16 - Non Aqueous Fluids OBM & SBM BMS 2013

Oil/Synthetic Base Muds
NAF
Non-Aqueous Fluids
Invert Emulsions
Mud, Fluid Phases
100 % Water, no oil
Water external phase, with oil emulsified in it

as droplets. Called oil emulsion mud in 1930s.
These systems have limited use today.
Oil external phase, with water emulsified in it
as droplets. Called invert emulsion oil mud to
distinguish it from 1930s oil emulsion mud.
100 % Oil, no water. Limited use today,
primarily as coring and “drill in” fluids.
2 Copyright ©2001-2012 NExT. All rights reserved

What is a Non-Aqueous Drilling Fluid?
A Non-Aqueous drilling fluid has a continuous fluid phase that is

either a refined oil or a manufactured hydrocarbon (a synthetic).

Non-Aqueous Base Fluids
 Oils  Synthetics
– Crude oil – Esters
– Refined – Ethers
 Diesel oil
– Polyalphaolefins
 Low toxicity mineral oil
– Linear alkylbenzene
 Linear paraffins
– Linear olefins
– Internal or isomerized olefins

Oil & Synthetic Fluids
The Pros and Cons
First, the NAF Pros
 Better wellbore stability than possible with water based drilling fluid
 Good high temperature tolerance
 Resists hydrate formation in deepwater applications but can be pumped if they

occur
 Excellent lubricity
 Greatly reduces differential sticking
 Good penetration rates- fast drilling
 Generally unaffected by salt, anhydrite, and cement contamination

The NAF Cons
 Expensive
 Environmental acceptance?
 Compressibility increases chance of lost circulation
 Saltwater flows
 Dilution is costly with expensive base fluid
 Kicks are more difficult to detect
 Logistics, transportation of large volumes of high density
mud
– Oil and synthetic fluids are generally mixed at a liquid mud plant and shipped
as liquid mud from a liquid mud plant.
– Requires vacuum trucks and certified tanks.
– Requires investment in facilities for building, handling and storing liquid mud
and makeup fluids.
Liquid Mud Plants
 Pumps – Require high volume and relatively low pressure.

– 6 inch discharge - 8 inch suction except on portable plants
– Centrifugal pumps not positive displacement
 Typical output – 40 to 50 bbls/minute
 Impeller provides shear for emulsifying oil/synthetic muds.
 Motors
– Electric
 Dependable with no starting problems
 Cannot be throttled back for slow pump rates – lack flexibility!
– Diesel / Internal combustion
 Flexibility
– Can be throttled back for slow pump rates
 Helpful for priming pumps
 Helpful for draining tanks
 Mixing Tanks – 250, 500, or 1,000 bbl
– Smaller mixing tanks provide better shear
– Larger mixing tanks simplify operations (requires fewer batches) and reduces
chance of making mistakes.

Liquid Mud Plants
 Mud Lines
– Suction lines – 8 inch
– Gun (discharge) lines – 6 inch all of the way from pump to storage tank guns.
– Lines should be designed to aid in flushing and draining
 Storage Tanks
– Gun lines should be kept as low as possible while allowing for placement for
guns to “roll” tank.
– 500 bbl – 1,000 bbl with adequate number for use in area.
– Storage capacity must be sufficient to isolate:
 Different oil:water ratio mud systems
 Different mud weights
 Different base fluid (diesel oil, mineral oil, synthetic, etc.) systems
 Guns, 2 inch diameter by 6 inches long
– Minimum number to roll tank and sweep tank floor.
– Gun discharge velocity and effectiveness decreases as guns are added.

Liquid Mud Plants
 Warehouse facilities to store sufficient additives for largest orders.
 Base oil and synthetic storage tanks.
 Brine storage
 Mud processing pit with solids control equipment for cleaning salvage
muds.

