The objective of this Recommended Practice (RP) is to provide a basic understanding of and guidance about drilling fluid rheology and hydraulics, and their application to drilling operations. For this RP, rheology is the study of flow characteristics of a drilling fluid and how these characteristics affect movement of the fluid. Specific measurements are made on a fluid to determine rheological parameters under a variety of conditions. From this information the circulating system can be designed or evaluated regarding how it will accomplish certain desired objectives.
"The hydraulic calculation requires the selection of a best fit model from some models used in petroleum industry. Especially, at low shear rate. This study is based on the data taken from ten wells to evaluate five models- Bingham plastic, Power Law, Casson, Herschel-Bulkley, and Robertson-Stiff for hydraulic optimization. In the course of optimizing, statistical method was used to evaluate all the data using linear regression and least square methods. Calculations were made to determine the rheological parameters, correlation coefficients and relative errors. Comparison was also made to the correlation coefficients and relative errors for selecting the best model for optimizing the hydraulics of specific drilling fluids. In order to verify the optimized results, the pressure losses both inside the drillpipe and the annulus and the Equivalent Circulating Density (ECD) were calculated by using these five models. Data obtained from Herschel-Bulkley model presented the most accurate results"--Leaf iii.
Composition and Properties of Drilling and Completion Fluids, Fifth Edition, covers the fundamental principles of geology, chemistry, and physics that provide the scientific basis for drilling fluids technology. New material for drilling, logging, and production supervisors and engineers exlains how the choice of a drilling fluid and proper maintenance can profoundly reduce total well costs. It also defines technical terms necessary to the understanding of instructions and information provided by the mud engineer. Updated chapters discuss evaluation of drilling fluid performance, clay mineralogy and colloid chemistry, rheology, filtration properties, hole stability, drilling problems, and completion fluids.
The petroleum industry in general has been dominated by engineers and production specialists. The upstream segment of the industry is dominated by drilling/completion engineers. Usually, neither of those disciplines have a great deal of training in the chemistry aspects of drilling and completing a well prior to its going on production. The chemistry of drilling fluids and completion fluids have a profound effect on the success of a well. For example, historically the drilling fluid costs to drill a well have averaged around 7% of the overall cost of the well, before completion. The successful delivery of up to 100% of that wellbore, in many cases may be attributable to the fluid used. Considered the "bible" of the industry, Composition and Properties of Drilling and Completion Fluids, first written by Walter Rogers in 1948, and updated on a regular basis thereafter, is a key tool to achieving successful delivery of the wellbore. In its Sixth Edition, Composition and Properties of Drilling and Completion Fluids has been updated and revised to incorporate new information on technology, economic, and political issues that have impacted the use of fluids to drill and complete oil and gas wells. With updated content on Completion Fluids and Reservoir Drilling Fluids, Health, Safety & Environment, Drilling Fluid Systems and Products, new fluid systems and additives from both chemical and engineering perspectives, Wellbore Stability, adding the new R&D on water-based muds, and with increased content on Equipment and Procedures for Evaluating Drilling Fluid Performance in light of the advent of digital technology and better manufacturing techniques, Composition and Properties of Drilling and Completion Fluids has been thoroughly updated to meet the drilling and completion engineer's needs. Explains a myriad of new products and fluid systems Cover the newest API/SI standards New R&D on water-based muds New emphases on Health, Safety & Environment New Chapter on waste management and disposal
