Our engineers from the drilling mud department have drilled more than 350 wells in varied geological conditions.
Drilling fluid does several jobs at once: it carries cuttings to surface, balances formation pressure, keeps the borehole wall stable, cools and lubricates the bit, and holds solids in suspension when circulation stops. If any one of those functions slips, it shows up immediately in the rate of penetration and in the condition of the hole.
The system is designed well by well. Formation type, pore pressure and temperature, hole profile and environmental requirements determine whether a water-based clay, polymer or emulsion system is used. Density, rheology, fluid loss and pH are specified in advance for each drilled interval.
On site the fluid properties are checked by laboratory measurement every shift and adjusted as drilling progresses. Solids control — shale shakers, hydrocyclones and a centrifuge — protects the expensive components of the mud and at the same time reduces the volume of cuttings sent for disposal.
The service includes a mud engineer at the rig, supply of chemicals and additives, a daily mud report, and closing documentation when the interval is completed.