The Cons of Refined Oils
 Environmental: mud and cuttings may require expensive disposal on offshore

locations, *diesel
– Box and ship to land – “Skip & Ship” – logistical problems
– Cuttings injection, expensive and not an option in many cases
 Health hazard with diesel and crude oils
 Safety, lower flash point than synthetics
 MS/GC differentiation from formation fluids may be more difficult

Synthetic Pros & Cons
 Price!
– Of whole mud
– Of dilution with base fluid
 Penetration rate and hole stability no better than that of diesel based muds
 Minimal environmental impact, dump at sea

– Reduces expensive rig down time!
 Formation hydrocarbon contamination converts $400/bbl synthetic to $100/bbl oil mud

Development of Non-Aqueous Fluids
 ~1920 Crude oil used as drilling fluid
 Late 1920’s barite used for weight material
 1930’s Oil’s viscosified with blown asphalt, steric acid, and lamp black
 1930’s oil emulsion muds with continuous water phase, acted to contamination like any water
mud
 1948 first successful use of invert emulsion mud, Ken Oil later part of IMCO and M-I 
 1954, Mobil patented modern invert emulsion system and sold patents to Baroid 

Development of Non-Aqueous Fluids, Cont.
 1970 Improved inhibition through use of CaCl2 brine internal non-continuous phase
 1978 Relaxed filtrate systems developed to improve penetration rates
 1980 First use of mineral oils, driven by environmental considerations
 1991 First generation of synthetics, Esters by Baroid, Ethers by Anchor, Polyalphaolefin

by M-I
 Mid 1990’s Second generation of synthetics, linear olefins and internal (or isomerized)
olefins

Oil & Synthetic Base Drilling Fluids
(Emulsion Drilling Fluids)
COMPONENTS OF NON - AQUEOUS FLUIDS

External Internal Solids
Phase Phase
Oil Soluble Ca2+ and OH- Non-Chloride
Liquid Additives from Lime Activity Reducers Necessary Drilled
Solids Solids
Surfactants Glycols
Rheo. Modifers Ca2+ and Mg2+ Organophyllic Clay MISC.
Liq. Polymers Acetates Weight Material
Thinners Nitrates Salt (CaCl2)
FLC Additives
Oil Base Synthetic 25% - 30%

Fluid Fluid CaCl2
Activity =
0.747 - 0.637
Diesel Oil Olefins

Mineral Oil Esters
Refined LP's Synthetic LP's

Oil & Synthetic (Non-Aqueous Fluids) Mud Applications
 Shale inhibition
 High temperature wells
 Lubricity
 High angle extended reach wells
 Contaminates, evaporites and acid gases
 Spotting fluids
 Workover, completion & packer fluids

Typical Cuttings (Non-Aqueous Fluid / PDC Bit)

Oil & Synthetic Mud Limitations
 Environmental
 Cost
 Hydraulics, hydrostatic pressure, and ECD calculations are
complicated
 Increased risk of lost circulation
 Gas solubility makes kick detection difficult

Invert Emulsion Muds
 THREE PHASE SYSTEM - Two immiscible fluids, and the solids

phase
– OIL / SYNTHETIC FLUID - continuous / external phase, lipophilic liquid

product additives.
– WATER - emulsified droplets (CaCl2 brine), as internal phase, soluble
lime.
– SOLIDS - barite, organophilic clays, drill solids, insoluble additives -
fluid loss control products, LCM, etc. (soluble additives)

CONTINUOUS PHASE
 OILS
– DIESEL - Megadril
– MINERAL - Versa Clean
– ENHANCED MINERAL OIL (EMO)
– LINEAR PARAFINS (linear hydrocarbons - no double bond)
 SYNTHETIC FLUIDS
– PAO - Nova Dril
– IO - Nova Plus
– LAO - Nova Tech
– ESTER - Eco Green
Oil & Synthetic Base Fluids
Base Fluid Specific Viscosity, Flash Point Pour Point Aniline

Gravity CST @104 F F Point F
Diesel Oil 0.85 3-4 150 14 149
LTMO 0.80 2-3 212 -0.4 169
ESTER 0.85 5-7 354 -22 77
PAO 0.80 6-7 347 -85 225
ETHER 0.83 5-6 330 14 104
LAO 0.78 2-3 295 37 ~200
IO 0.78 2-3 279 32 ~200
LP 0.77 2.5 >212 14 >200

Base fluid chemical structure components
C C
SAME MOLECULAR WEIGHT
INCREASING LC50 FOR THE
C C
 Aromatics
C C
 Cyclic Compounds C C
C C
 Olefins C C
C C C C C
 Paraffins
C C C C C

CONTINUOUS PHASE
 Lipophilic Liquid Additives:

