Drilling fluid type affects elastomer selection
- Halliburton Energy Services Inc., Houston, TX (United States)
- Halliburton Energy Services Inc., Duncan, OK (United States)
- M-I LLC Drilling Fluids Co., Houston, TX (United States)
Thorough research and field studies, coupled with effective communications among interested parties, can help operators find the best elastomer for use in drilling operations. Because of increasingly stringent environmental standards, the oil and gas industry has developed more-environmentally friendly, synthetic-based drilling fluids as alternatives to conventional oil-based muds (OBMs). Some of these synthetic-based muds (SBMs), however, are incompatible with the conventional elastomers used in downhole equipment and drilling tools--a situation that can impair elastomer performance and result in costly, premature failures. Currently, researchers are examining the relationships between elastomer design and SBM formulation to find the most successful correlation between formation needs, drilling fluids, and elastomers. Ultimately, however, the real solution to the incompatibility problem may be found not only in this ongoing research, but also in cooperative efforts among the various contractors directing the onsite operations. The paper discusses the compatibility dilemma, SBMs versus OBMs, elastomers, elastomer damage, laboratory research, comprehension, communication, and cooperation.
- OSTI ID:
- 669931
- Journal Information:
- Oil and Gas Journal, Vol. 96, Issue 43; Other Information: PBD: 26 Oct 1998
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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