HSE-sound agent shows capacity to minimize losses in hot wells

摘要

Controlling fluid loss and depositing a low-permeability filter cake to protect the formation against destabilizing or production-restricting fluid invasion are critical elements in drilling fluid formulation. Selecting a suitable fluid loss control additive is paramount when engineering the invert emulsion drilling fluids typically preferred for drilling under extreme temperatures. However, choosing an appropriate fluid loss control agent is not a straightforward decision as most commercially available additives come with some distinctive environmental, technical, and/or economic limitations. Until recently, these constraints further exacerbated the complexities inherent in formulating a drilling fluid to withstand elevated bottomhole temperature (BHT), thereby prompting research to develop a single agent that could safely and economically satisfy the fluid loss control requirements of high-temperature (HT) well construction.