– Versamul
– Versacoat
– Versawet
– VersaMod
– Versathin
– HRP
– SWA
– MI-157

WATER PHASE
CALCIUM CHLORIDE BRINE:
– Ca(Cl)2 Reduces the activity of the water phase (Aw).
Fresh Water (Aw) = 1.0

NaCl (Aw) =1.0 - 0.75 (26% = saturation)
Ca(Cl)2 (Aw) =1.0 - 0.39 (40% = saturation)
Solutions with the same ice melting point have the same water
activity (AW)
– 25%-30% By wt. Ca(Cl)2 (Common range for oil muds)

(Aw) = 0.74 - 0.637

Water Activity (AW)
 When water interacts with solutes and surfaces it is

unavailable for further hydration reactions.
 Water activity describes the amount of water available for

hydration.
– A value of 1.0 indicates pure water.
– A value of 0.0 indicates the absence of water.
 Water Activity (AW) is equal to the equilibrium relative humidity

(ERH) expressed as a fraction.

Water Activity (AW) of Saturated Brines
 Lithium Chloride (LiCl): 0.11
 Magnesium Chloride (MgCl2): 0.33
 Calcium Chloride (CaCl2): 0.39
 Strontium Chloride (SrCl2): 0.71
 Sodium Chloride (NaCl): 0.75
 Barium Chloride (BaCl2): 0.90

Water Activity (AW)
 Biocides are not required in saturated sodium chloride (NaCl) muds

as bacterial growth is inhibited.
 This inhibition is related to the water activity, AW.

– Most bacterial growth is inhibited at AW< 0.91
– Most yeast growth is inhibited at AW< 0.87
– Most mold growth is inhibited at AW< 0.80
– Absolute limit for microbial growth is AW ≈ 0.60

Binary Salt System
 At any point on this

graph (blue line) the
salts are in equilibrium
and the system is
saturated.
 When in equilibrium:
– NaCl will precipitate if
CaCl2 is added.
– If NaCl is added, it will
not dissolve
EMULSIONS
OBM WBM
Oil Phase Water Phase
Water Oil
Oil External Phase Water External Phase

Oil wet solids & surfaces Water-wet solids & surfaces
Desirable for Drilling For Cementing / Stimulation
SOLIDS PHASE
 Weight Material - Barite, Fer-ox, CaCo3

 Organophilic clays - VG-69, VG-Plus, VG-HT
 Drill Solids
 Insoluble Additives - FLC & LCM Products
 Soluble Additives
– Ca(Cl)2, Lime, Versalig, Versatrol

OIL BASE MUD
SYSTEMS

SYSTEMS
 OIL BASE BASE OIL

– VERSA DRIL Diesel
– VERSA CLEAN Mineral
– MEGADRIL Diesel, Mineral, Synthetic

SYSTEMS
 CONVENTIONAL  RELAXED
– Strong Emulsion – Weaker Emulsion
– Lower HTHP – High HTHP
– No water in filtrate – Water in filtrate
– Higher Temp. Stab. – Temp. stab. ~ 300oF
– Thicker – Clay Viscosification
– Calcium Soap – Surfactant
– Excess Lime > 3.0 – Excess Lime < 2.0

OIL BASE MUD
PRODUCTS

OIL BASE MUD PRODUCTS
SURFACTANTS - Surface Active Agents.

– Act by Reducing the Interfacial Tension Between Two Liquids or
Between a Liquid and a Solid.
Emulsifiers
Soaps
Wetting Agents
The Main Difference Is: The Surfaces They Are Designed To Act
Upon And Their HLB Number.
“HLB” stands for
– –HYDROPHILE / LIPOPHILE / BALANCE

SURFACTANTS - Surface Active Agents

Have a hydrophilic polar head and an organophilic non-polar tail.
Hydrophilic
C C C C C O
(water loving)
C C C C C
Polar Head
OH
Organophilic non-polar tail

OIL BASE MUD PRODUCTS SURFACTANTS - Surface Active Agents
HLB Range, function and Products
Water-in -oil Wetting Detergents

Emulsifiers Agents Oil-in-Water Emulsifiers
Lipophilic Hydrophilic
0 3 6 9 12 15 18
Versamul Dril-Kleen
Versacoat Versa SWA
Versawet

