Rheological properties of synthetic-based muds at low temperatures and high pressures /
The Subsea Mudlift Drilling Joint Industry Project (SMDJIP) was established in October 1996 with the purpose to develop technology allowing drilling in water depths up to 10,000 ft. The Subsea Mudlift Drilln̐g configurato̐n includes one or more return Iinets) from the sea floor up to the drillin...
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| Format: | Thesis Book |
| Language: | English |
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[Place of publication not identified] :
[publisher not identified] ;
2000.
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| Summary: | The Subsea Mudlift Drilling Joint Industry Project (SMDJIP) was established in October 1996 with the purpose to develop technology allowing drilling in water depths up to 10,000 ft. The Subsea Mudlift Drilln̐g configurato̐n includes one or more return Iinets) from the sea floor up to the drilling unit. The temperature in the return lines can be as low as 35 degrees Fahrenheit. At the same time the pressures in the return lines at the sea bottom can exceed 10,000 psi. In order to realistically estimate capacities of the mudlift system it becomes necessary to know the effect of the Iow temperature on the drilling tluid rheological properties. One of the SMDJIP requirements is the ability to use synthetic-based mud (SBM). To meet this and other requirements this thesis presents the results of experiments with SBM at the temperatures expected at the water depth specite̐d by the project. lt also attempts to predict the expected hydrostatic and frictional pressures in the return Iine based on the resuits of the experiments. The main conclusion of this study is that decrease in temperature below 50 degrees Fahrenheit has a dramatic effec! on lhe rheological properties of synthcfic-bascd drilling fluids and as a result will have tremendous impact on frictional pressure losses and consequently on equivalent circulating density (ECD) in deep- and ultra-deep water applications either with Subsea Mudlift Drl̐ling or while using a conventional marine riser. It is also expected that Iow temperature may strongly affect ECD at Iesser depths in cold water regions and in Arctic environments with thick permafrost layer. Unlike in high-pressure high-temperature environments. the high pressure in HPLT aggravates the problems imposed by the effect of Iow temperature on synthetic- based fluids, which Ieads to even higher frictional pressure losses. Laboratory investigationss conducted at atmospheric pressure over the operating temperature range between 35 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. combined with the external data at elevated pressure, allowed building of a mathematical model to predict the rheological properties of the fluid as a function of temperature and pressure. |
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| Item Description: | Vita. "Major subject: Petroleum Engineering". |
| Physical Description: | xiv, 123 leaves : illustrations ; 28 cm. Issued also on microfiche from Lange Micrographics. |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references (leaves 80-84). |