Increasing global energy demand has been forcing operators to drill and produce from high pressure, high temperature (HPHT) wells. Some of the important roles drilling fluids (muds) have to play are removal of cuttings, lubricating the drill bit, maintaining the stability of the wellbore and preventing the inflow-outflow of fluids between the borehole and the formation. Today there are two technologies employed as essential wellbore fluids during the drilling process, oil-based muds and water-based muds (OBM and WBM). To all drilling fluids, a higher specific gravity material (barite) may be added to densify the fluid, which balances the bottom-hole pressure and prevents the influx of gas and fluids from the earthen formation into the wellbore. One of the most significant properties of drilling fluids that has to be optimized is their capability to suspend solid components, both densifying materials and drilled earthen cuttings, in order to prevent density striation and associated challenges. In general, high temperature drilling environments result in thermal thinning of the drilling fluids, thereby potentially reducing suspension capability further. Within the oil and gas industry, the suspension stability of drilling fluids has been improved through different approaches, including utilization of nanomaterials. In this work, we will demonstrate a comparative study on the use of carbon-based nanomaterials that have already been developed and our approaches on utilization of graphene oxide derivatives in OBM and WBM. The rheological properties of these fluids are demonstrated under high pressure, high temperature conditions (450 °F). The correlation of the viscoelastic properties (G’ and G”) of these fluids will be established for detailed understanding of the suspension stability imparted by the nanomaterials.<br/>

Drilling fluids comprising graphene derivatives to enhance particulate suspension under high temperature and pressure

256th National Meeting (2018)

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