Experimental Investigation of Permeability and Fluid Loss Properties of Water Based Mud under High Temperature-High Pressure Conditions
Abstract
Drilling in deeper formations and in high pressure and high temperature (HPHT) environments is a new frontier for the oil industry. Fifty years ago, no one would have imagined drilling in more than 10,000 feet of water depth like we do today. However, more issues need to be researched, tested, and studied in order to maintain a good drilling efficiency as deeper depths are drilled. One of these issues is the great effect that drilling at HPHT conditions has on the behavior of drilling fluids.
The goal of this research was to study fluid loss properties of water based mud and its effect on permeability under HPHT dynamic conditions utilizing advanced laboratory equipment that allows for wide ranges of pressure and temperature. Filtration tests were performed at both ambient and HPHT conditions. After several laboratory evaluations of fluid loss additives available in the market, Polysal HT was found to be the most effective in reducing the fluid loss of the water based mud for both static and dynamic tests at HPHT conditions. It is economically designed to be saturated in salt and other brine system. An additive that encapsulates particles with protective polymer coating as colloid. Drilling fluid stabilizer especially in drilling hydratable shale and a remarkable effectiveness in wide range make up water (high saline and high hardness). The fluid loss behavior of the mud and the characteristics of the filter cake produced are the basic factors that need to be considered when determining mud treatment.
A detailed workflow of experiments using equipment from OFITE HPHT Fluid Apparatus with differential pressure of 500 psi under 230°F with 2.5” filter paper (30 minutes) as well as OFITE Permeable Plugging Tester with 1,200 psi differential pressure @ 230°F using a ceramic disc were conducted. Also tests were conducted using the Low Temperature- Low Pressure API Filter Press at 100 psi @77°F with 3.5” filter paper for the purpose of comparison.
Key words: Permeability; Fluid loss; Water based mud; High pressure high temperature
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
[1] Shadravan, A., Narvaez, G., Alegria, A., Carman, P., Perez, C., & Erger, R. (2015, March). Engineering the mud-spacer-cement rheological hierarchy improves wellbore integrity. Paper Presented at the SPE E&P Health, Safety, Security and Environmental Conference-Americas, Denver, Colorado.
[2] Krueger, R. F. (1963). Evaluation of drilling-fluid filter-loss additives under dynamic conditions. Journal of Petroleum Technology, 15(1), 90-98.
[3] Roodhart, L. P. (1985). Fracturing fluids: Fluid-loss measurements under dynamic conditions. Society of Petroleum Engineers Journal, 25(5), 629-636.
[4] Shadravan, A., & Amani, M. (2012). HPHT 101 - what petroleum engineers and geoscientists should know about high pressure high temperature wells environment. Energy Science and Technology, 4(2), 36-60.
[5] Lee, J., Shadravan, A., & Young, S. (2012). Rheological properties of invert emulsion drilling fluid under extreme HPHT conditions. Paper presented at the IADC/SPE Drilling Conference and Exhibition, San Diego, California.
[6] Amani, M., Al-Jubouri, M., & Shadravan, A. (2012). Comparative study of using oil-based mud versus water-based mud in HPHT fields. Advances in Petroleum Exploration and Development, 4(2), 18-27.
[7] Shadravan, A., Nabaei, M., & Amani, M. (2009, October). Dealing with the challenges of UBD implementation in southern Iranian oilfields. Paper presented at the Middle East Drilling Technology Conference & Exhibition, Manama, Bahrain.
[8] Bland, R. G., Mullen, G. A., Gonzalez, Y. N., Harvey, F. E., & Pless, M. L. (2006, November). HPHT drilling fluid challenges. Paper presented at the IADC/SPE Asia Pacific Drilling Technology Conference and Exhibition, Bangkok, Thailand.
[9] Elkatatny, S., & Nasr-El-Din, H. A. (2012, March). Properties of filter cake of water-based drilling fluid under dynamic conditions using computer tomography. Paper presented at the IADC/SPE Drilling Conference and Exhibition, San Diego, California.
[10] Crespo, F., Ahmed, R., Enfis, M., Saasen, A., & Amani, M. (2012, December). Surge and swab pressure predictions for yield-power-law drilling fluids. SPE Drilling & Completion Journal, 27(4), 574-585.
[11] Chelton, H. M. (1967, January). Darcy’s law applied to drilling fluid filtration. Paper presented at the SPE Drilling and Rock Mechanics Conference, Austin, Texas.
[12] Schlumberger. (2014). Static filtration. USA: Schlumberger Oilfield Glossary.
[13] Ibeh, C., Schubert, J., & Teodoriu, C. (2008). Investigation on the effect of ultra high pressure and temperature on the rheological properties of oil-based drilling fluids. Presented at AADE Conference and Exhibition, Houston, Texas.
[14] Elward-Berry, J., & Darby, J. B. (1997, September). Rheologically Stable, Nontoxic, High-Temperature Water-Base Drilling Fluid. SPE Drilling & Completion Journal, 12(3), 158-162.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3968/7139
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
Copyright (c)
Share us to: 
Reminder
We are currently accepting submissions via email only.
The registration and online submission functions have been disabled.
Please send your manuscripts to aped@cscanada.net，or aped@cscanada.org for consideration. We look forward to receiving your work.
We only use three mailboxes as follows to deal with issues about paper acceptance, payment and submission of electronic versions of our journals to databases:
caooc@hotmail.com; aped@cscanada.net; aped@cscanada.org
Articles published in Advances in Petroleum Exploration and Development are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC-BY).
ADVANCES IN PETROLEUM EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT Editorial Office
Address:1055 Rue Lucien-L'Allier, Unit #772, Montreal, QC H3G 3C4, Canada.
Telephone: 1-514-558 6138
Website: Http://www.cscanada.net
Http://www.cscanada.org
E-mail:office@cscanada.net; office@cscanada.org
Copyright © 2010 Canadian Research & Development Centre of Sciences and Cultures 