 EMULSIFIERS:
– VERSAMUL
– VERSACOAT
– MI - 157

PRODUCTS SURFACTANTS - Surface Active Agents
WATER
DROPLET
OIL
INSUFFICIENT
EMULSIFIER CONCENTRATION
WATER WATER
COALESCING
DROPLET DROPLET
OF DROPLETS

- Designed to Oil Wet solids
SOLID’S SURFACE

 WETTING AGENTS:
– VERSAWET
– VERSACOAT
– SWA

OIL BASE MUD PRODUCTS SURFACTANTS - Surface Active Agents
HLB Range, function and Products
Water-in -oil Wetting Detergents

Emulsifiers Agents Oil-in-Water Emulsifiers
Lipophilic Hydrophilic
0 3 6 9 12 15 18
Versamul Dril-Kleen
Versacoat Versa SWA
Versawet

Contact Angle >90° determines Wetability
Oil
Water
SOLID
“WATER WET”

Contact Angle and Wetability
Water
Oil
SOLID
“ OIL WET”

OIL BASE MUD PRODUCTS VISCOSIFIERS
 VISCOSIFIERS:
– VG -69
– VERSAGEL - HT
– VG - PLUS - (oil or synthetic)
– VG - HT - (oil or synthetic)
– HRP - Needs reactive solids (e.g. Organophillic clay)

– VERSAMOD - Needs water and temperature.
– (VERSAMUL)
– (water)

OIL BASE MUD PRODUCTS THINNERS
 THINNERS:
– VERSATHIN - (Physical defloculant)
 Temporary fix for high vis. due to solids
 WILL THIN VERSAHRP
 WILL NOT THIN VERSAMOD
 For overtreatment use clay viscosifier.
– VERSAWET
– VERSACOAT

OIL BASE MUD PRODUCTS HTHP FLUID LOSS REDUCERS
 HTHP - FLUID LOSS REDUCERS:
– VERSATROL - Asphalt / Gilsonite base
– VERSALIG - Amine treated lignite
– ECOTROL - Polymeric fluid loss reducer
– MI-157 (Oleic Acid)
– VERSAMOD - (dimer/trimer blend - oleic acid)

OIL BASE MUD PRODUCTS COMMODITY & SPECIALTY PRODUCTS
 COMMODITY PRODUCTS:
– LIME - Ca(OH2)
– HOT LIME / QUICK LIME - CaO
– CALCIUM CHLORIDE - Ca(Cl)2
 SPECIALTY PRODUCTS:
– FAZE PRO (Reversible Emulsion)
 FAZE MUL - Emulsifier
 FAZE WET- Wetting Agent

ORDER OF ADDITION
&
FORMULATION
FOR OIL BASE MUDS

ORDER OF ADDITION AND FORMULATION
 ORDER OF ADDITION:
– BASE FLUID
– VISCOSIFIERS
– EMULSIFIER
– LIME
– BRINE
– WETTING SURFACTANT
– WEIGHTING MATERIAL

ORDER OF ADDITION AND FORMULATION
CONVENTIONAL RELAXED
– BASE FLUID – BASE FLUID
– VISCOSIFIERS – VG - CLAY
– VERSAMUL – VERSACOAT
– LIME – LIME
– BRINE – BRINE
– VERSACOAT – VERSAWET
– WEIGHT MATERIAL – WEIGHT MATERIAL
– FLC ADDITIVES

PROPERTIES
&
TESTING
OF OIL BASE MUDS

Standard API Tests for Inverts
 Mud weight (ppg)

 Funnel Viscosity (sec/qt)
 Rheology @ 120o, 150o or 180oF (use 150o unless directed otherwise)
 HTHP @ 300°F or bottom hole temperature
 Electrical Stability (ES) @ 120 or 150 oF
 Retort (% oil/synthetic, %water, %solids)
 Pom, Psm, Vsa (total cc’s of 0.1N H2SO4 three titrations)
 Excess Lime - Pom (cc’s) x 1.3 = ppb
 Chlorides (whole mud) mg/l

Rheology of Invert Emulsions
 Test at 120°, 150° or 180oF as operator requests.
 Run VG meter at 300 rpm while heating sample.
 After completing Rheology, check the heat cup for barite settling.

