Composition and Properties of Drilling and Completion Fluids

654 Pages·1988·36.823 MB·English

by  HCH Darley

Composition
and Properties
of Drilling and
Completion Fluids
Fifth Edition
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Composition
and Properties
of Drilling and
Completion Fluids
Fifth Edition
H. C. H. Darley
George R. Gray
G J? Gulf Professional Publishing
P fjj an imprint of Butterworth-Heinemann
Copyright© 1948, 1953, 1963, 1980, and 1988 by
Butterworth-Heinemann. All rights reserved. Printed in the
United States of America. This book, or parts thereof, may not
be reproduced in any form without permission of the
publisher.
Originally published by Gulf Publishing Company,
Houston, TX.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Gray, George Robert, 1907-1983
Composition and properties of drilling and completion fluids.
Previous ed. published under title; Composition and properties
of oil well drilling fluids.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Drilling muds. 1. Darley, H. C. H. (Henry C. H.)
1911- . II. Gray, George, Robert, 1907-1983.
Composition and properties of oil well drilling fluids.
III. Title.
TN871.2.G695 1988 622'.338 87-31536
ISBN 0-87201 -147-X
109876543
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Contents
Dedication viii
Preface , ix
1. Introduction to Drilling Fluids 1
Functions of Drilling Fluids, 1; Composition of Drilling Fluids, 2;
Properties of Drilling Fluids, 6; Drilling Fluid Selection, 19; Mud
Handling Equipment, 28; Optimization, 33; References, 34
2. The Development of Drilling Fluids Technology 38
Water-Base Drilling Fluids Technology, 38; Removal of Cuttings, 38;
Pressure Control by Mud Density, 41; Birth of the Mud Industry, 42;
Rapid Growth of the Mud Industry, 44; Development of Mud Types or
Systems, 50; Corrosion Control, 59; Different Types of Fluid for Dif-
ferent Drilling Functions, 62; Oil-Base Drilling Fluids Technology, 63;
Reasons for Development, 63; Oil for Well Completion, 63; Early Oil
Company Developments, 63; Introduction of Commercial Oil Muds,
64; Applications of Oil Muds, 1935-1950, 65; Oil-Base Emulsion (In-
vert Emulsion) Drilling Fluids, 65; Organophilic Clays and Ammo-
nium Humates, 66; Annulus Packs, 67; Borehole Stabilization by Oil
Muds, 68; Extreme Borehole Conditions, 69; Penetration Rate with Oil
Mud, 70; Scope of Oil Mud Applications, 71; Gas Penetration Rate
with Oil Mud, 70; Scope of Oil Mud Applications, 71; Gas-Base Drill-
ing Fluids Technology, 71; Dry Gas Drilling, 71; Problems with Water-
Bearing Zones,73; Foam, 73; Aerated Mud, 74; Gel Foam or Stiff
Foam, 75; Preformed Stable Foam, 76; Flow Properties of Foam, 77;
Gas Drilling Benefits, 77; References, 78
3. Equipment and Procedures for Evaluating Drilling Fluid
Performance .91
Sample Preparation, 92; Properties Measured, 95; Multifunctional Cir-
culating Systems, 106; Aging at High Temperature, 108; Particle Size
Determination, 110; Identification of Mineral Constituents, 114; De-
V
termination of Gas, Oil, and Solids Content, 115; Electrical Properties,
116; Materials for Regaining Lost Circulation, 120; Maintenance of
Hole Stability, 121; Lubricity, 122; Factors Affecting Differential-
Pressure Sticking of Drill Pipe, 124;Corrosions Tests, 125; Floccu-
iants, 127; Foams and Foaming Agents, 127; Aniline Point, 129;
Chemical Analysis, 129; Evaluation of Drilling Fluid Materials, 132;
References, 135
4. Clay Mineralogy and the Colloid Chemistry of Drilling Fluids .,. 140
Characteristics of Colloidal Systems, 140; Clay Mineralogy, 143; Ori-
gin and Occurrence of Clay Minerals, 154; Ion Exchange, 155; Clay
Swelling Mechanisms, 157; The Electrostatic Double Layer, 162; Par-
ticle Association, 166; The Mechanism of Gelation, 172; Polymers,
176; References, 181
5. The Rheology of Drilling Fluids 184
Laminar Flow Regime, 185; Turbulent Flow Regime, 221; Influence
of Temperature and Pressure on the Rheology of Drilling Fluids, 231;
Application of Flow Equations to Conditions in the Drilling Well, 241;
Rheological Properties Required for Optimum Performance, 254; The
Importance of Hole Stability, 276; References, 277
