Cationic polymer mud solves gumbo problems in North Sea

Journal Article · Mon Jul 13 00:00:00 EDT 1992 · Oil and Gas Journal; (United States)

OSTI ID:7116680

Welch, O; Lee, L J ^[1]

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1. M-I Drilling Fluids Co., Houston, TX (US)

This paper reports on a recently developed cationic polymer mud, compatible with conventional polymer additives and designed to meet environmental regulations, which significantly minimized the gumbo problems common to the water-sensitive shales in the North Sea. The cationic polymer mud was used to drill highly reactive Tertiary shale formations which have caused severe gumbo problems on nearby wells drilled with other inhibitive water-based muds. Although many citonic polymers are toxic, aquatic toxicity tests performed by the Norwegian Statens Forurensningstilsyn (SFT) at the end of the test wells showed results far exceeding the SFT limits on the three species tested. The mud system on these wells was a seawater-based 15.0-ppg mud enhanced with 3% NaCl. A low molecular weight quaternary polyamine and a high molecular weight cationic polyacrylamide were used to suppress the swelling and dispersion of shales, respectively. Starch and polyanionic cellulose (PAC) polymers maintained fluid-loss control, and a lubricant reduced the torque and drag.

• OSTI ID: 7116680
• Journal Information: Oil and Gas Journal; (United States), Vol. 90:28; ISSN 0030-1388
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
02 PETROLEUM
DRILLING FLUIDS
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
NORWAY
WELL DRILLING
OFFSHORE OPERATIONS
POLYMERS
TOXICITY
ADDITIVES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
NORTH SEA
POLLUTION REGULATIONS
WELL STIMULATION
ATLANTIC OCEAN
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DRILLING
EUROPE
FLUIDS
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
REGULATIONS
SCANDINAVIA
SEAS
STIMULATION
SURFACE WATERS
294002* - Energy Planning & Policy- Petroleum
294003 - Energy Planning & Policy- Natural Gas
020300 - Petroleum- Drilling & Production
020900 - Petroleum- Environmental Aspects