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Drillingfluidtypes
Thereareseveraldifferenttypesofdrillingfluids,basedonboththeircompositionanduse.Thethreekeyfactorsthatdrivedecisionsaboutthetypeofdrillingfluidselectedfor
aspecificwellare:
Cost
Technicalperformance
Environmentalimpact.
Selectingthecorrecttypeoffluidforthespecificconditionsisanimportantpartofsuccessfuldrillingoperations.

Contents
1Classificationofdrillingfluids
1.1Waterbasedfluids
1.1.1Nondispersedsytems
1.1.2Dispersedsystems
1.1.3Saltwaterdrillingfluids
1.1.4Polymerdrillingfluids
1.2Drillinfluids
1.3Oilbasedfluids
1.4Syntheticbaseddrillingfluids
1.5Alloilfluids
1.6Pneumaticdrillingfluids
1.7Specialtyproducts
1.7.1Lostcirculationmaterials
1.7.2Spottingfluids
1.7.3Lubricants
1.7.4Corrosion,inhibitors,biocides,andscavengers
2References
3NoteworthypapersinOnePetro
4Externallinks
5Seealso

Classificationofdrillingfluids
WorldOilsannualclassificationoffluidsystems[1]listsninedistinctcategoriesofdrillingfluids,including:
Freshwatersystems
Saltwatersystems
Oilorsyntheticbasedsystems
Pneumatic(/Air_drilling)(air,mist,foam,gas)fluidsystems
Threekeyfactorsusuallydeterminethetypeoffluidselectedforaspecificwell:
Cost
Technicalperformance
Environmentalimpact
Waterbasedfluids(WBFs)arethemostwidelyusedsystems,andareconsideredlessexpensivethanoilbasedfluids(OBFs)orsyntheticbasedfluids(SBFs).TheOBFsand
SBFsalsoknownasinvertemulsionsystemshaveanoilorsyntheticbasefluidasthecontinuous(orexternal)phase,andbrineastheinternalphase.Invertemulsionsystems
haveahighercostperunitthanmostwaterbasedfluids,sotheyoftenareselectedwhenwellconditionscallforreliableshaleinhibitionand/orexcellentlubricity.Waterbased
systemsandinvertemulsionsystemscanbeformulatedtotoleraterelativelyhighdownholetemperatures.Pneumaticsystemsmostcommonlyareimplementedinareaswhere
formationpressuresarerelativelylowandtheriskoflostcirculation(/Lost_circulation)orformationdamageisrelativelyhigh.Theuseofthesesystemsrequiresspecialized
pressuremanagementequipmenttohelppreventthedevelopmentofhazardousconditionswhenhydrocarbonsareencountered.

Waterbasedfluids
Waterbasedfluids(WBFs)areusedtodrillapproximately80%ofallwells.[2]Thebasefluidmaybefreshwater,seawater,brine,saturatedbrine,oraformatebrine.Thetypeof
fluidselecteddependsonanticipatedwellconditionsoronthespecificintervalofthewellbeingdrilled.Forexample,thesurfaceintervaltypicallyisdrilledwithalowdensity
waterorseawaterbasedmudthatcontainsfewcommercialadditives.Thesesystemsincorporatenaturalclaysinthecourseofthedrillingoperation.Somecommercial
bentoniteorattapulgitealsomaybeaddedtoaidinfluidlosscontrolandtoenhanceholecleaning(/Hole_cleaning)effectiveness.Aftersurfacecasing
(/Casing_and_tubing#Surface_casing)issetandcemented,theoperatoroftencontinuesdrillingwithaWBFunlesswellconditionsrequiredisplacingtoanoilorsynthetic
basedsystem.
WBFsfallintotwobroadcategories:nondispersedanddispersed.
Nondispersedsytems

Simplegelandwatersystemsusedfortopholedrillingarenondispersed,asaremanyoftheadvancedpolymersystemsthatcontainlittleornobentonite.Thenaturalclaysthat
areincorporatedintonondispersedsystemsaremanagedthroughdilution,encapsulation,and/orflocculation.Aproperlydesignedsolidscontrolsystem
(/Drilling_waste_management)canbeusedtoremovefinesolidsfromthemudsystemandhelpmaintaindrillingefficiency.Thelowsolids,nondispersed(LSND)polymer
systemsrelyonhighandlowmolecularweightlongchainpolymerstoprovideviscosityandfluidlosscontrol.Lowcolloidalsolidsareencapsulatedandflocculatedformore
efficientremovalatthesurface,whichinturndecreasesdilutionrequirements.Speciallydevelopedhightemperaturepolymersareavailabletohelpovercomegelationissues
thatmightoccuronhighpressure,hightemperature(HP/HT)wells.[3]Withpropertreatment,someLSNDsystemscanbeweightedto17.0to18.0ppgandrunat350Fand
higher.

