Water mud gives advantages with PCD bits

Journal Article · Mon Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1985 · Oil Gas J.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5356872

de Boisblanc, C W

Operators desire a water-base mud that will yield high penetration rates without downhole trouble when used in conjunction with polycrystalline diamond (PCD) bits. The need is most pronounced in soft, reactive shales such as those typically found in younger, Gulf Coast-type formations. Heretofore, such wells have used invert emulsions. The marriage of oil muds and PCD bits has been a good one. These two entities evolved together to produce good hole conditions with good penetration rate. But oil muds sometimes drill slower than water muds. They are subject to restrictions on the use and disposal. They risk excessive costs associated with lost returns and reduced formation evaluation. Most PCD bits, when used with conventional lignosulfonate muds, were not successful in meeting penetration criteria set by the oil mud/PCD bit combination. When used with water-based muds, PCD bits often lose their effectiveness because: The formation to be drilled softens and adheres to the bit face. Friction at the cutter/rock interface can exceed the critical temperature of water, thus increasing the coefficient of friction and causing severe wear mechanism, and corrosion/erosion of the bit face causes premature failures. This paper presents a new system which eliminates these deficiencies.

• Research Organization: Am-Pet Services Inc., Houston, TX
• OSTI ID: 5356872
• Journal Information: Oil Gas J.; (United States), Journal Name: Oil Gas J.; (United States) Vol. 83:13; ISSN OIGJA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
03 NATURAL GAS
030300 -- Natural Gas-- Drilling
Production
& Processing
CARBON
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CORROSION
COST
CRYSTALS
DIAMONDS
DRILL BITS
DRILLING
DRILLING EQUIPMENT
DRILLING FLUIDS
ELEMENTAL MINERALS
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
EROSION
FAILURES
FLUIDS
FRICTION
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MINERALS
NATURAL GAS WELLS
NONMETALS
OIL WELLS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLYCRYSTALS
ROCK DRILLING
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SHALES
SULFONATES
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
WATER
WEAR
WELL DRILLING
WELLS