When planning drilling operations for an oil or gas well, drilling fluid is a key factor to consider for a successful operation. Fluid selection depends primarily on two aspects. First, it must meet all specific technical requirements for the well. Second, it must comply with environmental regulations. Therefore, this selection should be evaluated in detail through specialized laboratory testing and engineering analysis. Factors, such as chemical selection, engineering, processes, and field execution contribute to both the conformance and performance of a drilling fluid. Technical requirements for a drilling fluid are distinct for each operation. However, in general terms, a drilling fluid should ensure wellbore stability, optimize drilling rates, provide effective hole-cleaning rheological properties, minimize pressure spikes while circulating, and transmit hydraulic power to downhole tools. Environmental requirements are region-specific and vary in terms of complexity, from relatively simple guidelines to manage parameters, such as ionic concentration limits, to specific chemical qualifications, such as bioaccumulation, biodegradation rates, and toxicity thresholds. To satisfy both technical and environmental requirements, fluid designs should be fine-tuned and customized in each region. A principal drilling operation objective is to minimize safety and environmental risks. As a result, operators and service companies take proactive initiatives to help minimize the likelihood of these risks during drilling operations. Personnel involved in drilling operations should know and comply with the directions in the drilling permit to help avoid environmental and safety incidents. Additionally, all personnel are encouraged to report potentially hazardous activities or circumstances through a variety of observational safety programs. The purpose of this technical paper is to provide knowledge for the oil and gas industry to help understand the governmental permissions in the Latin American region and considerations for selecting ecologically compatible drilling fluids and products in the region.

Not all drilling fluids are created equal. With that being said, not all rules and regulations applicable to the management and disposal of drilling waste are either. The intent of this paper is to impose three different disposal standards to one basic KClreference drilling fluid and threehigh-performance drilling fluid formulations to compare and contrast the differences in disposal compliance. The three selected drilling waste-disposal standards in this study includeGermany's GWK Standard for Groundwater Protection, Alberta's Directive 50, and Louisiana's 29-B Order. This paper is intended to present a glimpse into the complexities of drilling waste disposal and compliance around the world and that the subjective prioritization of variables in the protection of groundwater, surface freshwater, agriculture, soil, human health, fauna, and flora are regionally driven. As harmonization of these rules and regulations may not necessarily be feasible on a global level, a "one-size-fits-all" approach to drilling fluid selection for the purpose of environmental compliance is not likely. The purpose of this study is not to establish which regulations are betterthan others, but rather to compare and contrast how regional ruling impacts fluid selection and subsequent drilling waste disposal. The relative ranking of fluid preference by region was determined by implementing consistent operational assumptions surroundingexploration and production (E&P) waste handling, treatment, and disposal.