2024, Volume 3, Issue 2

Narrative Review Article: Investigating the Use of

Drilling Mud and the Reasons for its Use

Shahram Asadimehr
Department of Petroleum Engineering, Omidiyeh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Omidiyeh, Iran
Citation Sh Asadimehr., Investigating the Use of Drilling Mud and the Reasons for its Use, EJCMPR . 2024;
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3(2): 543-551

https://doi.org/EJCMPR/20241131

ABSTRACT

Article info: The present study investigates the use of drilling mud and the reasons for its use.
Received: 16 March 2024 Drilling mud is defined as the process of adding or injecting special materials into
Accepted: 13 May 2024 drilling wells. These materials can be of different types, each of which performs
Available Online:
specific tasks. For example, drilling mud materials are composed of materials
ID: EJCMPR-2405-1170
such as clay, siliceous mud, polymers and chemicals. These materials are
Checked for Plagiarism: Yes
responsible for the most important function of drilling mud, which is to stabilize
the well. In fact, they act as a barrier to natural materials in the underground and
Peer Reviewers Approved by:
prevent the free flow of oil and gas to the surface. Waste of drilling mud means its
Dr. Frank Rebout
waste in the drilling process. Drilling mud is a material that simplifies the process
Editor who Approved Publication:
of drilling a well and makes it possible to drain waste from it. There are many
Dr. Frank Rebout
different types of drilling muds according to their different characteristics, and
they are most widely used in the oil and gas industry, for drilling deep wells, and
ultimately for the production of mineral bitumen or natural bitumen. Usually, in
any drilling mud, this substance penetrates into the empty spaces inside the
Keywords:
formation and causes problems. This problem occurs especially in oil and gas
Drilling Mud, Well Drilling, Natural industries and in the early stages of well drilling. The deeper the well in question,
Materials, Oil and Gas Industries. the more complicated it will be to drill, and as a result, the drilling mud will be a
more important issue. In recent years, the use of nanoparticles to control the
properties and characteristics of drilling fluids has created many improvements
in this field.

D
Introduction knowledge of geotechnical engineers, drilling
rilling fluids are a mixture of mud is a special combination of water and clay,
chemical and natural compounds which is used to transport the materials dug in
that are used to lubricate and cool drilling systems to the surface of the earth. It is
the drill bit, clean the drilled well, also used to lubricate and cool the drill bit, clean
control pressure and improve the the drilled wells and remove earth chips, control
performance of the drill string and the pressure and improve the performance of
tools in the well hole [1]. Well mud also means the drilling cement and increase the efficiency of
drilling mud used in drilling wells. In the the tool in drilling the well [2].

*Corresponding Author: Shahram Asadimehr ([email protected])

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Drilling mud is a special type of drilling fluid that ✓ Barrier muds that prevent the hydration of
is used to drill deep wells. The term flower is clays, such as lime muds, salt-saturated
used because of the high concentration of the muds, chalk muds, seawater muds.
formulation. One of the reasons why drilling ✓ Bentonite flowers.
mud is used instead of water is that some ✓ Phosphate flowers.
particles and stones have a special weight and ✓ Emulsion flowers include oil in water or
should be removed with the help of this water in oil [5].
combination [3]. The properties of drilling mud
include weight and density, rheological 2- Oil-based drilling mud: Oil-based drilling
properties, filtration and liquid state of mud and mud consists of petroleum hydrocarbons as the
pH volume. Drilling fluids are divided into two main composition along with other materials
main categories. The type of base fluid depends such as clays or colloidal asphalts, which can be
on the drilling requirements. Drilling mud is obtained with the addition of emulsifiers,
divided into the following two categories: polymers and other additives including weight
❖ Water-based drilling mud. factors. created for drilling.
❖ Oil-based drilling mud. ✓ Oil drilling mud.
✓ Emulsion drilling mud [6].
1- Water-based drilling mud: Conventional
water-based muds include viscosities, fluid flow How to make drilling mud
control agents, weighting agents, lubricants, Drilling mud is produced using mixes called in-
emulsifiers, anticorrosive, salts, and pH control line with recirculation method. First, we store
agents. Potassium muds are most widely used some water in a tank and add 120 to 150 pounds
for drilling water-sensitive shales and water- of salt to it. To reduce the calcium ion, we add 5.0
based systems [4]. Their pH is between 7 and to 1 pound of soda and then 12 to 14 pounds of
9.5. These flowers include the following starch and stir well until all the ingredients are
categories: completely mixed together. Finally, we add the
✓ Native flower required amount of weight of barite and ferobar.
✓ Calcium flower. Heavy drilling mud consists of water and
✓ Natural flowers, such as red flowers, lignite, saturated salt, starch, barite, slag and lime
lignosulfonate. (Figure 1) [7].
✓ KCl polymer mud with a low percentage of
solids including 3 to 6% solids.