Dispersedsystems

Dispersedsystemsaretreatedwithchemicaldispersantsthataredesignedtodeflocculateclayparticlestoallowimprovedrheologycontrolinhigherdensitymuds.Widelyused
dispersantsincludelignosulfonates,ligniticadditives,andtannins.Dispersedsystemstypicallyrequireadditionsofcausticsoda(NaOH)tomaintainapHlevelof10.0to11.0.
Dispersingasystemcanincreaseitstoleranceforsolids,makingitpossibletoweightupto20.0ppg.Thecommonlyusedlignosulfonatesystemreliesonrelativelyinexpensive
additivesandisfamiliartomostoperatorandrigpersonnel.Additionalcommonlyuseddispersedmudsincludelimeandothercationicsystems.Asolidsladendispersedsystem
alsocandecreasetherateofpenetrationsignificantlyandcontributetoholeerosion.
Saltwaterdrillingfluids
Saltwaterdrillingfluidsoftenareusedforshaleinhibitionandfordrillingsaltformations.Theyalsoareknowntoinhibittheformationoficelikehydratesthatcanaccumulate
aroundsubseawellheadsandwellcontrolequipment,blockinglinesandimpedingcriticaloperations.Solidsfreeandlowsolidssystemscanbeformulatedwithhighdensity
brines,suchas:
Calciumchloride
Calciumbromide
Zincbromide
Potassiumandcesiumformate
Polymerdrillingfluids
Polymerdrillingfluidsareusedtodrillreactiveformationswheretherequirementforshaleinihbitionissignificant.Shaleinhibitorsfrequentlyusedaresalts,glycolsand
amines,allofwhichareincompatiblewiththeuseofbentonite.Thesesystemstypicallyderivetheirviscosityprofilefrompolymerssuchasxanthangumandfluidlosscontrol
fromstarchorcellulosederivatives.Potassiumchlorideisaninexpensiveandhighlyeffectiveshaleinhibitorwhichiswidelyusedasthebasebrineforpolymerdrillingfluidsin
manypartsoftheworld.Glycolandaminebasedinhibitorscanbeaddedtofurtherenhancetheinhibitivepropertiesofthesefluids.

Drillinfluids
Drillingintoapayzonewithaconventionalfluidcanintroduceahostofpreviouslyundefinedrisks,allofwhichdiminishreservoirconnectivitywiththewellboreorreduce
formationpermeability.Thisisparticularlytrueinhorizontalwells,wherethepayzonecanbeexposedtothedrillingfluidoveralonginterval.Selectingthemostsuitablefluid
systemfordrillingintothepayzonerequiresathoroughunderstandingofthereservoir.Usingdatageneratedbylabtestingoncoreplugsfromcarefullyselectedpayzonecores,
areservoirfluidsensitivitystudyshouldbeconductedtodeterminethemorphologicalandmineralogicalcompositionofthereservoirrock.Naturalreservoirfluidsshouldbe
analyzedtoestablishtheirchemicalmakeup.Thedegreeofdamagethatcouldbecausedbyanticipatedproblemscanbemodeled,ascantheeffectivenessofpossiblesolutions
formitigatingtherisks.
Adrillinfluid(DIF)isacleanfluidthatisdesignedtocauselittleornolossofthenaturalpermeabilityofthepayzone,andtoprovidesuperiorholecleaningandeasycleanup.
DIFscanbe:
Waterbased
Brinebased
Oilbased
Syntheticbased
Inadditiontobeingsafeandeconomicalfortheapplication,aDIFshouldbecompatiblewiththereservoirsnativefluidstoavoidcausingprecipitationofsaltsorproductionof
emulsions.Asuitablenondamagingfluidshouldestablishafiltercakeonthefaceoftheformation,butshouldnotpenetratetoofarintotheformationporepattern.Thefluid
filtrateshouldinhibitorpreventswellingofreactiveclayparticleswithintheporethroats.
Formationdamagecommonlyiscausedby:
Payzoneinvasionandpluggingbyfineparticles
Formationclayswelling
Comminglingofincompatiblefluids
Movementofdislodgedformationporefillingparticles
Changesinreservoirrockwettability
Formationofemulsionsorwaterblocks
Onceadamagemechanismhasdiminishedthepermeabilityofareservoir,itseldomispossibletorestorethereservoirtoitsoriginalcondition.

