Functions of

D illi Fl
Drilling Fluids
id

Functions of a Drilling Fluid

• Hole Cleaning
• Pressure Control
• Suspend Solids
• Minimize Formation Damage
• Isolate Fluids from Formation
• Cooling and Lubrication

Functions of a Drilling Fluid

• Power the Downhole Tools
• Environment
• Maximum Hole Information
• Corrosion
• Support Part of DS
• Cost

1
 Introduction to Drilling Fluids
• Hole Cleaning
• Pressure Control
• Suspend Solids
• Minimize Formation Damage
• Isolate Fluid From Formation
• Cooling and Lubrication

Remove Cuttings From the Well Bore

The most important parameter is
the Annular Velocity (A.V.)
Where possible the annular
velocity should be 100 ft/min,
higher in deviated holes.
A.V.(ft/min)
In large hole sections the A.V. can
= Pump rate (bbls/min)
be as low as 20 ft/min
ft/min. Annular vol (bbls/ft)

If the A.V. is insufficient to clean the

hole the viscosity must be
Slip Velocity (ft/min)
increased
=Cuttings velocity - A.V.
Cuttings removal is harder in
deviated and horizontal holes as
the vertical component of the mud
is reduced.

Remove Cuttings From the Well Bore

Cutting removal is a
function of :
– Cuttings size, shape and
density A.V.(m/min)

– ROP,
ROP drillstring rotation = Pump rate (m3/min)
Annular vol (m3/m)
– Viscosity and density of
the drilling fluid
– For top hole high Slip Velocity (m/min)

viscosities and =Cuttings velocity - A.V.

sometimes high weight

must be used.

2
Introduction to Drilling Fluids
• Hole Cleaning
• Pressure Control
• Suspend Solids
• Minimize Formation Damage
• Isolate Fluid from Formation
• Cooling and Lubrication

Balancing Sub-Surface
Pressures
The pore pressure depends on:
9 The density of the overlying rock
9 The pressure of the interstitial fluid
9 Whether the rock is self supporting or is
supported by the fluid.
9 Surface terrain
9 Tectonic activity
If the fluid hydrostatic pressure does not balance the
pore pressure the following may occur:
9 Influxes of formation fluid into the wellbore
9 Lost circulation
9 Hole Instability
9 Stuck pipe

Balancing Sub-Surface
Pressures
The pressure balancing the
formation pressure is composed
from the hydrostatic pressure Hydrostatic Pressure (psi)
= Height (ft) x Density(ppg) x 0.052
under static conditions:
P = Depth (ft) x Density (ppg) x
0.052
P = Depth (m) x Density (sg) x
0.0981
zg
Under circulating conditions the
effective pressure is increased
by the pumping pressure. This
forms the Equivalent Circulating
Pore
density (ECD): Pressure
(Not normally
ECD = Density (ppg) + Ann Press known)
Loss
Depth x 0.052
ECD = Density (sg) + Ann Press Loss
Depth
x 0 0981

3
 Introduction to Drilling Fluids
• Hole Cleaning
• Pressure Control
• Suspend and Release Solids
• Minimize Formation Damage
• Isolate Fluid from Formation
• Cooling and Lubrication

Suspension of Solids
• Drill solids from the well, cuttings, must
be removed as quick as possible at
surface

• Several properties and parameters

influence cuttings removal rates :

9Viscosity
9 Gel strength
9 velocity

Suspension of Solids cont´d

• A gel structure is required to
suspend the cuttings under zero
shear conditions:
9 The gel structure is caused by time
dependant attractive forces which develop in
the fluid.
9 The longer the fluid is static the stronger
these forces become
9 The gel structure should be easily broken
9 The gel properties are especially important for
deviated and horizontal wells as the distance
solids have to settle is very small

4
 Release Solids at Surface
• Whenever the pumps are switched off
solids will start to settle. This can result
in:
9 Bridging off of the wellbore
9 Stuck pipe
9 Hole fill
9 Loss of Hydrostatic
• Solids equipment at surface :
9 Number of shakers
9 Screen size and type
9 Desilters and desanders
9 Centrifuges

Introduction to Drilling Fluids

• Hole Cleaning
• Pressure Control
• Suspend and Release Solids
• Minimize Formation Damage
• Isolate Fluid from Formation
• Cooling and Lubrication

Minimize Formation Damage

• Damage to the formation while drilling to
the reservoir:
9Formation swelling (Normally clay and Salt
formations)
9Washouts (Clay and Salt formations or
any unconsolidated formation)
formation). This can
result in:
9Difficult directional control
9Poor zonal isolation
9Excess mud and cement costs
9Poor Hole Cleaning
9Stuck Pipe
9Difficult fishing jobs

5
 The Need For Inhibition

Minimize Formation Damage

• Damage to the reservoir will result in
loss of production or the need for
remedial treatment.

This can result from:

9Solids blocking reservoir pores
9Emulsion droplets blocking reservoir pores
9Swelling clays (which Clay??)
9Ions from the formation and drilling fluid
forming insoluble salts

Damage by Drilling Muds

Mud damage can occur by:

9 Physical
y reduction of pore
p /p
pore throat
size

9 Relative permeability reduction

6
 Damage by Pore / Pore Throat Size
Reduction
9 Mud solids invasion
9 Formation fines migration
9 Clay swelling
9 Adsorption / precipitation of mud polymers
9 Reaction and precipitation (scale)
9 Wax formation (paraffin, asphaltene)
9 Sludge formation (e.g.
(e g by reaction of crude
& mud acid)
9 Stress-induced permeability change
9 Perforation plugging
Bold type denotes mud-induced damage
mechanisms

Damage Due to Relative Permeability

Reduction

9Wettability change
9Emulsion formation
9Fluid saturation change/fluid blocking
9Water coning
9Gas breakout
9Condensate banking

