Recommended Practice: Drilling Fluid Page 1 of 4

Alaska Drilling and Wells

Recommended Practice: CTD Drilling Fluid

Authority: CTD Manager Custodian: Drilling Representative

Document
Drilling and Wells
Control
Scope: CTD Operations Document Control
Administrator
Specialist
:
Issue Date: December 1997 Issuing Dept: Drilling and Wells
Revision Date: July 15, 2002 Control Tier: Tier 4
Next Review Date: July 15, 2005

1.0 Purpose/Scope

Overbalanced drilling is required in the Ivishak reservoir due to the numerous interbedded shales
that can become unstable when underbalanced. OB drilling is also compatible with the fully
cemented completions required for the majority of sidetracks in Prudhoe.

Through tubing coil drilling is challenged by an inability to rotate the string, small annular
clearances in open hole, low annular velocities inside tubing and casing, high fluid friction
losses inside a long reel of coil, low initial weight on bit and rapidly diminishing weight transfer
as hole is drilled. A rheologically engineered solids-free biopolymer drill-in fluid was
developed to address these unique challenges. Critical design criteria include minimizing
formation damage, fluid loss, pump pressure and stuck pipe while maximizing cuttings
suspension, cuttings transport, weight transfer, shale stability and overall hole conditions for
successful liner cementing.

2.0 Definitions
ECD equivalent circulating density
PWD pressure while drilling
LSRV low shear rate viscosity

3.0 General Requirements

N/A

4.0 Key Responsibilities

N/A

5.0 Procedure/Process

The solids-free bio-polymer drill-in fluid used for BP CTD operations in Prudhoe has been an
MI product called Flo-Pro, and it consists of:

1. Brine base liquid phase with 9 2.4:1 ratio KCl to NaCl.

2. FLO-VIS, a premium grade, highly clarified Xanthan biopolymer
3. Lubetex, an interfacial tension reducer and lubricant
4. Kla-Gard as a shale inhibitor

Control Tier: 4 – ADW Revision Date: 07/15/02

Document Number: UPS-US-AK-ADW-CTD-HSE-DOC-00013-4 Print Date: 08/13/02
PAPER COPIES ARE UNCONTROLLED. THIS COPY VALID ONLY AT THE TIME OF PRINTING. THE
CONTROLLED VERSION OF THIS DOCUMENT CAN BE FOUND AT http://alaska.bpweb.bp.com/ems
Recommended Practice: Drilling Fluid Page 2 of 4

5. Conquor 404 to inhibit corrosion

6. KOH for pH control

“Solids-free” means that no particulate matter is used for either density or fluid loss control.
Density and inhibition are achieved primarily with salts. Optimum polymer performance and
inhibition for Prudhoe calls for a base brine mixed with a KCl to NaCl ratio of 2.4:1 for a total
chloride concentration of +/- 25,000 mg/L. The resulting 8.7 ppg fluid is adequate for most
Prudhoe applications. Additional KCl and NaCl can be used to increase density to 10.0 ppg if
needed.

This solids-free fluid relies on the viscoelastic properties and elevated LSRV of the fluid, not
filter cake, to control filtrate invasion into the formation. LSRV is measured at 0.0636 sec-1 on a
Brookfield viscometer. LSRV is generated by a premium grade clarified Xanthan gum and
requires a critical concentration of polymer to develop LSRV. LSRV is the last rheological
property to develop and is also the first to be degraded. Field experience shows that a 60,000
cps LSRV controls leak off to permeable formations up to 5 Darcies. As fluid leaks off radially
into the formation, the shear rate decreases and viscosity prevents further penetration. Depth of
filtrate penetration will vary with LSRV, temperature, overbalance pressure, formation
permeability and formation fluid viscosity. The lack of a traditional “filter cake” minimizes
differential sticking by eliminating the high differential pressure gradient associated with a filter
cake.

One significant difference between this fluid and traditional “muds” viscosified with bentonite is
the “time-independent” characteristic. Time-independent means that the viscosity is not a
function of time. When circulation stops, the viscosity of the fluid rapidly increases to the
LSRV value and remains essentially at that value. Viscosity, under static conditions, does not
continue to increase as with bentonite muds. This means that swab and surge pressures and the
pressure required to “break circulation” are much lower as compared to a bentonite mud. It also
means that the viscosity needed to suspend cuttings develops very rapidly as shear stress
approaches zero. Cuttings are immediately suspended when circulation stops and the pressure
required to break circulation does not increase with time.

Lubetex, a Texas Brine product, is a unique blend of fatty oils, surfactants and ester alcohol. In
addition to lowering friction, Lubetex provides the following benefits:

 defoaming through lower surface tension

 lower surface tension reduces PV, pump pressure, and improves solids removal
 lower surface tension increases slip at metal and well bore interfaces, reduces
viscous coupling, improves plug flow, cuttings suspension and transport
 lower surface tension allows higher polymer concentrations to be run at lower
pump pressure
 weight transfer is improved, drag and coil helixing is reduced

Lubetex is typically used at a 1% to 5% concentration. Little or no additional benefits have been

demonstrated with concentrations in excess of 5%

While solids content of this drilling fluid is initially zero, drilled cuttings that are not removed
by solids control equipment do build up in the system. Increasing levels of drilled solids will
increase PV, pump pressure, chip hold down and drag while decreasing ROP and weight
transfer. A linear motion shaker and a high speed centrifuge are used to maintain the total solids
concentration less than 1%.