6. The Filtration Properties of Drilling Fluids 282
Static Filtration, 283; The Filter Cake, 288; Dynamic Filtration, 302;
Filtration in the Borehole, 308; References, 318
7. The Surface Chemistry of Drilling Fluids 321
Surface Tension, 321; Wettability, 324; Surface Free Energy, 325; Ad-
hesion, 326; Surfactants, 327; Emulsions, 328; Oil-Wetting Agents,
332; Foams, 335; Defoamers, 339; The Effect of Electrochemical En-
vironment on Rock Failure, 339; References, 344
8. Hole Stability 346
The Mechanics of Borehole Stability, 346; Brief Review of the Geology
and Geophysics of Sedimentary Basins, 346; The Geostatic Gradients,
347; Hydrostatic Pore Pressure Gradients, 347; Abnormal or Geopres-
sured Gradients, 348; The Behavior of Rocks Under Stress, 350; The
Subsurface Stress Field, 354; Stresses Around a Borehole, 356; The
Influence of Hydraulic Pressure Gradient on Hole Stability, 364; Oc-
currence of Plastic Yielding in the Field, 366; Brittle-Plastic Yielding,
371; Hole Enlargement, 374; Formations with No Cohesive Strength,
374; Coal Seams, 374; Hole Instability Caused by Interaction Between
the Drilling Fluid and Shale Formations, 375; Adsorption and Desorp-
vi
tion of Clays and Shales, 375; Hydration of the Borehole, 377; Brittle
Shales, 381; Control of Borehole Hydration, 381; Selection of Mud
Type for Maintaining Borehole Stability, 389; References, 396
9. Drilling Problems Related to Drilling Fluids 401
Drill String Torque and Drag, 401; Differential Sticking of the Drill
String, 405; Slow Drilling Rate, 415; Loss of Circulation, 434; High
Temperatures, 454; Corrosion of Drill Pipe, 468; References, 484
10. Completion, Workover, and Packer Fluids .................... 491
Completion and Workover Fluids, 491; The Skin Effect, 491; Capillary
Phenomena, 492; Permeability Impairment by Indigenous Clays, 498;
Permeability Impairment by Particles from the Drilling Mud, 512; Pre-
vention of Formation Damage, 519; Selection of Completion and Work-
over Fluids, 522; Tests for Potential Formation-Damage by Completion
Fluids, 531; Packer Fluids and Casing Packs, 533; Functions and Re-
quirements, 533; Aqueous Packer Fluids, 534; Oil-Base Packer Fluids
and Casing Packs, 536; References, 537
11. Drilling Fluid Components 542
Drilling Fluids Industry Products, 542; Water, 543; Materials to In-
crease Density, 544; Clays, 553; Attapulgus Clay, 559; Asbestos, 562;
Organic Polymers, 563; Thinners: Mud-Conditioning Agents, 580;
Common Inorganic Chemicals, 592; Lost Circulation Materials, 595;
Surfactants, 598; Bituminous Materials, 600; Environmental Aspects
of Drilling Fluids, 601; References, 602
Appendix A: Conversion Factors 618
Appendix B: Abbreviations Used in References 622
Author Index 625
Subject Index , 635
vii
Dedication
This edition is dedicated to the memory of George R. Gray. "Doc Gray," as he
was known in the industry, was a pioneer in the development of drilling fluids
technology and made many valuable contributions over the years. He willingly
served on innumerable committees and held various offices in technical so-
cieties, including vice president of the SPE. His help in preparing this edition
was sorely missed.
viii
Preface
This new edition brings up to date the concepts and techniques discussed in the
earlier editions of this classic work. Major advances have been made in the con-
trol of borehole stability, induced fracturing, transport of cuttings in inclined
holes, and stuck pipe, which are described in detail. Other subjects are touched
on briefly, and 204 new references have been added.
Chapter 1 has been largely rewritten for the benefit of those who are not di-
rectly responsible for drilling fluids but are responsible for operations affected
by them, including drilling, logging, and reservoir engineers and supervisors.
Such personnel do not need the detailed technology given in the rest of the book,
so this chapter explains the fundamentals, technical terms, and standard test pa-
rameters as clearly and simply as possible. A special section discusses the selec-
tion of the best drilling fluid to meet various problems encountered in drilling
and completing an oil well.
H. C. H. Darley
ix