Evaluation of ilmenite as weight material in drilling fluids
This paper discusses the prospect of using ilmenite as weight material in drilling fluids. The discussion is based on two field tests and laboratory experiments. Flow induced abrasion was found to be a considerable problem in the field tests using ilmenite as weight material. The abrasiveness was highly dependent on the particle size distribution, and the experiments clearly showed that the abrasiveness of ilmenite can be reduced to that of standard barite by removing the largest ilmenite particles. From experimental results, the authors recommend the particle size distribution of ilemenite to contain less than 3.0% above 45 ..mu..m. The field tests also demonstrated problems with dust, dispersion of ilmenite in water, air entrainment and foaming, which, as found by laboratory investigations, can be eliminated by reducing the content of flotation chemicals. Based on the field tests and the subsequent laboratory studies, the authors conclude that ilmenite is well suited for use as weight material in drilling fluids since the presently observed disadvantages to a large extent can be eliminated.
- Research Organization:
- Statoil
- OSTI ID:
- 5467165
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-820927-
- Journal Information:
- Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States), Vol. SPE11085; Conference: 57. AIME Society of Petroleum Engineers annual technical conference and exhibition, New Orleans, LA, USA, 26 Sep 1982
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
03 NATURAL GAS
DRILLING FLUIDS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DENSITY
FIELD TESTS
ILMENITE
ABRASION
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
PARTICLE SIZE
NATURAL GAS WELLS
WELL DRILLING
OIL WELLS
BENCH-SCALE EXPERIMENTS
FLUID FLOW
MATERIALS TESTING
WEIGHT
CHALCOGENIDES
DRILLING
FLUIDS
IRON COMPOUNDS
IRON OXIDES
MINERALS
OXIDE MINERALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SIZE
TESTING
TITANIUM COMPOUNDS
TITANIUM OXIDES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
WELLS
020300* - Petroleum- Drilling & Production
030300 - Natural Gas- Drilling
Production
& Processing