Aluminum-Based HPWBM Successfully Replaces Oil-Based Mud to Drill Exploratory Well in the Magellan Strait, Argentina

Abstract

TX 75083-3836 U.S.A., fax 1.972.952.9435. AbstractTraditionally, Oil Base Mud (OBM) has been used by a major operator to drill horizontal wells in the Magellan Strait, Argentina. The operator was faced with additional challenges when drilling an exploratory well due to environmental concerns in a highly sensitive area and evaluation problems related to the use of OBM. Significant advances in water based drilling fluid design in the recent years have allowed water-based drilling fluid performance to approach that of OBM. This presented the operator and drilling fluids supplier with the opportunity of evaluating the application of water base drilling fluid on this well. The planning stage included laboratory testing, review of historical data and an evaluation of experience with similar shales in the area. A high performance water base drilling fluid containing both clay and shale stabilizers, an ROP enhancer and sealing agents was selected to drill the well. This paper presents the laboratory and field data generated during this project. The well was drilled through notoriously troublesome shales to total depth without the wellbore stability problems associated with more conventional water based muds. Gas kicks were controlled with no fluid solubility problems and the fluid exhibited excellent properties even when pressure parameters escalated higher than planned, requiring a higher mud density and high degree of temperature stability. The operator's expectations were met in this very difficult well including minimization of bit balling, near gauge hole and improved ROP in conjunction with optimum hydraulics.The evidence gathered on this project shows that a properly designed water base mud is a viable alternative to OBM in areas where environmental restrictions and formation evaluation problems are a concern.

The Research of Polymer Film-Forming Plugging Agent for Drilling Fluid

“…However, oil-based drilling fluids cause serious environmental pollution and the subsequent treatment of cuttings is difficult, which limits their application. Therefore, Halliburton, Baker Hughes and other companies have developed high-performance water-based drilling fluid systems, which have been successfully applied in shale gas development in the United States, Saudi Arabia, Canada and China [1] [2]. The technology is to add one or several film-forming plugging agents to the water-based drilling fluid, so that the drilling fluid can form a semi-permeable membrane or separator on the surface of the shale, preventing the shale hydration expansion caused by the collapse of the wellbore [3] [4].…”

Synthesis and Performance Evaluation of Anti Temperature and Salt Resistant Polymer Filtrate Reducer

“…The purpose of adding filtrate reducer is formatting a low permeability, flexibility and dense filter cake to reduce the filtration loss, which could provide the stable performance of drilling fluid and the underground safety. Therefore, filtrate reducer becomes the most active research and development drilling fluid treating agent with the largest production and sales volume [1] [2] [3] [4] [5].…”

Płuczki lateksowo-glinowe do przewiercania niestabilnych formacji łupkowych

“…Przy rozpatrywaniu wielkości ciśnienia pęcznienia należy również wziąć pod uwagę wpływ ciśnień osmotycznych i kapilarnych. Trzeba podkreślić, że nie ma możliwości szybkiego wyrównywania się ciśnień pomiędzy skałą ilastą a płuczką wiertniczą ze względu na bardzo małą przepuszczalność skał łupkowych [2, 3,10,11,14,17].…”

“…Próby zastosowania nanomateriałów w postaci nanokrzemionki nie przyniosły oczekiwanych rezultatów z uwagi na małą stabilność materiału w płuczkach wiertniczych oraz na niedostateczne doszczelnianie przestrzeni porowej skał łupkowych. Ostatnimi laty przedstawiono szereg badań laboratoryjnych potwierdzających zmniejszanie ciśnienia porowego łupków pod wpływem stosowania w płuczkach wiertniczych krzemianów i związków glinu [7,11,15,16,20].…”

“…Lateks w zaczynie cementowym służy głównie do kontrolowania filtracji oraz ograniczania migracji gazu. W składach płuczek wiertniczych dodatek lateksu powinien wpływać na zmniejszenie filtracji poprzez wytwarzanie na powierzchni skał łupkowych odkształcalnego uszczelnienia, ograniczającego wzrost ciśnienia porowego skał łupkowych [1, 6,11,13,21].…”