Gilsonite Drilling Mud Additive
What is Fluid Loss Control Additive?
At first we want to answer the question: what is fluid loss? Fluid loss control additive is also called filtration control agents. Fluid loss control additives may occur when the fluid such as natural bitumen comes in contact with a porous formation. This is relevant for drilling and completion fluids, fracturing fluids, and cement slurries.
fluid loss control additives may occur when the fluid comes in contact with a porous formation.
Thus, fluid loss additives drilling mud are used in a variety of fluids incl. Gilsonite is used for different purposes. Because the fluids used in petroleum technology are in some cases quite expensive, an extensive fluid loss may not be tolerable. Of course there are also environmental reasons to prevent fluid loss control additives. Reduced fluid loss can be achieved by plugging a porous rock in some way.
In the meantime, if you intend to get acquainted with bitumen, stay tuned for this article.
Drilling for oil, natural gas wells and water wells requires powerful equipment using high-tech methods to create boreholes. Drilling liquid and mud are essential components of the process.
How Are They Used?
Using drilling liquids and muds accomplishes four things:
- reduce the amount of friction on the drilling rig.
- stabilize the walls of the hole to prevent a cave in.
- carry out debris, called cuttings, from the hole.
- suspending the cuttings when there is a pause in drilling, as when the rig is brought in and out of the hole.
General Definiation Gilsonite Drilling Mud Additive
The leakage of the liquid phase of drilling fluid loss control additive, slurry or treatment fluid containing solid particles into the formation matrix is called drilling mud fluid loss. The resulting buildup of solid materials or filter cake may be undesirable, as may the penetration of filtrate through the formation.
Drilling fluid loss control additive systems are designed and formulated to perform efficiently under expected wellbore conditions. Fluid loss additive is used to control the process and avoid potential reservoir damages. A group of specially designed fluid loss-containing additives is used to lower filtration volume.
Meanwhile, these well-known materials are available for all types of water and oil-based mud; as well as by static filtration tests, they are fully evaluated.
Fluid Loss Additive Drilling Mud
In the beginning, we should define an important question:
what is fluid loss?
A standard plate and frame filter press test the fluid loss control additive, which this method of separating a mixture of liquid and insoluble solids is called dewatering.
It is beneficial to explain properties of drilling fluids and mud cakes. Meanwhile, advances in drilling fluid technologies have made it possible to implement a cost-effective, fit for purpose system for each interval in the well-constructed process.
The drilling fluid loss control additives‘ functions are designed for cleaning the borehole, balance as well as overcome formation pressure, supports and stabilizing the wellbore’s walls, up to casing can be set, lubricate drilling bit, suspending drill cuttings, as well as carry the details of wellbore into the surface. The mud viscosity is another important property, as cuttings will settle to the bottom of the well if the density is too low.
Various types of drilling fluid’s properties are adjusted and monitored for achieving the desired performances. In the meantime, the multiple tests’ interpretation as well as resulting the treatments, maintaining appropriate fluid properties to the drilling program’s success.
Types of Drilling Mud:
1. Oil-Based-Muds = OBM: Base material is Oil product and such as diesel oil
2. Water-Based-Muds = WBM: Base material is water
3. Synthetic-Based-Muds = SBM: Base materials is polymers
Gilsonite Dirilling Mud Additive
Gilsonite is vastly used in all drilling muds but in different aspects and manners. In oil-based muds, Gilsonite acts as a Fluid Loss Control agent or FLC. While as a hydrocarbon, it reacts well with the base material of the mud and increases the drilling efficiency significantly.
Gilsonite in drilling application has several market myths and complications. One issue is that the natural bitumen from Iran has increasingly replaced the American Gilsonite among the mud makers, especially in Asia. The product relates to a composition comprising an HPHT drilling fluid loss control additive aid, stable at elevated temperatures and which also acts as an excellent shale stabilizer, bore hold lubricant, sealant for depleted sand, and wall cake conditioner.
HPHT Gilsonite fluid loss control additive aid stable to the high temperature such as 400°F. The composition comprises a mixture of a uintaite such as natural asphalt in combination with solubilized lignite such as causticized lignite and carbon black. The HPHT fluid loss control aid also comprises a product made by the process of combining the uintaite such as natural bitumen solubilized lignite such as causticized lignite and carbon black with one another since in some instances the natural asphalt and lignite might interact with one another and change the nature of the starting compounds. Additionally, the introduction of the composition of matter of the present invention into a drilling fluid could also alter the foregoing compounds used in the composition, and for this reason, the invention also comprises a product produced by the process of combining the various compounds for the manufacture of the composition as well as a product produced by introducing the composition into a drilling fluid.
Gilsonite prevents formation damage
Gilsonite uintaite forms a physical and chemical bond with permeable formations, creating an effective seal to prevent the passage of drilling fluid. By uniquely functioning as both a malleable and solid plugging agent, Gilsonite controls fluid loss and seepage, prevents lost circulation and protects reactive and low-reactive shale surfaces, even at elevated bottomhole temperatures.
Proven to strengthen the wellbore
HP/HT wells, shales and underpressured zones require specialized drilling fluids and wellbore-strengthening techniques. Adding Gilsonite uintaite to an OBM, SBM or WBM
strengthens the well by:
- Reducing pore pressure transmission and sealing micro-fractures in shale and low-porosity sands
- Keeping interbedding formations intact
- Developing effective filter cake
- Providing a “smear effect” that creates a continuous protective sealant along the wellbore wall
The most effective additive to prevent differential sticking
Gilsonite uintaite minimizes the occurrence of stuck pipe and stuck logging tools by thoroughly sealing permeable formations – even in zones with a highly overbalanced pressure differential – and improving filter cake lubricity.
Advantages of Gilsonite Drilling Mud Additive (FLC)
Gilsonite has been added to drilling fluids to give better stability of well walls to lubricate the drill string in a well to seal microfracture and prevent the formation of large fractures and decrease the loss.
Gilsonite, uintaite is the only drilling fluid additive that provides all of these benefits:
- Controls fluid loss and seepage
- Stabilizes shales
- Prevents lost circulation
- Strengthens the wellbore to increase wellbore stability
- Minimizes differential sticking
- Promotes effective filter cake development
- Performs in oil- and water-based drilling muds
- Performs in HP/HT environments
- Minimizes HSE risks