Depth of Invasion
• Mud composition & reservoir
characteristics influence the degree of
damage
• Depth of damage is influenced by
9Mud
Mud formulation
9Time in open hole
9Mud overbalance
Depth of damage is often less than the total
depth of invasion due to depletion of
damaging species

7
Introduction to Drilling Fluids
• Hole Cleaning
• Pressure Control
• Suspension of Solids
• Minimize Formation Damage
• Isolate Fluid from Formation
• Cooling and Lubrication

Isolate the Fluid From the Formation

• The differential pressure forces fluid

into the wellbore, resulting in whole
mud or filtrate entering the
formation. Either, or both, of these is
undesirable because:
9The loss of whole mud into the
wellbore is expensive and
damaging
9The loss of filtrate into the wellbore
may cause formation damage

Isolate the Fluid From the Formation

• The flow of fluid is affected by the formation of
a filter cake. The filter cake reduces the flow of
fluid into the formation.
Special additives are added to improve the
cake quality:
9Bridging material
9Plate like material
9Plugging material
The filter cake should be thin, hard with a
low permeability
9 This avoids reducing the effective hole diameter
9 It also reduces the chance of differential sticking

8
 Introduction to Drilling Fluids
• Hole Cleaning
• Pressure Control
• Suspension of Solids
• Minimize Formation Damage
• Isolate Fluid from Formation
• Cooling and Lubrication

Cooling and Lubrication

• The drilling fluid removes heat from the bit which is
then dispersed at the surface
9 Fluid formulations are not changed to improve this
function
9 Very occasionally the temperature of the fluid exceeds
the flash point. In this case it is necessary to improve
surface cooling
• Extra lubrication may be required between the drill
string and the casing or wellbore, especially in
directional wells
9 Liquid additives are used, or Oil based mud
9 Solid additives are sometimes used such as glass
beads, plastic beads, graphite or nut plug
9 Drill pipe rubbers are sometimes added to reduce wear
between the casing and drill pipe

Other Considerations / Functions

• Power Downhole Tools / Transfer

information
• Environment
• Maximum
M i H
Hole
l IInformation
f ti
• Corrosion
• Support Part of the DS
• Cost

9
 Power Downhole Tools / Transfer
information
• Power Downhole motors

9 Turbines to turn the bit or power MWD / LWD

equipment

Transfer information from measurement

equipment to the surface

9 This is done with a pressure pulse

Other Considerations
• Power Downhole Tools
• Environment
• Maximum Hole Information
• Corrosion
• Support Part of the DS
• Cost

Environmental Impact - Offshore

Man

Sheen Discharge

Mussel
(Mytilus sp.) Bioaccumulation

Zooplankton
Algae
(Acartia sp.) Taint
(Skeletonema sp.)

Fish
Shrimp (Scophthalamus sp.)
(Mysidopsis sp
sp..)
Sediment Reworker
Biodegradation (Corophium sp.)

10
 Environmental Impact - Land

Discharge
- Chlorides
- Heavy metals
-pH Liquid Drilled
- Clarity Waste Cuttings

Disposal
- Toxicity
- Chlorides
Treat - Heavy metals
- Oil content
- Solids content

Recycle
- Solids content

Other Considerations
• Power Downhole Tools
• Environment
• Maximum Hole Information
• Corrosion
• Support Part of the DS
• Cost

Secure Maximum Hole Information

• The operator will always require the following

information:
Rock type being drilled
9 The cuttings should not dissolve or disintegrate
• Analyses of gases
9 The gases should separate easily from the mud
• The fluid should have a defined resistivity
9 Formation resistivity measurements need to be
made

11
 Other Considerations
• Power Downhole Tools
• Environment
• Maximum Hole Information
• Corrosion
• Support Part of the DS
• Cost

Control Corrosion

• The fluid should be non corrosive to the:

9 Drill string
9 Casing
9 Surface equipment Corrosion leads to loss of

Corrosion can lead to:

9 Wash outs
9 Twist offs
&
9 Pump failure
9 Surface Leaks

Other Considerations
• Power Downhole Tools
• Environment
• Maximum Hole Information
• Corrosion
• Support Part of the DS
• Cost

12
 Support Part of the Tubular Weight
• Aids in supporting part of the weight of
the drill string and casing

• The degree of buoyancy is directly

proportional to the density of the fluid.

–The fluid density is never

changed to increase the
buoyancy

Other Considerations
• Power Downhole Tools
• Environment
• Maximum Hole Information
• Corrosion
• Support Part of the DS
• Cost

Maximize Penetration Rates

• The fluid properties greatly influence
penetration rates by:
9 Removing cuttings from below the bit and
wellbore
9 Reducing the cushioning effect of solids
between the bit teeth and the formation
9 Reducing the hydrostatic differential
9 Increasing the jet velocity Bits

Rig days, Rig days

Bits,
Ft/Bit.

Ft/Bit

5 10
Solids Content (%volume)

13
 Well Cost

Well Daily Footage Once off and

= + +
Cost Cost Cost Other Costs
($) (days x $/day) (ft x $/ft) ($)

DFS Fluids Drilling Completion

Cost = + +
Engineering Fluid Fluid
($) (days x $/day) (ft x $/ft) ($)

9 DFS direct cost is relatively small (5 to 10% of well cost)

9 Greatest savings achieved by improving Drilling Efficiency

Key Drilling Fluid Issues

Maintain
borehole stability
Minimise
oss o
loss of fluid
ud Suspend barite
to the formation under static and
dynamic conditions
Control
formation Remove
pressure drilling cuttings
from the hole

Lubricate Provide hydraulic

the drill string horse power
to the bit

Questions?

14