DRILLING FLUIDS AND THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT: CHARACTERISATION OF BASE FLUIDS AND THE INTRODUCTION OF QUALITY CONTROL PROCEDURES

1999 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 628
Author(s):  
R. Papp ◽  
S.J. Fisher
Keyword(s):  
Quality Control ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Base Fluid ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
Drilling Fluid ◽  
Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Drilling Fluids ◽  
The North ◽  
Invert Emulsion ◽  
Control Procedures

Since the early 1990s, a variety of invert emulsion base fluids have been introduced into the drilling fluid market. The chemical composition of these fluids has evolved with the focus on minimising the environmental impact of discharged cuttings that contain adhered drilling fluids.The trend within Australia and other regions in which drilling fluids are extensively used, is that the life span of these fluids has become increasingly shorter, due to environmental impact pressures from the regulatory authorities in the North Sea and Australia, as well as public perception within these regions.The Well Construction Department within Woodside Energy Ltd. (WEL) has identified the need to characterise these base fluids in a manner that was both reproducible and definitive. The need was driven by the availability of a large number of commercial base fluids claiming technical and environmental superiority and the requirement for robust quality control systems for the base fluids from production to discharge—a cradle to grave philosophy.To this end, a study was initiated in 1997 where several drilling fluids were analysed using gas chromatography- mass spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques. From this work, four classifications of invert emulsion, non-water based fluids (NWBF) have been identified. They include low toxicity oil based fluids (LTOBF), enhanced mineral oil based fluids (EMOBF), synthetic based fluids (SBF), and oxygen based fluids (OBF). The definition of these fluids and the rationale for this classification is presented here.The GC-MS characterisation has provided an insight into the structure of the base fluid, rheological characteristics, quality control/quality assurance, and in the future, the ability to develop a robust link to minimising environmental impact of the discharge.All of these benefits will aid in developing drilling fluids which achieve the technical objectives of drilling fluids as well as minimising the environmental impact. The quality control procedures for the base fluid also allow an auditable process for benchmarking with input from the regulator, operator, fluid service company and manufacturer.

Low ECD High Performance Invert Emulsion Drilling Fluids: Lab Development and Field Deployment

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vikrant Wagle ◽  
Abdullah Yami ◽  
Michael Onoriode ◽  
Jacques Butcher ◽  
Nivika Gupta
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Filter Cake ◽  
Drilling Fluid ◽  
Field Performance ◽  
Superior Performance ◽  
Core Material ◽  
Drilling Fluids ◽  
Invert Emulsion ◽  
Field Deployment ◽  
Permeability Studies

Abstract The present paper describes the results of the formulation of an acid-soluble low ECD organoclay-free invert emulsion drilling fluid formulated with acid soluble manganese tetroxide and a specially designed bridging package. The paper also presents a short summary of field applications to date. The novel, non-damaging fluid has superior rheology resulting in lower ECD, excellent suspension properties for effective hole cleaning and barite-sag resistance while also reducing the risk of stuck pipe in high over balance applications. 95pcf high performance invert emulsion fluid (HPIEF) was formulated using an engineered bridging package comprising of acid-soluble bridging agents and an acid-soluble weighting agent viz. manganese tetroxide. The paper describes the filtration and rheological properties of the HPIEF after hot rolling at 300oF. Different tests such as contamination testing, sag-factor analysis, high temperature-high pressure rheology measurements and filter-cake breaking studies at 300oF were performed on the HPIEF. The 95pcf fluid was also subjected to particle plugging experiments to determine the invasion characteristics and the non-damaging nature of the fluids. The 95pcf HPIEF exhibited optimal filtration properties at high overbalance conditions. The low PV values and rheological profile support low ECDs while drilling. The static aging tests performed on the 95pcf HPIEF resulted in a sag factor of less than 0.53, qualifying the inherent stability for expected downhole conditions. The HPIEF demonstrated resilience to contamination testing with negligible change in properties. Filter-cake breaking experiments performed using a specially designed breaker fluid system gave high filter-cake breaking efficiency. Return permeability studies were performed with the HPIEF against synthetic core material, results of which confirmed the non-damaging design of the fluid. The paper thus demonstrates the superior performance of the HPIEF in achieving the desired lab and field performance.