HTHP of Invert Emulsions
 HTHP reported as (2) X (filtrate cc’s/30 minutes)
 Run at 300oF (150oC) unless otherwise instructed.
 Maintain 500 psi differential pressure throughout test.
 Filtrate of conventional formulations should not contain water.
 Filtrates of new muds may contain a small amount of water until they have been
thoroughly sheared through the bit.
 Check filter cake for barite settling.

Electrical Stability of Inverts
 Electrical stability (ES) is a relative value!
 ES is related to emulsion stability, %water, water droplet size, temperature...
 ES of new fluids will be low until the water is thoroughly sheared through the bit.
 ES is checked at 150oF
 ES Meters
– Operator ramped - (old style) (reading is doubled)
– Self ramping digital - (read directly) - API APPROVED

Rheology of Invert Emulsions
 Test at 150oF
 Run VG meter at 300 rpm while heating sample. (allow mud temp. to
stabilize)
 After completing Rheology, check thermal cup for barite settling, then
check stability.

HTHP of Invert Emulsions
 HTHP reported as (2) X (filtrate cc’s/30 minutes)
 Run at 150oC unless otherwise instructed.
 Filtrate of conventional formulations should not contain water.
 Filtrates of new fluids may contain a small amount of water until they have been
thoroughly sheared through the bit.
 Check filter cake for barite settling.

Retort Analysis of Inverts
 Accuracy!
 Retort allows us to determine:

– % Solids
– % Oil or Synthetic fluid
– % Water
– Salt content
 Watch for trends and major changes

Titrations For Invert Emulsions
 Standard titrations:
– Alkalinity - Pom, Psm
– Chlorides - Cl- (whole mud)
 Must use whole mud - (2 cc’s)

(filtrate is Oil/Synthetic fluid)
 Mix mud with solvent to break the emulsion.
 Dilute sample with distilled water and add indicator.
 Titrate!

Titrations For Invert Emulsion
 Alkalinity - Pom, Psm, VSA

– 2 cc’s whole mud.
– Emulsion breaker - (75 ml Propyl Propasol or 100 ml 50/50)
– 200 ml Distilled Water.
– 15 - 20 drops of Phenolphthalein
– Titrate with 0.1N H2SO4 till red color disappears
– Wait 5 min and titrate again.
– Titrate maximum of three times.
– The total cc’s of 0.1N H2SO4 divided by 2ml mud = POM…
– POM X 1.3 = ppb Lime

Titrations For Invert Emulsion
 Chlorides: (whole mud)

– Continue with same sample…
– Add 10-15 drops of Potassium Chromate (KCrO4)
– Titrate with 0.282 N AgNO3 (Strong)
– To the FIRST permanent Red or red-ish color.
– Total cc’s of 0.282 N AgNO3 X 10,000 Divided by 2ml mud = mg/l Chlorides of the Whole Mud.

Electrical Stability of Inverts
 Electrical stability (ES) is a relative value!
 ES is related to emulsion stability, %water, water droplet size, temperature...
 ES of new fluids will be low until thoroughly sheared through the bit.
 ES is checked at “150oF
 ES Meters
– Operator ramped - (old style) (reading is doubled)
– Self ramping digital - (read directly) - API APPROVED

CALCULATIONS
FOR OIL BASE MUD

Invert Emulsion Calculated Data
 Oil or Synthetic / Water Ratio

 Lime, (ppb)
 % CaCl2
 Calcium Chloride Salt (ppb)
– Solids: (ppb) Barite and (ppb) LGS
– Corrected % Solids

Calculations: Changing the Oil / Water ratio
1. BBL H2O / BBL MUD =
2. BBL OIL / BBL MUD =

 % H 2 O   % Oil  % H 2O 
    
 WRD   100 
WHERE:
ORd = OIL RATIO DESIRED ( Whole number )
WRd = WATER RATIO DESIRED ( Whole number )
% Oil = % Oil From retort (Whole Number)

% H2O = % H2OFrom retort (Whole Number)

Calculations: % by weight CaCl2
  mlAgNO3  
 1.565  
  ml Mud   X 100
CaCl2 % by Wt. =
  mlAgNO3   % H 2O  
 1.565     
  ml Mud   (retort )  
WHERE: (ml AgNO3  ml Mud) = Cl- from report divided by 10,000

Calculations: ppb CaCl2
 mlAgNO3  
 ppb CaCl2 =   x5.48
 ml Mud  

Invert Emulsion Calculations:
 Wetting Agent to add:

– One half (0.5#) to one pound (1.0#) of wetting agent for every sack (100#) of barite added to the
system.
 Emulsifier to add:
– (Pounds) = [(bbls brine / bbl mud)* x (8±)]
 *(bbls brine / bbl mud) = [bbl water / bbl mud]  [Water fraction (bbl)]
(25% CaCl2 = 0.922)
 Lime to add: pound for pound with __Mul and __Mod.

