual solvent was not used in the washer formulation. A significant increase in calcium carbonate dissolution with time was observed for a duration of 24 h. The solubility was found to be proportional to the concentration of NCW with optimum results of 99% removal at a temperature of around 212 °F. At those conditions, no major corrosion problems were detected. Permeability of the core retained its pristine value after the treatment.

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“…The advantages of an insoluble form of this chemistry at minimizing bit balling was also described in 1991 and formally marketed as a "water-based alternative to oil muds." 15,16 In the years since other claims for effective alternatives to OBM/SBM have been made based on 2-phase polyglycol systems, 17,18,19,20 1-phase polyglycol systems, 21 polyglycerols, 22 methylglucosides 23,24 and terpenes 25 in addition to the water-insoluble polyproplyene glycol. These are most conveniently discussed by water-solubility.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…High molecular weight polypropylene glycols represent a non-toxic virtually odor-free alternative to terpenes for increasing penetration rates of water-based muds with PDC bits while providing lubricity especially when used with a proprietary vinyl-sulfonate copolymer 15,16 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Water-Based Alternatives to Oil-Based Muds: Do They Actually Exist?

Bland¹,

Waughman²,

Tomkins³

et al. 2002

Proceedings of IADC/SPE Drilling Conference

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fax 01-972-952-9435. AbstractWater-based mud designs as alternatives to oil-based or synthetic-based muds are compared versus history of use. Water-soluble designs and water-insoluble designs are discussed as well as a combination approach used by Woodside Energy to drill on the Northwest Shelf, Offshore Australia. Perfornance of a water-based 2-phase polyglycol mud system containing a Drilling Enhancer with an appropriate bit design was technically and economically equivalent to that with a synthetic-based mud.

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An Environmentally Safe Water-Based Alternative to Oil Muds

Abstract: A mechanism describing the onset of bit balling is given. On the basis of this mechanism, a new copolymer/polypropylene glycol (COP/PPG) water-based drilling fluid was developed. The properties of this fluid are described, and field test comparisons are made with water-and oil-based fluids

Cited by 17 publications

References 6 publications

Drilling Fluids

Drilling Fluids

Novel Cake Washer for Removing Oil-Based Calcium Carbonate Filter Cake in Horizontal Wells

Water-Based Alternatives to Oil-Based Muds: Do They Actually Exist?

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