Drilling Fluids Technology

Section 7

Drill-In Fluids (DIF)

Overview Drill-In Fluid Systems
Available DIF Systems

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Overview Drill-In Fluid Systems

DRILL-IN Fluid (DIF) Systems are designed to:

 be non­damaging to the producing formation

 provide superior hole cleaning
 allow easy clean-up
 be cost effective

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Applications of DIF Systems

DIF Systems are designed for many types of applications

and can solve a wide range of problems in:
 horizontal drilling
 completion
 workover operations
 provide the lowest filtration rate possible
 minimize or prevent formation damage

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Bridging-off is The Key

Bridging-off on the production zone is the key to

preventing formation damage

Granulated bridging materials used are:

 sized calcium carbonate
 sized salt

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Correct Particle Size is Important

Knowledge of the pore diameter of the formation is

important to create effectively bridge.

 An Industry rule of thumb for estimating an unknown

pore diameter (in microns) is to take the square root
of the permeability in millidarcies.
 To effectively bridge-off the production zone, 20-30%
by weight of the bridging material should be 1/3 of
the pore size in microns.

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Filtration Tests

 Filtration tests on DIF Systems are conducted using a

ceramic disc which simulates as close as possible the
pore size of the formation.
 These tests can be utilized in the field to determine
proper application of the DIFsystem.

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Available DIF Systems

The Service Companies have many proprietary DIF

Systems; each is designed to:
 do a specific job
 address a specific set of conditions
 accomplish specific objectives

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End of this
Section

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