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Figure 1. How to make drilling mud

Features of drilling mud time-consuming process. Because there are

1- Well Stabilization: One of the main features various consequences and results, among them,
of drilling mud is well stabilization. Drilling mud an increase in the cost due to the acquisition of
materials have different compositions that help drilling mud, an increase in the time of the
to stabilize the well and prevent the drilling machine, a fault in the formation due to
condensation of petroleum materials towards the entry of mud materials into the producing
the surface of the earth [8]. formations, jamming of the pipes, the need to
2- Adhesion: Drilling mud materials have the drive the wall pipe. Additionally, poor cementing
characteristic of adhesion that due to the due to underfilling behind the pipe wall
interaction with the surface of the well wall, they increases the possibility of blowout and eventual
stick and stabilize sedimentary materials to the loss of the well. In order to find the causes of
well wall. spillage, effective factors have been identified
3- Thermal stability: drilling mud materials and considered, which include the type and
must have the ability to be stable at different lithology of the layers, hydraulic parameters
temperatures. This feature is especially such as pump pressure and flow intensity before
important in drilling wells with high or low spillage, and the characteristics of drilling mud
temperatures [9]. before spillage. From the properties of drilling
4- Density: The density of the drilling mud mud, the parameters of mud weight, solids
material should be suitable to prevent the free percentage, plastic viscosity, pour point and gel
flow of oil and gas towards the surface of the resistance have been considered [12].
earth.
5- Surface tensions: drilling mud materials All types of drilling fluids
must have the ability to withstand surface According to its severity, drilling fluids are
tensions and prevent failure [10]. divided into four general categories. If it is less
6- Adjusting the flow of materials: Drilling than 10 bbl/hr, it is called leakage. If this number
mud materials should have the ability to adjust is between 10 and 100, it is called a brief
the flow of different materials to help drilling randomness. Also, if this number is between 100
productivity. and 500, it will be referred to as the perfect term.
The mentioned features give great importance Finally, the wells of more than 500 bbl/hr are
to the drilling mud in the drilling of oil wells and called full mud wells. Harzroi also has different
have great effects on the efficiency and stability models based on the type, intensity and location
of the wells [11]. of occurrence. For this reason, knowing the type
and location of any problem can be very effective
Mud drilling and its reasons in choosing the right method to control it. The
Hazroi means: the loss of all or part of the information related to the place of occurrence of
drilling fluid, well completion fluid and cement Harzroi is done by checking the information of
slurry into permeable formations such as rock nearby wells, the changes that occurred in the
masks, porous formations such as limestone, or formation and different charting methods. Of
naturally or induced fractured formations such course, like all other industries, maintenance
as dolomites, which during Drilling, well and repair principles are also used to control
completion and cementing operations take everything. This means that there are systematic
place. Dealing with everything is a costly and methods to regularly control the existence of

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contamination and prevent its spread, which small mud particles into the pores of the
should be used in the process of drilling deep formation. This issue also reduces the
wells. Bridging material tester (BMT) is one of impermeability of the well wall and increases
the devices that is used to measure and optimize the possibility of damage. Drilling mud may also
it to minimize it. In this device, one model is cause various chemical reactions and cause
available for each type of construction. For various problems for the well by forming
example, for the sandstone formation, they sediment [4].
consider a ball model and measure the number
of weeds on the soil from inside this model. All types of drilling fluids
Acidification tests are performed in the Drilling fluids are divided into four general
acidification laboratory. We know that after categories based on their severity. If it is less
cement work, acid is applied to the well, so that than 10 bbl/hr, it is called leakage. If this number
the remaining cement is removed and washed. is between 10 and 100, it is called a brief
Acidizing Instrument is located in this unit, the randomness. Also, if this number is between 100
heart of this device is its pump. In this device, and 500, it is referred to as "complete". Finally,
pressure and heat are applied to the stone. In the wells of more than 500 bbl/hr are called full
fact, the acid is injected into the core with a mud wells. Harzroi also has different models
certain pressure. In this device, pressure and based on the type, intensity and location of
heat are applied to the stone. In this way, the occurrence. For this reason, knowing the type
carbonates inside the brain are dissolved. After and location of any problem can be very effective
acidification, the permeability is measured in choosing the right method to control it. The
again, the output of this device is prepared in information related to the place of occurrence of
printed form [13]. Harzroi is done by checking the information of
nearby wells, the changes that occurred in the
Mechanical properties of mud formation and different charting methods. Of
The mechanical properties of mud that must be course, like all other industries, maintenance
determined in the laboratory are: and repair principles are also used to control
❖ Plastic Viscosity )PV). everything. This means that there are systematic
❖ Yield Point )YP). methods to regularly control the existence of
❖ Gel Strength )GS). contamination and prevent its spread, which
❖ Filtration Lost (FL) [14]. should be used in the process of drilling deep
wells [7].
Problems caused by mud spillage
Everything causes different problems. Well How to control fluid leakage?
blowout, pipe jamming, loss of a large volume of There are many reasons why things go wrong.
drilling mud, damage to the formation and Lithology and type of formation being drilled,
similar cases are among the problems that occur variables of drilling process such as pressure,
in wells related to oil and gas industries and pumping rate and other characteristics of
cause many losses. Any fluid can form due to the drilling mud are among these things. Of course,
pressure difference between the mud and the regardless of the mentioned cases, in many
formation, and as a result, it causes the pipes to cases, the causes of the disorder are unknown
get stuck in the well. A problem that needs to be and it is very difficult to control it. The reduction
solved by a costly operation called balance of mud volume from the total volume due to
finding. Also, any fluid can cause the transfer of water reduction and filling of a new well is