Oilbasedfluids
Oilbasedsystemsweredevelopedandintroducedinthe1960stohelpaddressseveraldrillingproblems:
Formationclaysthatreact,swell,orsloughafterexposuretoWBFs
Increasingdownholetemperatures
Contaminants
Stuckpipeandtorqueanddrag
Oilbasedfluids(OBFs)inusetodayareformulatedwithdiesel,mineraloil,orlowtoxicitylinearolefinsandparaffins.Theolefinsandparaffinsareoftenreferredtoas
"synthetics"althoughsomearederivedfromdistillationofcrudeoilandsomearechemicallysynthesisedfromsmallermolecules.Theelectricalstabilityoftheinternalbrineor
waterphaseismonitoredtohelpensurethatthestrengthoftheemulsionismaintainedatornearapredeterminedvalue.Theemulsionshouldbestableenoughtoincorporate
additionalwatervolumeifadownholewaterflowisencountered.
Bariteisusedtoincreasesystemdensity,andspeciallytreatedorganophilicbentoniteistheprimaryviscosifierinmostoilbasedsystems.Theemulsifiedwaterphasealso
contributestofluidviscosity.Organophiliclignitic,asphalticandpolymericmaterialsareaddedtohelpcontrolHP/HT(Highpressure/Hightemperature)fluidloss.Oilwettingis
essentialforensuringthatparticulatematerialsremaininsuspension.Thesurfactantsusedforoilwettingalsocanworkasthinners.Oilbasedsystemsusuallycontainlimeto
maintainanelevatedpH,resistadverseeffectsofhydrogensulfide(H2S)andcarbondioxide(CO2)gases,andenhanceemulsionstability.
Shaleinhibitionisoneofthekeybenefitsofusinganoilbasedsystem.Thehighsalinitywaterphasehelpstopreventshalesfromhydrating,swelling,andsloughingintothe
wellbore.Mostconventionaloilbasedmud(OBM)systemsareformulatedwithcalciumchloridebrine,whichappearstoofferthebestinhibitionpropertiesformostshales.
Theratiooftheoilpercentagetothewaterpercentageintheliquidphaseofanoilbasedsystemiscalleditsoil/waterratio.Oilbasedsystemsgenerallyfunctionwellwithan
oil/waterratiointherangefrom65/35to95/5,butthemostcommonlyobservedrangeisfrom70/30to90/10.
ThedischargeofwholefluidorcuttingsgeneratedwithOBFsisnotpermittedinmostoffshoredrillingareas.Allsuchdrilledcuttingsandwastefluidsareprocessed,and
shippedtoshorefordisposal.Whereasmanylandwellscontinuetobedrilledwithdieselbasedfluids,thedevelopmentofsyntheticbasedfluids(SBFs)inthelate1980s
providednewoptionstooffshoreoperatorswhodependonthedrillingperformanceofoilbasedsystemstohelpholddownoveralldrillingcostsbutrequiremore
environmentallyfriendlyfluids.InsomeareasoftheworldsuchastheNorthSea,eventhesefluidsareprohibitedforoffshoredischarge.

