Drilling Under A Swampy And A Corrosive Soil Environment And What You Must Do To Gain A Bore Well Stability Part 2 - Fame Agidife @Swab Group

Drilling Fluids And Their Functionalities During Drilling Process.

Drilling fluid is any geotechnical substance used to aid the drilling of boreholes into the earth, often used on exploration of drilling rigs while drilling oil wells, natural gas wells and also for the much commonly known ones such as the borehole drinking water and the pile bore foundation etc.



Liquid drilling fluid is often called drilling mud and the three main categories of drilling fluids are:

 (1) water-based muds (which can be dispersed and non-dispersed), (2) Non-aqueous muds which is usually called oil-based mud and
 (3) Gaseous drilling fluid in which a wide range of gases can be used.

Types of Drilling Fluids That Are Used On A day-to-day Basis.

Some wells require that different types be used at different parts in the hole, or that some types be used in combination with others.

The various types of fluid generally fall into a few broad categories:

1. Air:
Compressed air is pumped either down the bore hole's annular space or down the drill string itself.

2. Air/water:
The same as above, with water added to increase viscosity, flush the hole, provide more cooling and to control dust.

3. Air/polymer:
A specially formulated chemical, most often referred to as a type of polymer, is added to the water & air mixture to create specific conditions. A foaming agent is a good example of a polymer.

4. Water:
 Water by itself is sometimes used in offshore drilling, sea water is typically used while drilling the top section of the hole.

5. Water-based mud (WBM):
 Most basic water-based mud systems begin with water, then clays and other chemicals are incorporated into the water to create a homogeneous blend resembling something between chocolate milk and a malt (depending on viscosity).

The clay is usually a combination of native clays that are suspended in the fluid while drilling, or specific types of clay that are processed and sold as additives for the WBM system. The most common of these is bentonite, frequently referred to in the oilfield as "gel". Gel likely makes reference to the fact that while the fluid is being pumped, it can be very thin and free-flowing (like chocolate milk), though when pumping is stopped, the static fluid builds a "gel" structure that resists flow. When an adequate pumping force is applied to "break the gel", flow resumes and the fluid returns to its previously free-flowing state.

Many other chemicals e.g. potassium formates are added to a WBM system to achieve various effects including:

Viscosity control, shale stability, enhance drilling rate of penetration, cooling and lubricating of equipment.

6. Oil-based mud (OBM):
Oil-based mud is a mud where the base fluid is a petroleum product such as diesel fuel. Oil-based muds are used for many reasons, including increased lubricity, enhanced shale inhibition, and greater cleaning abilities with less viscosity. Oil-based muds also withstand greater heat without breaking down. The use of oil-based muds has special considerations, including cost, environmental considerations such as disposal of cuttings in an appropriate place, and the exploratory disadvantages of using oil-based mud, especially in wildcat wells. Using an oil-based mud interferes with the geochemical analysis of cuttings and cores and with the determination of API gravity because the base fluid cannot be distinguished from oil returned from the formation.

7. Synthetic-based fluid (SBM) (Otherwise known as Low Toxicity Oil Based Mud or LTOBM):
Synthetic-based fluid is a mud where the base fluid is a synthetic oil. This is most often used on offshore rigs because it has the properties of an oil-based mud, but the toxicity of the fluid fumes are much less than an oil-based fluid. This is important when men work with the fluid in an enclosed space such as an offshore drilling rig. Synthetic-based fluid poses the same environmental and analysis problems as oil-based fluid.

On a drilling rig, mud is pumped from the mud pits through the drill string where it sprays out of nozzles on the drill bit, cleaning and cooling the drill bit in the process. The mud then carries the crushed or cut rock ("cuttings") up the annular space ("annulus") between the drill string and the sides of the hole being drilled up through the surface casing, where it emerges back at the surface. Cuttings are then filtered out with either a shale shaker, or the newer shale conveyor technology, and the mud returns to the mud pits. The mud pits let the drilled "fines" settle; the pits are also where the fluid is treated by adding chemicals and other substances.

Functions
The main functionalities of drilling fluids include:

(1)Providing hydrostatic pressure to prevent formation fluids from entering into the bore well,
(2)keeping the drill bit cool during drilling
(3) cleaning bit during drilling,
(4)carrying out drilled cuttings out of well during drilling
(5)suspending the drill cuttings while drilling is paused and
(6)when the drilling assembly is brought in and out of the hole.

The drilling fluid used for a particular job is selected to avoid formation damage and to limit corrosion.