Quality Control Procedures in Herbicide Field Dissipation Studies

1997 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 832-837 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael R. Blumhorst ◽  
Thomas C. Mueller
Keyword(s):  
Quality Control ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Experimental Approach ◽  
Recent Literature ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Field Conditions ◽  
Experimental Parameters ◽  
Control Procedures ◽  
Areas Of Concern

Characterization of herbicide dissipation under field conditions is an important component in determining the environmental impact of herbicides, and much information is available on this subject. However, this research area could be improved by standardizing and implementing several quality control procedures. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the recent literature on herbicide dissipation published in journals of the Weed Science Society of America. This review is not comprehensive with respect to all experimental parameters associated with field dissipation studies, but it is aimed at addressing specific areas of concern in the experimental approach to this research.

scholarly journals Efficient Removal of Magnetic Contamination from Drilling Fluids - The Effect on Directional Drilling

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Arild Saasen ◽  
Benny Poedjono ◽  
Geir Olav Ånesbug ◽  
Nicholas Zachman
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Particles ◽  
Barents Sea ◽  
Drilling Fluid ◽  
Drilling Fluids ◽  
Directional Drilling ◽  
The North ◽  
Uncertainty Calculation ◽  
The North Sea ◽  
Drilling Rigs ◽  
Sea Area

Abstract Magnetic debris in a drilling fluid have a significant influence on the ability of the drilling fluid to maintain its function. Down hole logging can suffer from poor signal to noise ratios. Directional drilling in areas close to the magnetic North Pole, such as in the Barents Sea, Northern Canada or Russia can suffer because of magnetic contamination in the drilling fluid. Magnetic particles in the drilling fluid introduce additional errors to the magnetic surveying compared to those normally included in the ellipsoid of uncertainty calculation. On many offshore drilling rigs, there are mounted ditch magnets to remove metallic swarf from the drilling fluid. These magnets normally only remove the coarser swarf. In this project, we use a combination of strong magnets and flow directors to significantly improve the performance of the ditch magnets. This combination, together with proper routines for cleaning the ditch magnets, significantly helps to clean the drilling fluid. Through the combined use of flow directors and ditch magnets, it was possible to extract more than five times as much magnetic contamination from the drilling fluid as normal compared with other proper ditch magnet systems. This is verified by comparing the ditch magnet efficiencies from two drilling rigs drilling ERD wells in the North Sea area. In the paper, it is discussed how the accuracy of directional drilling and well position effected by various interferences can be improved by the use of a drilling fluid with minimal effect to the MWD measurement.

Effect of Hydrophobic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles on the Properties of Oil-Based Drilling Fluid

2020 ◽  
Vol 143 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Awais Ashfaq Alvi ◽  
Mesfin Belayneh ◽  
Kjell Kåre Fjelde ◽  
Arild Saasen ◽  
Sulalit Bandyopadhyay
Keyword(s):  
High Temperature ◽  
Iron Oxide ◽  
Base Fluid ◽  
Drilling Fluid ◽  
Iron Pentacarbonyl ◽  
Inert Atmosphere ◽  
Drilling Fluids ◽  
Oil Well ◽  
The Coefficient Of Friction ◽  
Filtrate Loss

Abstract Lately, nanoparticles (NPs) have shown the potential to improve the performance of oil well fluids significantly. Several studies have reported the ability of NPs to produce improved properties of both water and oil-based drilling fluids. In this study, hydrophobic iron oxide NPs were synthesized by thermal decomposition of iron pentacarbonyl in an inert atmosphere, and its performance was tested in the oil-based drilling fluid with 90/10 oil-to-water ratio (base fluid). Oil-based drilling fluids treated with nanofluids were formulated by adding 0.5 wt% and 1.0 wt% iron oxide NPs in hexane solution to the base drilling fluid. The base fluid and the nanofluid-treated drilling fluids were evaluated by characterizing their rheological properties at different temperatures, viscoelastic properties, lubricity, filtrate loss, static and dynamic settling, and separation properties. Results showed that 0.5 wt% iron oxide dispersed in hexane reduced the high pressure high temperature (HPHT) filtrate loss by 70%, filter cake thickness by 55%, and the coefficient of friction by 39%. Moreover, the nanofluid based drilling fluid reduced the free oil layer caused by syneresis during aging at high temperature by 16.3% compared to the base fluid. This study has shown that hydrophobic iron oxide NPs have the potential to improve the properties of oil-based drilling fluid.

Innovative Surfactant Chemistry Offers the Performance Advantages to Invert Emulsion Drilling Fluids While Drilling Under Challenging Environments

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arvindbhai Patel ◽  
Anil Kumar Singh ◽  
Nikhil Bidwai ◽  
Sakshi Indulkar ◽  
Vivek Gupta
Keyword(s):  
Sea Water ◽  
Drilling Fluid ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Performance Criteria ◽  
Drilling Fluids ◽  
Treatment Situation ◽  
Invert Emulsion ◽  
Wetting Agents ◽  
Pre Treatment ◽  
High Level

