Session: 11-02-01 Well Drilling Fluids and Hydraulics-1

Submission Number: 182277

Effects of Weight Material Particle Size Distribution on Cuttings Transport Efficiency of Oil-Based Drilling Fluids 

The cuttings transport efficiency of a drilling fluid is a combination of the ability keep particles in suspension and the ability to entrain particles which have settled onto a cuttings bed.  The rheological properties of the drilling fluid are important for both these cuttings transport mechanisms.

While weight materials are added to a drilling fluid to increase its density, such materials will also affect the rheological properties in various ways.

In this work we compare the cuttings transport efficiency of two similar oil-based drilling fluids (OBDF) from the same vendor, where one drilling fluid contains barite particles (a common weight material) with a standard particle size distribution, and the other drilling fluid contains micronized barite particles, i.e. with a much smaller average particle size.  While a motivation for using micronized barite is to reduce the risk of barite sag (alternatively to allow using a less viscous fluid), the smaller particle size and larger total particle surface area may also affect the rheological properties and thereby the cuttings transport mechanisms mentioned above.

We present results from flow loop experiments using these two OBDF, comparing and discussing the performance of these fluids with respect to hydraulics and cuttings transport.  We argue that the differences observed can be explained in part by the effect of the barite particles on the fluid transport properties.

 

Presenting Author: Bjørnar Lund SINTEF AS

Presenting Author Biography: TBA

Authors:

Jan David Ytrehus SINTEF
Bjørnar Lund SINTEF AS
Ali Taghipour SINTEF AS
Blandine Feneuil SINTEF AS
Arild Saasen University of Stavanger
Arne Askø Aker BP
Luca Carazza Aker BP