Aqueous Polymer Drilling Fluid for Low-Gradient Formations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current drilling fluids for low gradient formations in oil and geothermal wells face issues such as high preparation times, excessive raw material volumes, insufficient inhibition leading to pipe sticking, reliance on mud vessels, low rheological properties causing slow drilling, and long drilling times, due to the presence of Xanthan Gum clots and complex multi-component systems.
Innovation Solution
A high-performance aqueous-phase polymer fluid composed of five liquid chemical components, including an amine corrosion inhibitor, Xanthan gum, Polyanionic Cellulose Polymer, and Polyacrylamide, designed for quick mixing and homogenization, providing enhanced viscosity, lubricity, and clay inhibition, reducing preparation time and volume consumption while eliminating the need for support vessels and pre-treatment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If complex multi-component drilling fluid systems are used, then inhibition and lubricity are improved, but preparation time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functional components (polymer base, corrosion inhibitor, biocide, dispersant, thickener) into a single pre-mixed liquid composition. This merging eliminates the need for separate preparation of each component, reducing preparation time while maintaining all necessary inhibition and lubricity functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The drilling fluid components are pre-combined and pre-treated in a ready-to-use liquid formulation. This preliminary action of mixing all components before field application eliminates time-consuming on-site preparation steps while ensuring proper inhibition and lubricity are already established in the final composition.
2Reliability
If extensive raw material volumes are used, then fluid performance is maintained, but preparation time and logistics complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the concentration parameters of the liquid composition to optimize performance. By formulating a concentrated ready-to-use liquid with specific ratios of polymer, inhibitor, biocide, dispersant, and thickener, the system maintains fluid performance while reducing the total volume of materials that need to be handled and prepared on-site.
3Reliability
If traditional drilling fluids are used, then clay inhibition is achieved, but pipe sticking occurs due to insufficient inhibition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite liquid composition combining polymer base with corrosion inhibitor, biocide, dispersant, and thickener. This composite formulation provides enhanced clay inhibition properties that prevent pipe sticking, leveraging the synergistic effects of multiple functional components in a unified system.
4Reliability
If mud vessels are used for fluid transport, then fluid supply is maintained, but operation costs and logistics complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state parameter from requiring large-volume water-based mud transport to concentrated ready-to-use liquid formulation. This parameter change enables transport in standard containers rather than requiring specialized mud vessels, reducing logistics complexity while maintaining reliable fluid supply to drilling operations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The fluid achieves significant reductions in preparation time, consumed volume, and drilling time, increasing the rate of penetration, and eliminating the need for support vessels, while maintaining high inhibition and lubricity, thus enabling continuous drilling with improved rock-fluid interaction and environmental sustainability.
Implementation Method 1
Xanthan gum (viscosifier) 8.10-10.80 L/m3
Implementation Method 2
Polyanionic Cellulose Polymer (filtrate reducer) 7.20-9.60 L/m3
Implementation Method 3
Polyacrylamide (clay stabilizer) 2.70-3.60 L/m3
Implementation Method 4
Amine corrosion inhibitor 1.80-2.50 L/m3
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a high performance aqueous phase polymer fluid, which is a seawater-based drilling fluid for well drilling in low gradient formations. It is formulated based on liquid state polymer chemical products, easy to aggregate, and quickly mixed; a preparation and homogenization that reduces preparation times, designed to drill hydrocarbon-producing deposits, focusing on minimizing damages to the producing formations, with a high rate of circulation loss in naturally-fractured deposits. The system is environmentally-friendly, it complies with the required main functions of the drilling fluids while also providing a high inhibition control by swelling and dispersion of clay zones, due to the polymeric nature of the materials with which it is formulated. It is a fluid that does not contain solids in its formulation and provides an excellent transport and cleaning of the drilling shears in the well.