WATER-BASED DRILLING

WATER-BASED MUDSFLUIDS
(NON INHIBITING)

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• Fresh waters

• Muds prepared with formation clays

• Water-bentonite Spud Mud

• Guar-Gum suspension

• Bentonite and CMC based fluids

• Lignite/lignosulfonate muds (deflocculant) (FW/SW-LS)

• Contaminants: effects and remedial actions in non-inhibiting muds

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Fresh Waters
Fresh water is not frequently used as continuous drilling fluid during start up drilling
because of inability to have thyxotropics properties and carrying capacity.

Sea Water
It is used as intitial drilling fluid in start up drilling off-shore every 10-15 mt drilled . It is
recommended to displace a viscous pill in order to sweep the drilled hole.

Mud prepared with formation clays

Frequently used as spud mud off-shore when the phase to drill is not deep and the
formation is clay prevalent. In this case, the mud is also called S.W.-native clay and only
caustic soda is added to help building up of the mud.

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 NON INHIBITING FLUIDS

Water-Bentonite Spud Mud

Fresh water is suggested.

In case of shortage of F.W., prehydrate the bentonite in 25-30% of the volume in fresh water,
then add sea water and dilute to total volume.

Characteristics
Range of Density: 1.15 – 1.30 kg/l

Viscosity= 40-60 sec.

PV= 6-10 cps

YP= 5-10 gr/100 m2 (10-20 lbs/100 ft2)

API Filter= 12-20 cc/30‘

pH= 8.5 – 9.5

Easily convertible to more complex system (after dilution).

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Formulation

Fresh Water or FW/SW

Bentonite 50/80 kg/m3 (17.5/ 28 ppb)

Caustic Soda ½ kg/m3 (0.35/0.7 ppb)

Limitations

Very sensitive to contaminants.

Non adequate for long section drilling.

Low solids tolerance

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Guar Gum Suspension

• To be used off-shore

• Need sea water to enhance the viscosity

• It is often alternate to sea water. In this option, it is used as viscous pill, 8 to 20 MC

(depending on the bit size) every 10-15 mt drilled

• The Funnel viscosity suggested is over 100 sec/lt

• Easy and fast to mix. Low concentration of product is requested

• It reduces logistic problem for large initial volumes of mud.

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Characteristics

Density: as low as possible

Funnel Viscosity: 100-120 sec/lt

PV: 15-20 cps

YP: 25-30 gr/100 cm2 (50-60 lbs/100 ft 2)

Gels 10“/10‘: 10-15/15-20 gr/100 cm2 (20-30/30-40 lbs/100 ft2)

API Filter: N.C.

pH: 7

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Fomulation

Sea Water
Guar-Gum 8-12 kg/l (2.8 – 4.2 ppb)
Bactericide As needed

Limitations

• Poblems of fermentation
• Degradation in presence of caustic agents
• Formation of “Fish Eyes” if not mixed adequately

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Bentonite and CMC based fluids

• Used when FW-GE characteristics are not sufficient

• Used in non reactive formations
• Not easy to weight it up
• Low cost

Characterisitcs

• Range of Density: 1.03 – 1,15 kg/l

• Funnel Viscosity: 50-80 sec/l
• PV: 5-15 cps
• YP: 6-15 gr/100 cm2 12-30 lbs/100 ft2
• API Filter: 6-10 cc/30 min.
• PH: 8,5 – 9,5

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Formulation

Fresh Water
Bentonite 20-60 kg/m3 (7-21 ppb)
Caustic Soda 1-2 “ (0.3 – 0.7 ppb)
CMC HV 0-5 “ (0-1.8 ppb)
CMC LV 3-10 “ (1-3.5 ppb)

Limitations

• High sensitive to contaminants

• Low solid tolerance

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Descriptions: Limitations:
• Non effective in salt sat. Fluids
• Versatile drilling fluid. Great range of density • This system strongly reduces the effect
• Easy to maintain in good shape of many polymers
• High solid tolerance • In reactive shale it can produce wash out
• High contaminants tolerance and consequently gives large hole
• Convertible to lime or gypsum based system section
• In some areas: environment concerns

Lignite/lignosulfonate typical properties

Density Plastic Gels Filtrate Filtrate Solids
Yield Point
9-17.5 (ppg) Viscosity 10 sec/10 min API HT-HP pH % in
(lb/100 ft2)
Kg/l (cPs) (lb/100ft2) 3
(cm /30 min) cm3/30 min vol.

1.1-2.1 5-45 4-24 10 30 10-4 9.5-10.5 7-40

Formulation:
Fresh Water 20-70 kg / m3 (7-25 ppb)
Bentonite 10-30 kg / m3 (3.5 – 10.5 ppb)
Lignosulfonate 1-4 kg / m3 (0.3-1.4 ppb)
Caustic Soda 2-8 kg / m3 (0.7-2.8 ppb)
CMC LV 10-20 kg / m3 (3.5-7 ppb)
Lignin (for HT)

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CONTAMINANTS: Effects and remedial actions in non inhibiting muds

Contaminats treating for bentonite-cmc and lignite/lignosulfonite muds

Contaminants Indicators Treatment Strategy

Greater dilution.
High density solids Gels, solids content, plastic viscosity increase
Improve solids removal use of the centrifuges to treat the mud.
Remove cement content (Ca++) with bicarbonate and/or SAPP and
lignosulfonate.
PM, PF, pH, yield point and Marsh viscosity increase. Hardness
Cement Minor dilution.
increase.
Increase the PF to limit the Ca++ solubility.
If necessary convert into lime mud.
Increase the pH to 10.7 with NaOH or KOH.
Gel, yield point, and MF increase. Treat with gypsum and/or lime to remove carbonates (avoid
Carbonates
Viscous bottom cushions after the round trips overtreating).
Minor dilution.
Packing product changes.
Document the history of the product through the Supplier. Arrange
Quantity increasing the treatment.
Low-quality product sampling and regular analysis.
Impossibility of controlling mud properties through standard
Pilot test to be develop on good materials
treatments

If possible, increase the density to remove the flow.

Dilute with fresh water. Increase caustic soda and filtrate, chlorides.
Well flow, yield point, Marsh viscosity, hardness and pH, , PM, PF
Salt/salt water Decrease the lignosulfonate to control rheological properties; when
increase.
they’re stabilized, add PAC for the filtrate control. If the chlorides
concentration is higher than 35,000 mg/L, to convert into salt mud

Reduce low density solids and MBT.

Pump pressure increasing to break the circulation out . Viscous
Freezing Temperature Use a thermal stable deflocculant.
bottom cushions after the trips
Test mud to identify possible carbonates contamination.
Drill speed variation. Yield point, Marsh viscosity, hardness Remove ions Ca++ content with soda ash.
Gypsum /anhydride
increase. pH, PM, PF decrease. Add lignosulfonate and/or convert into gypsum mud.

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