ULTRADRIL

High Performance Water-Based Mud

 HPWBM Development – Drivers
(Examples)
• Legislation
• Allows cuttings discharge with SBM but not OBM
• Does not permit high KCl content in WBM
• Stricter controls on SBM
• Other factors
• Very high rig rates
• Existing WBM’s did not match SBM drilling
performance
• WBM offers potential advantages
• Lower fracture propagation pressure
• Lower ECD’s
• Lower bbl cost
 HPWBM - Design Objectives
• Inhibition
• Improved wellbore stability and drilling performance
• Clay dispersion/ hydration / accretion / bit balling
• Does not need KCl
• HSE profile
• North Sea regulations + ease of handling
• Logistics
• Recyclability + brine phase requirements
• Improved performance cf. Glycols and Silicates
• Lubricity
• Compatibility with elastomers and downhole tools
• Temperature and density restrictions
 Evolution and Components
glycol
Evolution of Glycol fluids
• Polyglycerols potassium
Clay
• Polyalkalene Glycols (PAG’s)
• Cloud Point (TAME) glycols
• Novel chemistry
• HPWBM glycol

glycol

ULTRADRIL - Components
• Inhibitor (ULTRAHIB): 2-4% v/v
• Encapsulator (ULTRACAP): 1-2 lb/bbl
• ROP Enhancer (ULTRAFREE): 2-4% v/v
• Brine phase FW, SW, KCl, NaCl
etc.
• Others Xanthan, PAC,
starch, etc.
 ULTRADRIL - Cuttings Recovery
Dispersion Results

100

95

90

85

80
Recovery (%)

75

70

65

60

55

50
FW Polymer FW Glycol KCl PHPA FW Silicate HPWBM
SW Ultradril(SW) HPWBM
KCl Ultradril(KCl)
 ULTRADRIL - Shale Swelling
40

35

30
Fresh Water
FW/Lime
KCl/Glycol
KCl/Glydril/Hibtrol/IdcapD
% Volume Expansion

25
KCl/PHPA
KCl/PHPA
FW/K-Silicate
FW/Sildril K
KCl/Silicate
KCl/Sildril
20
HPWBM (KCl)
KCl/Ultradril

15

10

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
Hours
Accretion and ROP Enhancement
49.1

18.2

17.8

18.9

39.6

14.1

7.1

32.7

110.5 HPWBM Glycol/ PHPA- CaCl 2/polymer

20% NaCl 20% NaCl
91.3
17½-inch Bit
 Field Trials – ECD Simulations
12¼-inch hole, 16,700ft, 120 rpm, 100 ft/hr, Large shale
cuttings
Flow Rate HPWBF SBM
(gpm) ΔESD ΔECD ΔECD+C ΔESD ΔECD ΔECD+C
600 0.11 0.48 0.52 0.14 0.51 0.55
900 0.11 0.56 0.59 0.14 0.59 0.64
1200 0.11 0.63 0.65 0.14 0.66 0.68

8½-inch hole, 19,810ft, 120 rpm, 50 ft/hr

Flow Rate HPWBF SBM
(gpm) ΔESD ΔECD ΔECD+C ΔESD ΔECD ΔECD+C
250 0.04 0.30 0.40 0.06 0.44 0.52
400 0.04 0.35 0.41 0.06 0.49 0.54
550 0.04 0.40 0.44 0.06 0.54 0.58
ULTRADRIL vs Silicate in Vietnam –
ROP’s

HPWBM

Silicate
ULTRADRIL vs Silicate in Vietnam -
Torque

Silicate

HPWBM
Liverpool Bay - Friction Coefficients
Lubricity Comparison - SILDRIL
Silicatevs.
vsULTRADRIL
HPWBF

0.45
Casing
0.4
Open Hole
0.35
Coefficient of Friction

0.3

0.25

0.2

0.15

0.1

0.05

0
Silicate
12.25-in SILDRIL Silicate
8.5-in SILDRIL 12.25-in HP WBM
8.5-in ULTRADRIL
ULTRADRIL
HP WBM
ULTRADRIL Application Analysis
LTOBM vs. HPWBM
Well Name / Field:
Operator:
OBM vs WBM
Water Depth (ft):
Drilling Time
Fluid Cost
Interval Number 1
LTOBM
2 1
HPWBM
2 NPT Risk (stuck pipe
etc)
Open Hole Size (in) 12 1/4 8 1/2 12 1/4 8 1/2
Open Hole Length (ft) 0 11500 0 11500
Drilling Days 0 25 0 25
Surface Volume (bbl)
Hole Volume (bbl)
0
0
1000
807
0
0
1000
807
Offset data
Dilution (bbl mud /bbl cuttings)
Dilution (bbl/ft)
1.5
0.2187
1.5
0.1053
2.0
0.2916
2.0
0.1404 Mud cost
Clean up cost
Subsurface Losses (bbl) 0 0 0 0
Total Volume 0 3018 0 3421
Backloaded/Carried Forward 0 1807 0 #REF!
Cost per bbl
Total Fluid Cost
x
#VALUE!
x
#VALUE!
y
#VALUE!
y
#REF!
Containment cost
Cuttings Containment Cost Rig day rate
Cutting Collection Equipment Cost £ - x
Cutting Collection Engineering Cost £ - y
Skips Hire Cost #REF! z
Onshore Transport Cost #REF! a
Onshore Disposal Cost #REF! b
Boat Spot Hire Cost #REF! c
Total Cuttings Containment Cost #REF! X
Well Clean Up Additional Rig Time Cost Y
Well Clean Up Chemical Cost Z
Onshore Oily Slops Disposal Cost ?

Total Cost
Total Well Fluid Related Cost #VALUE! #VALUE!
LTOBM HPWBM
OBM Zero Discharge vs ULTRADRIL
• Where does the balance lie on HSE?
• Safety issues with cranes etc.
• Working environment – vapours and oil mists
• Disposal of wellbore clean up fluids for OBM
• Emissions from boats and thermal treatment
plants
• Landfill issues – special waste sites etc.
• Potential long term liability issues
Questions?

Cuttings from
8.5-inch hole
UKCNS Well 1