The effects of mud rheology on annular hole cleaning in directional wells

Journal Article · Fri Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1986 · SPE (Society of Petroleum Engineers) Drill. Eng.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2118/14178-PA· OSTI ID:5247673

Okrajni, S S; Azar, J J

The effects of field-measured mud rheological properties on cuttings transport in directional well drilling were studied experimentally. Water and bentonite/polymer muds were used, and angles of annulus inclination ranging from 0 to 90/sup 0/ from vertical. Experimental data were processed to express the cuttings transport quantitatively through annular cuttings concentration (vol %) at steady state. Three separate regions of hole inclination can be identified regarding cuttings transport: 0 to 45/sup 0/, 45 to 55/sup 0/, and 55 to 90/sup 0/. The effect of laminar flow dominates cuttings transport in low-angle wells (0 to 45/sup 0/). In high-angle wells (55 to 90/sup 0/), the effect of turbulent flow predominates. In the range of intermediate inclination (45 to 55/sup 0/), turbulent and laminar flow generally have similar effects. In laminar flow, higher mud yield values and yield-point/plastic viscosity (YP/PV) ratio provide better cuttings transport. The effect of mud yield value is significant in the range of 0 to 45/sup 0/ hole inclination and becomes small or even negligible in the range of 55 to 90/sup 0/. The effects of mud yield value and YP/PV ratio are more significant for lower annular fluid velocities. In turbulent flow, the cuttings transport was generally not affected by the mud rheological properties.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Tulsa
• OSTI ID: 5247673
• Journal Information: SPE (Society of Petroleum Engineers) Drill. Eng.; (United States), Journal Name: SPE (Society of Petroleum Engineers) Drill. Eng.; (United States) Vol. 1:4; ISSN SDENE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
03 NATURAL GAS
030300 -- Natural Gas-- Drilling
Production
& Processing
BENTONITE
CLAYS
CLEANING
CUTTINGS REMOVAL
DATA PROCESSING
DIRECTIONAL DRILLING
DRILLING
DRILLING FLUIDS
FLOW RATE
FLUID FLOW
FLUIDS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INCIDENCE ANGLE
INCLINATION
LAMINAR FLOW
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
NATURAL GAS WELLS
OIL WELLS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLASTICITY
POLYMERS
PROCESSING
QUANTITY RATIO
REMOVAL
RHEOLOGY
STEADY-STATE CONDITIONS
TURBULENT FLOW
VISCOSITY
WATER
WELL DRILLING
WELLS