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OIL MUDS
SUMMARY

SYNTHETIC
FLUIDS

Synthetic Drilling Fluid - Definition
Definition:
An emulsion drilling fluid where the external (continuous)
phase is a synthetic fluid, manufactured from materials having
a specifically defined composition, rather than an oil or a fluid
directly derived from petroleum hydrocarbons.

Synthetic Drilling Fluids
Factors influencing choice of a synthetic fluid;
 General Toxicity
 Biodegradation
 Bioaccumulation
 Sea bed study performance
 Health and safety
 Performance as a drilling fluid

SYNTHETIC FLUIDS
Basic Composition of Synthetic Fluids
– Chemistry
– Nomenclature
– Advantages and Disadvantages due to Chemical Composition

and Structure
– Variations

SYNTHETIC FLUIDS
TERMINOLOGY:
 Olefin - An open-chain (linear) hydrocarbon that has a Carbon = Carbon double
bond somewhere in it’s structure.
– LAO---------- Linear Alpha Olefin
– IO ----------- Internal (Isomerized) Olefin
– PAO -------- Poly Alpha Olefin

SYNTHETIC FLUIDS
TERMINOLOGY:
 Ester - A compound which is formed by the reaction of an Alcohol and a high
molecular weight Fatty Acid. (Carboxylic Acid-COOH)
– Functional Group -
Fatty Acid Alcohol Ester Water

Methane to Ethylene
Methane
H
H C H
H

Relationship of Ethylene, LAO’s, IO’s & PAO’s
Isomerization
IO
Oligomerization
Ethylene LAO
PAO
Dimerization

PROBLEMS
WITH OIL BASE MUD

Problems: Oil / Synthetics
 Insufficient Viscosity
 Excessive Viscosity
 Solids Contamination
 Salt Water Flows
 Water Wet Solids
 Carbon Dioxide - CO2
 Hydrogen Sulfide - H2S
 Massive Salts and Salt Stringers
 Barite Sag / Settling
 Lost Circulation

Insufficient Viscosity
 Barite Settling
 Inadequate Hole Cleaning
 Treatment:
– Add Viscosifiers - Clay, Polymer, Rheo. Modifier
– Add Water (Brine)
– Shear Brine

Excessive Viscosity
 Solids - High, Fines, Water Wet.

 High Water Content.
 High Temperature Instability.
 Acid Gasses.
 Water Wet Solids.
 Over-treatment with Viscosifiers.
 Treatment:
– Remove / Dilute - Solids, Water Content.
– Add - Emulsifier, Wetting Agent, Versathin, Lime, Increase
mud weight.
Solids Contamination
 High viscosity
 Thick filter cake
 Treatment:
– Finer mesh shaker screen
– Tandem centrifuges
– Dilute with base fluids and add emulsifier
– Wetting agent

Salt Water Flows
 Increased %water and decreased oil:water ratio

 High viscosity
 Water wet solids
 Lower Electrical Stability
 Water in HTHP filtrate
 Treatment:
– Emulsifier and lime
– Wetting agent for weight up or water wet solids
– Barite to adjust weight and stop influx

Water Wet Solids
 Increased viscosity
 Decreased Electrical Stability
 Grainy appearance
 Settling
 Shale shaker screen blinding
 Test
 Treatment:
– If brine phase salt saturated, add fresh water
– Wetting agent

Carbon Dioxide CO2
 Decrease in POM
 Decrease in lime content
 Decrease in Electrical Stability
 Treatment:
– Add lime to maintain an excess, use caution to control excess lime in ester
based fluids
– Increase mud weight to control influx

