A brief introduction about drilling fluids. By: Muhammad Wajid Manzoor Institute of Geology PU Lahore

2. Presentation Topic :
Drilling Fluids
 Presented to:
Dr. Nazir Ahmad
 Presented By:
Muhammad Wajid Manzoor
Roll no . 09
Institute of Geology
University of the Punjab Lahore.

3. contents
 Definition
 History
 Types of drilling fluids
 Functions of drilling fluids
 Disadvantages
 References

4. Definition
– A circulating fluid used in rotary drilling to perform any or all of the various
functions required in a drilling operation is known as drilling fluid.

5. History
 The history of drilling fluid is separated into three periods :
1. The early period from ancient times up to the completion of the spindle top
well in 1901.
o (Spindletop is a salt dome oil field located in the southern portion of Beaumont,
Texas in the United State.
2. The period from 1901 to 1928 , When engineers were conducting test on
drilling mud to meet specific drilling needs.
3.The period extend from 1928 to the present.

6. History
 In 1845 Fauvelle Successfully drilled a well in France by using water flushed set
off tools .Then he drilled more wells by using this tool.
 In 1880 Chapman mixed the water and mud to make the muddy fluid and this
was the begging of mud engineering .
 In Oct 1900, Curt Hamil mixed a muddy fluid and pumped into the hole which
promptly sealed off the quicksand and solved the problem.

7. Types of Drilling fluids
 The various types of fluid generally fall into a few broad categories. The three
key factors that drive decisions about the type of drilling fluid selected for a
specific well are:
1. Cost
2.Technical Performance
3.Environmental impact

8. Types of Drilling fluids
 The various types of fluid generally fall into a few broad categories:
1. Water-based fluids
2. Oil-based fluids
3. Synthetic-based drilling fluids
4. All-oil fluids
5. Pneumatic-drilling fluids

9. Types of Drilling fluids
1. Water-based Fluids:
 Water-based fluids (WBFs) are used to drill approximately 80% of all wells.
 The base fluid may be fresh water, seawater (Calcium chloride, Calcium
bromide, Zinc bromide) , brine.

10. Types of Drilling fluids
2. Oil-based Fluids:
 Oil-based systems were developed and introduced in the 1960s to help address
several drilling problems:
o Clay formation that react, swell, or slough after exposure to WBFs
o Increasing downhole temperatures
o Contaminants
o Stuck pipe and torque and drag

11. Types of Drilling fluids
 Oil-based fluids (OBFs) in use today are formulated with diesel, mineral oil, or
low-toxicity linear olefins and paraffin's.
 Barite is used to increase system density, and specially-treated organophilic
bentonite is the primary viscosifier in most oil-based systems.

12. Types of Drilling fluids
3. Synthetic-based drilling fluids:
 Synthetic-based fluids were developed out of an increasing desire to reduce the
environmental impact of offshore drilling operations, but without sacrificing the
cost-effectiveness of oil-based systems.
 SBFs can be used to:
o Maximize rate of penetrations (ROPs)
o Increase lubricity in directional and horizontal wells
o Minimize wellbore-stability problems, such as those caused by reactive shale

13. Types of Drilling fluids
4. All-oil fluid:
 Normally, the high-salinity water phase of an invert-emulsion fluid helps to
stabilize reactive shale and prevent swelling.
 By eliminating the water phase, the all-oil drilling fluid can preserve shale
stability throughout the interval

14. Types of Drilling fluids
5. Pneumatic-drilling fluids :
 Compressed air or gas can be used in place of drilling fluid to circulate cuttings out
of the wellbore. Pneumatic fluids fall into one of three categories:
o Air or gas only
o Aerated fluid
o Foam
 Pneumatic-drilling operations require specialized equipment to help ensure safe
management of the cuttings and formation fluids that return to surface, as well as
tanks, compressors, lines, and valves associated with the gas used for drilling or
aerating the drilling fluid or foam.

15. Functions of drilling fluids
Drilling fluids perform many functions during drilling process , some of these are
given below :
1. It transport the drilled cuttings and carrying to the surface .
2. It transport the cuttings and carrying in annulus when circulation is stopped.
3. It controls the subsurface pressure .
4. Support the walls of borehole .
5. Used to produced induced fracturing .

16. Functions of drilling fluids
6. It helps in suspension of weight of drill string and casing .
7. It deliver hydraulic energy upon formation beneath the bit .
8. It seals off permeable formation by creating a wall cake .
9. It prevents sloughing or erosion of formation in an open hole.
10. It cools and lubricate the bitt and drill string.
11. It provides a suitable media for running wireline logs.
12. Circulates the cavings when occur .
13. Permits fast drilling by cleaning the hole .

17. Disadvantages
There are following problems or disadvantages related to drilling fluids which are
given below :
1. Drilling fluids damages the subsurface formation specially to producing
formation by its velocity and weight .
2. Corrosion of drill string and casing can be occur if certain chemical are added
in in the fluid.
3. It can also slow down rate of penetration (ROP) when heavy mud is used .
4. Loss of circulation is also a major problem associated with mud .

18. Disadvantages
6. Sticking of drill string against the walls of bore hole .
7. Drilling mud also damage the drilling equipment's.

19. References
 Oilfield Market Report 2004. Spears & Assoc. Inc., Tulsa, Oklahoma,
www.spearsresearch.com.
 Annual Report of the OSPAR Commission, 2000–2001, 30. 2001. London: OSPAR
Commission.fckLR
 G. V. Chilingarian & P. Vorabutr (1983) Drilling and Drilling Fluids
 DCS Shale Shaker SUPPLIER The Drilling Fluids cleaning system