Improving performance while reducing footprint using NADF

摘要

Advances in at-site treatment of NADF cuttings waste now enable the use of these fluids for best operational performance with the smallest drilling waste footprint possible. There is a perception by some operators and regulators that water-based drilling fluids (WBDFs) are better environmental choices than nonaqueous drilling fluids (NADFs) and that enhanced WBDFs may someday deliver the performance of NADFs. However, NADFs are still unrivaled for providing formation stability, lubricity, temperature stability, solids tolerance, hydrate suppression, and protection from dangerous gases and for meeting other operational challenges when drilling today's difficult wells.