Fine-Tuning Filter Cake Sealing Performance: The Role of Particle Size in Hematite Weighted Water-Based Drilling Fluid

Abstract

Three hematite grades with different particle sizes (i.e., large, medium, and small) were evaluated, and the selection criterion was median particle size. The investigation involves the following stages: rheology, filtration, and filter cake formation. Different rheological models including Bingham, Power law, Herschel–Bulkley, and Robertson–Stiff were implemented to find the optimum model for characterizing fluid behavior. The results showed that medium-sized hematite particles produced the highest filtration volume, filter cake thickness, and filter cake permeability. These results were confirmed when a varied pore distribution filtration medium was used. The NMR results showed the same trend where the highest reduction in core porosity was found when a medium-size particle distribution was used. There is a minimum alteration in the rheological behavior of the drilling fluid as the particle size was varied, and the drilling fluids showed a shear-thinning behavior and were best described by the Herschel–Bulkley model. Particle size ratio emerges as a key factor for controlling and enhancing the filtration properties and filter cake characteristics.