Syntheticbaseddrillingfluids
Syntheticbasedfluidsweredevelopedoutofanincreasingdesiretoreducetheenvironmentalimpactofoffshoredrillingoperations,butwithoutsacrificingthecost
effectivenessofoilbasedsystems.
LiketraditionalOBFs,SBFscanbeusedto:
Maximizerateofpenetrations(ROPs)
Increaselubricityindirectionalandhorizontalwells
Minimizewellborestabilityproblems,suchasthosecausedbyreactiveshales
Fielddatagatheredsincetheearly1990sconfirmthatSBFsprovideexceptionaldrillingperformance,easilyequalingthatofdieselandmineraloilbasedfluids.
Inmanyoffshoreareas,regulationsthatprohibitthedischargeofcuttingsdrilledwithOBFsdonotapplytosomeofthesyntheticbasedsystems.SBFscostperbarrelcanbe
higher,buttheyhaveprovedeconomicalinmanyoffshoreapplicationsforthesamereasonsthattraditionalOBFshave:fastpenetrationratesandlessmudrelated
nonproductivetime(NPT).SBFsthatareformulatedwithlinearalphaolefins(LAO)andisomerizedolefins(IO)exhibitthelowerkinematicviscositiesthatarerequiredin
responsetotheincreasingimportanceofviscosityissuesasoperatorsmoveintodeeperwaters.Earlyesterbasedsystemsexhibitedhighkinematicviscosity,aconditionthatis
magnifiedinthecoldtemperaturesencounteredindeepwaterrisers.However,ashorterchainlength(C8),lowviscosityesterthatwasdevelopedin2000exhibitsviscosity
similartoorlowerthanthatoftheotherbasefluids,specificallytheheavilyusedIOsystems.Becauseoftheirhighbiodegradabilityandlowtoxicity,estersareuniversally
recognizedasthebestbasefluidforenvironmentalperformance.
Bytheendof2001,deepwaterwellswereproviding59%oftheoilbeingproducedintheGulfofMexico.[4]Untiloperatorsbegandrillinginthesedeepwaterlocations,where
theporepressure/fracturegradient(PP/FG)marginisverynarrowandmilelongrisersarenotuncommon,thestandardsyntheticformulationsprovidedsatisfactory
performance.However,theissuesthatarosebecauseofdeepwaterdrillingandchangingenvironmentalregulationspromptedacloserexaminationofseveralseeminglyessential
additives.
Whencoldtemperaturesareencountered,conventionalSBFsmightdevelopundesirablyhighviscositiesasaresultoftheorganophilicclayandligniticadditivesinthesystem.
TheintroductionofSBFsformulatedwithzeroorminimaladditionsoforganophilicclayandligniticproductsallowedrheologicalandfluidlosspropertiestobecontrolled
throughthefluidemulsioncharacteristics.Theperformanceadvantagesofthesesystemsinclude:
High,flatgelstrengthsthatbreakwithminimalinitiationpressure
Significantlylowerequivalentcirculatingdensities(ECDs)
Reducedmudlosseswhiledrilling,runningcasing,andcementing(/Cementing_operations)

Alloilfluids
Normally,thehighsalinitywaterphaseofaninvertemulsionfluidhelpstostabilizereactiveshaleandpreventswelling.However,drillingfluidsthatareformulatedwithdiesel
orsyntheticbasedoilandnowaterphaseareusedtodrilllongshaleintervalswherethesalinityoftheformationwaterishighlyvariable.Byeliminatingthewaterphase,the
alloildrillingfluidcanpreserveshalestabilitythroughouttheinterval.

Pneumaticdrillingfluids
Compressedairorgascanbeusedinplaceofdrillingfluidtocirculatecuttingsoutofthewellbore.Pneumaticfluidsfallintooneofthreecategories:
Airorgasonly
Aeratedfluid
Foam[5]
Pneumaticdrillingoperationsrequirespecializedequipmenttohelpensuresafemanagementofthecuttingsandformationfluidsthatreturntosurface,aswellastanks,
compressors,lines,andvalvesassociatedwiththegasusedfordrillingoraeratingthedrillingfluidorfoam.
Exceptwhendrillingthroughhighpressurehydrocarbonorfluidladenformationsthatdemandahighdensityfluidtopreventwellcontrolissues,usingpneumaticfluidsoffers
severaladvantages[6]:
Littleornoformationdamage
Rapidevaluationofcuttingsforthepresenceofhydrocarbons
Preventionoflostcirculation
Significantlyhigherpenetrationratesinhardrockformations

Specialtyproducts
Drillingfluidservicecompaniesprovideawiderangeofadditivesthataredesignedtopreventormitigatecostlywellconstructiondelays.Examplesoftheseproductsinclude:
Lostcirculationmaterials(LCM)thathelptopreventorstopdownholemudlossesintoweakordepletedformations.
Spottingfluidsthathelptofreestuckpipe(/Stuck_pipe).
LubricantsforWBFsthateasetorqueanddragandfacilitatedrillinginhighangleenvironments.
Protectivechemicals(e.g.,scaleandcorrosioninhibitors,biocides,andH2Sscavengers)thatpreventdamagetotubularsandpersonnel.
Lostcirculationmaterials
ManytypesofLCMareavailabletoaddresslosssituations:
Sizedcalciumcarbonate
Mica
Fibrousmaterial
Cellophane
Crushedwalnutshells
Thedevelopmentofdeformablegraphiticmaterialsthatcancontinuouslysealofffracturesunderchangingpressureconditionshasallowedoperatorstocuresometypesof
lossesmoreconsistently.Theapplicationoftheseandsimilarmaterialstopreventorslowdownthephysicaldestabilisationofthewellborehasprovedsuccessful.Hydratable
andrapidsetlostcirculationpillsalsoareeffectiveforcuringsevereandtotallosses.Someofthesefastactingpillscanbemixedandpumpedwithstandardrigequipment,
whileothersrequirespecialmixingandpumpingequipment.
Spottingfluids