Control Tier: 4 – ADW Revision Date: 07/15/02

Document Number: UPS-US-AK-ADW-CTD-HSE-DOC-00013-4 Print Date: 08/13/02
PAPER COPIES ARE UNCONTROLLED. THIS COPY VALID ONLY AT THE TIME OF PRINTING. THE
CONTROLLED VERSION OF THIS DOCUMENT CAN BE FOUND AT http://alaska.bpweb.bp.com/ems
Recommended Practice: Drilling Fluid Page 3 of 4

Coil life is highly dependent upon pump pressure. This solids free drilling fluid exhibits
increasing pump pressure as drilled solids increase and as the polymer degrades with repeated
shearing. With 15,000 ft of 2 3/8” coil, working through 4 ½” tubing, a typical initial pump
pressure of 3200 psi will gradually increase to 3700 psi before either diluting or replacing the
system to control pressure. The various factors contributing to this pressure trend are not fully
understood. Mud system life is typically 48 to 72 hours with 2-3/8” coil. System life is
typically shorter (36 to 48 hours) using 2” coil before weight transfer and circulation pressures
deteriorate due to polymer degradation and/or solids build up. It is rare to drill more than 1000’
on a new mud system.

It is seldom cost effective to try and “stretch” the life of a mud system. Reduced overall ROP
due to weight transfer factors will likely result. Mud swaps typically take from 6 to 8 hours once
the decision is made. This represents a substantial cost in rig operating time if little or no
footage is made while waiting to change out mud. If a new system is introduced late in the well,
it can be cleaned and stored for use on a subsequent well.

Pressure While Drilling (PWD) measurements have been taken to confirm the magnitude of
ECD with the solids free fluid. Data was taken while drilling through both 4 ½” and 7” tubing.
ECD in the 7” case was 0.7 ppg over static weight. For 4 ½” tubing the ECD increased to 1.2
ppg. These numbers represent the change in BHP from static to full circulating rate. Swab and
surge pressures are low when tripping the drilling BHA.

RECOMMENDED SPECS/PROPERTIES
Solids Free Flo-Pro is mixed at the M-I facility to take advantage of special shearing and
filtering facilities. A new system is typically mixed to an LSRV of 80,000 cps which typically
drops to 60,000 after a short period of circulation in the well. The control parameters are:

Weight 8.7 ppg

LSRV 60,000 cps
Lubetex 1% - 3%
Kla-Gard 0 ppb – 8 ppb
Conquor 5 gal / 100 bbls
PV 8-9
pH 9.0-9.5

These properties should be adjusted to reflect anticipated hole conditions. Lower concentrations
(1%) of Lubetex are used near the window and/or during the build. Higher concentrations are
appropriate as the horizontal section lengthens (3%). Reduced levels of Kla-Gard should be
used in clean formations (Zone 4), with the higher concentrations used in shaley intervals (Zone
1).

Maintenance at the rig involves monitoring and maintaining LSRV above 60,000 cps for 3-3/4”
holes and above 35,000 cps for 2-3/4” holes by adding either dry or liquid FLO-VIS as needed.
pH is held between 9.0 and 9.5 with KOH. Lubetex and drill solids concentrations are currently
monitored by retort analysis. There is little confidence in the accuracy of the retort for this
purpose and little has been done in the area of Lubetex maintenance.

SOLIDS CONTROL

Shaker screens are typically 175 - 210 mesh. Finer mesh is desirable, but typically cannot be
used due to mud losses over the shaker. The centrifuge is a high speed unit that can normally
process about one half of the flow stream while drilling. The centrifuge is run while tripping to
take advantage of every opportunity to remove solids. Centrifuge performance should be

Control Tier: 4 – ADW Revision Date: 07/15/02

Document Number: UPS-US-AK-ADW-CTD-HSE-DOC-00013-4 Print Date: 08/13/02
PAPER COPIES ARE UNCONTROLLED. THIS COPY VALID ONLY AT THE TIME OF PRINTING. THE
CONTROLLED VERSION OF THIS DOCUMENT CAN BE FOUND AT http://alaska.bpweb.bp.com/ems
Recommended Practice: Drilling Fluid Page 4 of 4

monitored closely to ensure proper function. The centrifuge can be cleaned by allowing it to run
dry for a period of time, or by flushing with fresh water.

6.0 Key Documents/Tools/References

N/A

Revision Log
Revision Date Approving Custodian/ Author Revision Details
Authority
December 1997 Original Issue

March 31, 1999 Drilling Manager John McMullen

July 15, 2002 Mark Stanley Gary Goodrich Updated to reflect current practices

<< Revision date >> << Approving << Author’s Name >> << Brief Description of Revision >>
Authority’s Name >>
(or, see attached e-mail )
Approving Authority signature Date

Control Tier: 4 – ADW Revision Date: 07/15/02

Document Number: UPS-US-AK-ADW-CTD-HSE-DOC-00013-4 Print Date: 08/13/02
PAPER COPIES ARE UNCONTROLLED. THIS COPY VALID ONLY AT THE TIME OF PRINTING. THE
CONTROLLED VERSION OF THIS DOCUMENT CAN BE FOUND AT http://alaska.bpweb.bp.com/ems