Abstract Stable invert emulsion with oil wet solids is achieved using invert emulsifiers and wetting agents. This paper reviews the chemistry and performance criteria of traditional invert emulsifiers and wetting agents utilized in formulating stable invert emulsion drilling fluids. However, occasionally such stable invert emulsion drilling fluids can be destabilized due to various hostile conditions encountered during drilling operation, and can adversely impact the drilling cost. Extreme preventive measures cannot avoid such hostile conditions such as sudden water influx, excessive solids and salt contaminations during drilling. Upon solids becoming extremely water wet with "flipped emulsion", it becomes impossible to fix the drilling fluid, resulting in expensive maneuver. Often situation cannot be corrected with traditional wetting agents and emulsifiers even at high level of treatments. New innovative chemistry addresses the severe water-wetting and emulsion instability of invert emulsion under extreme challenging and hostile situations. The unique water soluble oil mud conditioner (OMC) synergistically enhances the performances of traditional oil-wetting agents and emulsifiers at very low, as little as 0.5 ppb levels of treatment. This OMC improves and extends the efficacy of the traditional invert emulsifiers and oil wetting agents resulting in reduced usage of these additives with excellent economic advantages. The 15.0 ppg, invert emulsion drilling fluids were prepared using 2-3 ppb of primary and secondary emulsifiers, and these fluids were destabilized using high shear mixer for 7-8 hours. The destabilized fluids had severe water wet solids and ES value of less than 5. These destabilized fluids, upon treating with 0.5 ppb of newly developed OMC instantly became oil-wet and shiny and ES was increased to greater than 500. To demonstrate the effectiveness of OMC in pre-treatment situation, the base fluids treated with 0.5 −1.0 ppb of OMC showed superior mud stability compared to base fluid when contaminated with sea water, fine solids, barite and high salt contaminations. The OMC is flexible in its application and can be used as pre-treatment to improve the overall performance of drilling fluids and can also be used for post-treatment to recover the drilling fluids, which have been rendered unusable.

Can Titanium and Copper Oxide Commercial Nanoparticles Be Used for HP/HT Applications? A Comparison With the Very Well Performing Fe3O4 NP

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zisis Vryzas ◽  
Vassilios C. Kelessidis ◽  
Lori Nalbandian ◽  
Vassilios Zaspalis
Keyword(s):  
Iron Oxide ◽  
Copper Oxide ◽  
Rheological Properties ◽  
Yield Stress ◽  
Base Fluid ◽  
Drilling Fluid ◽  
Filter Press ◽  
Fluid Loss ◽  
Drilling Fluids ◽  
Custom Made

Smart drilling fluids, which can change their properties according to the flow environment, must be carefully designed so that they can handle the difficult challenges of HP/HT drilling successfully. Due to their unique physico-chemical properties, nanoparticles (NP) are considered as very good candidates for the formulation of these smart drilling fluids. This study presents filtration and rheological results of newly developed high-performance water-based drilling fluid systems containing different nanoparticles, commercial (C) titanium oxide (TiO2) and commercial (C) copper oxide (CuO) NP and compares them with results from using custom-made (CM) iron oxide (Fe3O4) NP and commercial (C) iron oxide (Fe3O4) NP, previously reported. Novel nano-based drilling fluids were made of de-ionized water, 7 wt% commercial Na-bentonite (base fluid), and NP were added at 0.5 wt%. The rheological properties of the produced suspensions were measured at temperatures up to 60°C and at atmospheric pressure with a Couette-type viscometer. Filtration characteristics were determined at elevated pressures and temperatures in a HP/HT filter press (500 psi/176°C) using ceramic discs as filter media, of permeability, k = 775 mD. The results of this study showed that the samples containing 0.5 wt% C TiO2 caused a reduction in the fluid loss by 23%, while C CuO NP resulted in 16% reduction, when compared to that of the base fluid, at these HPHT conditions. This should be compared to the 47% and 34% reduction in fluid loss of 0.5% CM Fe3O4 NP and of 0.5% of C Fe3O4 NP, reported previously. Analysis of rheological data revealed shear-thinning behavior for all the tested novel drilling fluids. The samples containing TiO2 and CuO NP exhibited a yield stress less than that of the base fluid, compared to the increased yield stress observed for the C and CM Fe3O4 NP. This behavior can be attributed to the fact that TiO2 and CuO NP may also act as deflocculants and prevent the gelation of bentonite suspensions. This study shows that commercial nanoparticles of TiO2 and CuO do not perform as well as the Fe3O4 NP on filtration but provide drilling fluids with lower yield stresses, thus they could be considered as alternatives to Fe3O4 in situations where the rheological properties are critical.

scholarly journals MoS2 Nanoparticle Effects on 80 °C Thermally Stable Water-Based Drilling Fluid