Mostspottingfluidsaredesignedtopenetrateandbreakupthewallcakearoundthedrillstring.Asoakperiodusuallyisrequiredtoachieveresults.Spottingfluidstypicallyare
formulatedwithabasefluidandadditivesthatcanbeincorporatedintotheactivemudsystemwithnoadverseeffectsafterthepipeisfreedand/orcirculationresumes.
Lubricants
Lubricantsmightcontainhydrocarbonbasedmaterials,orcanbeformulatedspecificallyforuseinareaswhereenvironmentalregulationsprohibittheuseofanoilbased
additive.Tinyglassorpolymerbeadsalsocanbeaddedtothedrillingfluidtoincreaselubricity.Lubricantsaredesignedtoreducefrictioninmetaltometalcontact,andto
providelubricitytothedrillstringintheopenhole,especiallyindeviatedwells,wherethedrillstringislikelytohavecontinuouscontactwiththewellbore.
Corrosion,inhibitors,biocides,andscavengers
Corrosioncausesthemajorityofdrillpipelossanddamagescasing,mudpumps,bits,anddownholetools.Asdownholetemperaturesincrease,corrosionalsoincreasesata
correspondingrate,ifthedrillstringisnotprotectedbychemicaltreatment.Abrasivematerialsinthedrillingfluidcanacceleratecorrosionbyscouringawayprotectivefilms.
Corrosion,typically,iscausedbyoneormorefactorsthatinclude:
Exposuretooxygen,H2S,and/orCO2
Bacterialactivityinthedrillingfluid
Hightemperatureenvironments
Contactwithsulfurcontainingmaterials
Drillstringcouponscanbeinsertedbetweenjointsofdrillpipeasthepipeistrippedinthehole.Whenthepipenextistrippedoutofthehole,thecouponcanbeexaminedfor
signsofpittingandcorrosiontodeterminewhetherthedrillstringcomponentsareundergoingsimilardamage.
H2SandCO2frequentlyarepresentinthesameformation.Scavengerandinhibitortreatmentsshouldbedesignedtocounteractbothgasesifaninfluxoccursbecauseof
underbalanceddrillingconditions.MaintainingahighpHhelpscontrolH2SandCO2,andpreventsbacteriafromsouringthedrillingfluid.Bacteriaalsocanbecontrolledusing
amicrobiocideadditive.

References
1.WorldOil2004Drilling,CompletionandWorkoverFluids.2004.WorldOil225(6):F1.
2.OilfieldMarketReport2004.Spears&Assoc.Inc.,Tulsa,Oklahoma,www.spearsresearch.com.
3.Mason,W.andGleason,D.2003.SystemDesignedforDeep,HotWells.AmericanOilandGasReporter46(8):70.
4.DeepwaterProductionSummarybyYear,GulfofMexicoRegion,OffshoreInformation.MineralsManagementService,U.S.Dept.oftheInterior,
www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/offshore/deepwatr/summary.asp.
5.Lyons,W.C.,Guo,B.,andSeidel,F.2001.AirandGasDrillingManual.NewYork:McGrawHill.
6.Negrao,A.F.,Lage,A.C.V.M.,andCunha,J.C.1999.AnOverviewofAir/Gas/FoamDrillinginBrazil.SPEDrill&Compl14(2):109114.SPE56865PA.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/56865PA(http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/56865PA)

NoteworthypapersinOnePetro
A.R.Ismail,A.Kamis,SanBoonEngineeringK.S.Foo,UniversityTeknologiMalaysia:PerformanceoftheMineralBlendedEsterOilBasedDrillingFluidSystems,2001
044,http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/2001044(http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/2001044)
MohammadF.Zakaria,SPE,MaenHusein,SPE:NovelNanoparticleBasedDrillingFluidwithImprovedCharacteristics,156992MS,http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/156992MS
(http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/156992MS)

Externallinks
Seealso
Drillingfluids(/Drilling_fluids)
PEH:DrillingFluids(/PEH%3ADrilling_Fluids)
Categories(/Special%3ACategories): 4.2.3Materialsandcorrosion(/Category%3A4.2.3_Materials_and_corrosion)
1.6Drillingoperations(/Category%3A1.6_Drilling_operations) 1.11Drillingfluidsandmaterials(/Category%3A1.11_Drilling_fluids_and_materials)

(https://www.onepetro.org/search?q=Drillingfluidtypes)

(http://scholar.google.ca/scholar?q=Drillingfluidtypes)

(http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=Drillingfluidtypes)

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