Experimental Study of Drilled Cuttings Transport Using Common Drilling Muds

Experiments are conducted with actual drilling muds to study the behavior of drilled cuttings in a vertical annulus. The effect of parameters such as particle size, flow rate, apparent viscosity, and yield point to plastic viscosity ratio on mud-carrying capacity are studied. The applicability of a semiempirical transport model developed by Zeidler also is investigated. It has been shown that in vertical annuluses, the fluid annular velocity has a major effect on the carrying capacity of muds, while the other parameters have an effect only at low to medium fluid annular velocities. We also conclude that Zeidler's semiempirical formulations for the prediction of drilled cuttings behavior are valid with certain limitations. Introduction One of the most important functions of a drilling fluid is to transpose the drilled particles (cuttings) generated by the drill bit to the surface through the wellbore annulus. This commonly is called the "carrying capacity" of drilling mud. Factors affecting the ability of drilling muds to lift cuttings arefluid rheological properties and flow rate,particle settling velocities,particle size and size distribution, geometry, orientation, and concentration,penetration rate of drill bits,rotary speed of drillstring,fluid density.annulus inclination, anddrillpipe position in the wellbore (eccentricity) and axially varying flow geometry. With the advent of deeper drilling and better bit designs, the demand for expending most of the energy at the bit has made it necessary to minimize the pressure losses in the annulus. These pressure losses depend on the fluid velocity, fluid density, and particle concentration. By control of these factors, pressure losses can be minimized. The particle slip velocity is an important factor and is defined as the velocity at which a particle tends to settle in a fluid because of is own weight. The velocity depends on the particle size, its geometry, its specific weight, and fluid rheological properties. The carrying capacity of muds also is affected by the velocity profile in the annulus. With all these variables acting simultaneously, the determination of carrying capacity of a mud becomes a complicated problem. An optimal drilling fluid is expected to lift the cuttings from the wellbore, suspend them when circulation is stopped, and drop them at the surface. Failure to achieve this performance often leads to problems that are costly and performance often leads to problems that are costly and time-consuming to solve. To avoid such problems, the previously mentioned parameters are to be considered in previously mentioned parameters are to be considered in the design of an optimal drilling fluid. Previous Investigations Previous Investigations SPEJ P. 11