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (23) ◽  
pp. 7195
Author(s):  
Mesfin Belayneh ◽  
Bernt Aadnøy ◽  
Simen Moe Strømø
Keyword(s):  
High Temperature ◽  
Base Fluid ◽  
Drilling Fluid ◽  
Drilling Fluids ◽  
Thermally Stable ◽  
Bingham Plastic ◽  
Plastic Yield ◽  
Temperature And Pressure ◽  
Operational Issues ◽  
The Impact

Bentonite-based drilling fluids are used for drilling, where inhibitive fluids are not required. The rheological and the density properties of the drilling fluids are highly affected by high temperature and pressure. Due to high temperature, the clay particles stick together, and the fluid system becomes more flocculated. Poorly designed drilling fluid may cause undesired operational issues such as poor hole cleaning, drill strings sticking, high torque and drag. In this study, the 80 °C thermally stable Herschel Bulkley’s and Bingham plastic yield stresses drilling fluids were formulated based on lignosulfonate-treated bentonite drilling fluid. Further, the impact of a MoS2 nanoparticle solution on the properties of the thermally stable base fluid was characterized. Results at room temperature and pressure showed that the blending of 0.26 wt.% MoS2 increased the lubricity of thermally stable base fluid by 27% and enhanced the thermal and electrical conductivities by 7.2% and 8.8%, respectively.

Removal of Magnetic Contamination in Drilling Fluids: Effect on Directional Drilling

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arild Saasen ◽  
Benny Poedjono ◽  
Geir Olav Ånesbug ◽  
Nicholas Zachman
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Particles ◽  
Barents Sea ◽  
Drilling Fluid ◽  
Drilling Fluids ◽  
Directional Drilling ◽  
The North ◽  
Uncertainty Calculation ◽  
The North Sea ◽  
Drilling Rigs ◽  
Sea Area

Abstract Magnetic debris in a drilling fluid have a significant influence on the ability of the drilling fluid to maintain its function. Down hole logging can suffer from poor signal to noise ratios. Directional drilling in areas close to the magnetic North Pole, such as in the Barents Sea, Northern Canada or Russia can suffer because of magnetic contamination in the drilling fluid. Magnetic particles in the drilling fluid introduce additional errors to the magnetic surveying compared to those normally included in the ellipsoid of uncertainty calculation. On many offshore drilling rigs, there is mounted ditch magnets to remove metallic swarf from the drilling fluid. These magnets normally only remove the coarser swarf. In this project, we use a combination of strong magnets and flow directors to significantly improve the performance of the ditch magnets. This combination, together with proper routines for cleaning the ditch magnets, significantly helps to clean the drilling fluid. Through the combined use of flow directors and ditch magnets, it was possible to extract more than five times as much magnetic contamination from the drilling fluid as normal compared with other proper ditch magnet systems. This is verified by comparing the ditch magnet efficiencies from two drilling rigs drilling ERD wells in the North Sea area. In the paper, it is discussed how the accuracy of directional drilling and well position effected by various interferences can be improved by the use of a drilling fluid with minimal effect to the MWD measurement.

Effect of Hydrophobic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles on the Properties of Oil Based Drilling Fluid

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Awais Ashfaq Alvi ◽  
Mesfin Belayneh ◽  
Kjell Kåre Fjelde ◽  
Arild Saasen ◽  
Sulalit Bandyopadhyay
Keyword(s):  
Iron Oxide ◽  
Base Fluid ◽  
Drilling Fluid ◽  
Iron Pentacarbonyl ◽  
Inert Atmosphere ◽  
Drilling Fluids ◽  
Oil Well ◽  
Different Temperatures ◽  
The Coefficient Of Friction ◽  
Filtrate Loss

Abstract In recent years, nanoparticles (NPs) have shown the potential to improve the performance of oil well fluids significantly. Several studies have reported the ability of NPs to produce improved properties of both water and oil-based drilling fluids. In this paper, hydrophobic iron oxide NPs were synthesized by thermal decomposition of iron pentacarbonyl in an inert atmosphere, and its performance was tested in the oil-based drilling fluid with 90/10 oil to water ratio (base fluid). Oil-based drilling fluids treated with nanofluids were formulated by adding 0.5 wt. % and 1.0 wt. % iron oxide NPs in hexane solution to the base drilling fluid. The base fluid and the nanofluid treated drilling fluids were evaluated by characterizing their rheological properties at different temperatures, viscoelastic properties, lubricity, filtrate loss, static & dynamic settling, and separation properties. Results showed that 0.5 wt. % iron oxide dispersed in hexane reduced the HPHT filtrate loss by 70%, filter cake thickness by 55%, and the coefficient of friction by 39%. Moreover, the nanofluid based drilling fluid reduced the free oil layer caused by syneresis during aging at high temperature by 16.3% compared to the base fluid. This study has shown that hydrophobic iron oxide NPs have the potential to improve the properties of oil-based drilling fluid.

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