INTRODUCTION

Drilling fluid formulation and properties play fundamental roles as drilling

operation proceed deeper into subsurface formation. It is to remove the drill cuttings
from the borehole whilst drilling and to prevent formation fluids from flowing into the
borehole and lastly to preserve the wellbore stability.
WBM is a more applicable and manageable mud to be used as to comply with the
environmental restrictions and economical aspects in comparison with other muds such
as SBM and OBM.
It is said that drilling fluid performance will be reduced and varied continuously
corresponding to the composition present in the formation.

1. CASE STUDY:
Drilled well X is composed of 2 different formations (shale and
carbonate formation) at the same interval depth.
2. PROBLEM FACED:
I.
Type of oil producer formation
- Properties of the drilling fluid will be slightly different than the
formation properties.
- Oil producer formation composition will cause potential effect on
the drilling fluid once interact.
II.

Degradation of the drilling fluid will be worse when WBM (water

based mud) system is used.
1. Cutting disintegration
- Happened when mud pressure exceed the combination of pore
pressure and swelling pressure.
- Imbalance of pressure will lead to cutting hydration and
dispersion

2. Wellbore instability
- Largest source of lost time and trouble cost
- Transportation of cuttings to the surface cannot be operated
smoothly
- Caused a disastrous change in the rheological properties of
fluid
3. Bit bailing
- Affect rate of penetration and hole making ability of the bit
- Cutting may deposit themselves onto the bit and cause the bit
to bail.
Reason being : limitation of WBM to encounter a dispersive shale formation

III.

Shale formation has adverse interaction with WBM, will

become unstable as drilling fluid is invaded into formation/
alteration of shale water content into drilling fluid. (called
hydration/dispersion of shale)
- Will give direct impact on rheological value and drilling
fluid properties

Carbonate formation that is composed of limestone

(CACO3) and dolomite (CaMgCO3)2 will have direct
impact on the drilling fluid performance since carbonate
formation contained acidic gas such as CO2 and H2S, if its
mixed, the rheological properties of the fluid will be reduced,
thus performance of the fluid will automatically dropped.

Selection of the drilling fluid is not compatible with the

composition of oil production formation

Participants are required to come out with a WBM with the best performance for
the above case study.
*Take note: the Mud Weight (MW) or Mud Density of the drilling fluid is 9.3ppg.