WARP: An Advance Drilling Fluid

In mature fields the difference between the pore pressure and fracture pressure, expressed as the pressure window, is reduced. Industry is currently facing this challenge of narrow pressure window, which inhibits various drilling and completion activities. Underbalanced drilling, managed pressure drilling and the use of low-viscosity drilling fluids are primary solution of this problem but a few of the many approaches that have addressed this challenge. When we use low-viscosity fluids, it severely reduce frictional pressure loss in comparison to conventional more viscous fluids. But there is a limit to how much viscosity can be reduced before conventional weight material begins to settle. This paper describes the development and application of novel technology of advance drilling fluid that has resulted in a ten-fold reduction in the particle size of the weighting agent (1/50th of original size). With this evolution, invert emulsion drilling fluids can be designed which contains high density, low viscosity with minimal settling potential of the weight material. The paper will explain in detail the first field applications of this polymer- coated, micron-sized weighting agent in an oil-based drilling fluid. How it helps in different conditions particularly in HTHP.