Hydrogen Sulfide, H2S
 Sulfides detected with Garrett Gas Train

 Decrease in POM
 Decrease in lime content
 Decrease in Electrical Stability
 Mud may turn black
 Treatment:
– Inorganic zinc scavenger (ZnO)
– Maintain excess lime content
– Increase mud weight to control influx
Massive Salts & Salt Stringers
 Salts are insoluble, may become a low gravity solids problem
 Formation CaCl2 and MgCl2 may cause water wetting of solids
 Sticking from plastic flow (not differential)

– Displace annulus from bit to free point with fresh water spot

Barite Sag / Settling
 Sag, uneven mud weights on bottoms up after trips
 Treatment:
– Increase Low Shear Rate Viscosity
 Settling, static conditions and pits

– Normal, increase Low Shear Rate Viscosity
– Excess wetting agent (hard pack), add organophilic clay and polymer. Do not
add wetting agent.
– Water wet barite indicated by tests - add wetting agent

Lost Circulation
 Compressibility increases density at depth and the likelihood of

fracturing formation
 LCM such as Cellophane and cane fiber can break emulsion
 Treatment:
– Mica, MIX-II, nut hulls
– Reverse gunk squeeze (organophilic clay in water - No Cement)

DISPLACEMENTS
 Meet, communicate, organize.

 Condition displaced mud to lowest rheology and displacing fluid with higher
rheology.
 Do not begin until all displacing fluid is on location.
 Spacer to cover 500’ to 1,000’ of annulus.
 Pump at a rate approaching turbulence.
 Do Not Stop circulating once displacement has started.
 Rotate / Reciprocate Pipe
 Place bit on bottom as oil mud clears.
 Change screens.
 Add Wetting agent.
 Monitor with Stability meter.

Summary
 Fluids
 Systems
 Products and Functions
 Formulations Properties and Testing
 Problems

16 - Non Aqueous Fluids OBM &amp; SBM BMS 2013

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Formati disponibili

Oil/Synthetic Base Muds

100 % Water, no oil

Water external phase, with oil emulsified in it

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A Non-Aqueous drilling fluid has a continuous fluid phase that is

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 Good high temperature tolerance

 Resists hydrate formation in deepwater applications but can be pumped if they

 Greatly reduces differential sticking

 Good penetration rates- fast drilling

 Generally unaffected by salt, anhydrite, and cement contamination

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 Pumps – Require high volume and relatively low pressure.

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 Warehouse facilities to store sufficient additives for largest orders.

 Base oil and synthetic storage tanks.

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 Environmental: mud and cuttings may require expensive disposal on offshore

– Box and ship to land – “Skip & Ship” – logistical problems

– Cuttings injection, expensive and not an option in many cases

 Health hazard with diesel and crude oils

 Safety, lower flash point than synthetics

 MS/GC differentiation from formation fluids may be more difficult

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 Minimal environmental impact, dump at sea

 Formation hydrocarbon contamination converts $400/bbl synthetic to $100/bbl oil mud

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 ~1920 Crude oil used as drilling fluid

 Late 1920’s barite used for weight material

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 1978 Relaxed filtrate systems developed to improve penetration rates

 1980 First use of mineral oils, driven by environmental considerations

 1991 First generation of synthetics, Esters by Baroid, Ethers by Anchor, Polyalphaolefin

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COMPONENTS OF NON - AQUEOUS FLUIDS

Oil Base Synthetic 25% - 30%

Diesel Oil Olefins

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 High temperature wells

 High angle extended reach wells

 Contaminates, evaporites and acid gases

 Workover, completion & packer fluids

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 THREE PHASE SYSTEM - Two immiscible fluids, and the solids

– OIL / SYNTHETIC FLUID - continuous / external phase, lipophilic liquid

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Base Fluid Specific Viscosity, Flash Point Pour Point Aniline

LTMO 0.80 2-3 212 -0.4 169

ESTER 0.85 5-7 354 -22 77

PAO 0.80 6-7 347 -85 225

ETHER 0.83 5-6 330 14 104

LAO 0.78 2-3 295 37 ~200

IO 0.78 2-3 279 32 ~200

LP 0.77 2.5 >212 14 >200

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 Lipophilic Liquid Additives:

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CALCIUM CHLORIDE BRINE:

– Ca(Cl)2 Reduces the activity of the water phase (Aw).

16 - Non Aqueous Fluids OBM & SBM BMS 2013

16 - Non Aqueous Fluids OBM & SBM BMS 2013