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completely different from Harzroi issue. permeable formations such as sandstone,

Researchers have investigated the effect of limestone, dolomite, etc. during drilling, well
adding a DRISPAC brand polymer to bentonite completion, and cementing operations. Leakage
water base mud in different concentrations on of drilling fluid is one of the big and unavoidable
any fluid. Also, the causes of drilling fluid spillage problems in the drilling industry, which imposes
have been investigated and the quantity and heavy costs due to interruptions in the drilling
type of spillage controlling materials have been program. Dealing with everything is a costly and
determined. According to Daccord's time-consuming process. Because it causes an
classification, spillage in the drilling industry can increase in cost due to the loss of drilling mud,
be classified as leakage (less than 10 barrels per an increase in the rental time of the drilling rig,
hour), brief (between 10 and 100 barrels per damage to the formation due to mud material
hour), severe (between 100 and 500 barrels per entering the producing formations, pipes getting
hour) and complete (more than 500 barrels). per stuck, the need to drive an additional wall pipe,
hour) is classified. The type, severity, and poor cementing due to not filling the back of the
location of each well occurrence are different, pipe. wall, the possibility of eruption and finally
and the systematic method that is known to loss of the well. Accurate knowledge of the type
control it economically and effectively includes and location of pests is very effective in choosing
two factors: prevention and treatment [12]. the correct materials to control pests. For this
The current methods of controlling drilling fluid reason, determining the exact location of any
are: reservoir is as important as determining its
❖ Injection of leprosy controlling substances controlling materials, and this issue is
(LCM) for low severity leprosy. determined using previous excavation records,
❖ Installing a cement plug for high-intensity structural changes, and various mapping
discharges. techniques. In dolomite formations, the width of
Unfortunately, the problems associated with the the cracks plays a very important role in the
installation of cement plugs are: drilling fluid flow. Twisted cracks have different
❖ Creating long breaks in the drilling widths and are a function of the degree and type
program. of recent tectonic activities. According to this
❖ Tilting of the well from the main path. criterion, the width of the cracks in the active
❖ Low resistance of cavity wall cement and areas is from 0.11 to 20.00, in the middle areas
plug breakage, especially in the case of from 0.03 to 0.15, and in the inactive areas from
bentonite cement. 0.01 to 0.1 mm and often has a length in the
Probably, by using mechanical equipment and range of 3 They are 0.5 to 7.5 meters. The
special tools that can easily be sent to any area, substance or substances that control any flow of
or have an effect on that area, a quick way to drilling fluid into permeable formations can act
overcome this problem can be achieved [6]. through different mechanisms and prevent any
flow of fluid in different ways, or control its
Description of the problem intensity (Figure 2) [9].
Spillage is the loss of drilling fluid, well
completion fluid, and cement slurry into

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Figure 2. Description of the problem

Solutions and suggestions ✓ The proposed material should be compatible

✓ The recommended material is its with all types of drilling fluids (water base
temperature stability up to about 200 and oil base).
degrees Fahrenheit. ✓ It is possible to prepare the desired mixture
✓ The proposed material should be resistant to in operational conditions [11].
salt water with a concentration of 250 grams
per liter of sodium chloride. Suggested solutions (suggested solutions are not
✓ The proposed material should be resistant to necessarily limited to the following suggestions)
high calcium concentration of about 1% in ✓ The use of polymer materials with medium
water [5]. molecular weight (gel state) to seal the site.
✓ The proposed material should have good ✓ Using optimized LCM materials.
flowability for injection in the well. ✓ Use of portable solid materials with drilling
✓ The closing time of the proposed material fluid.
should be controllable, so that it does not ✓ Using methods of increasing viscosity and
block the route during transportation to any reducing fluid flowability in formation
place. cracks.
✓ The volume of the proposed material should ✓ Reducing the weight of the drilling fluid
be designed according to the intensity and column in order to reduce the intensifying
dimensions of the area. force.
✓ The proposed material does not produce ✓ The use of polymer materials should be
toxic fumes. compatible with the drilling process, in such
✓ Corrosion properties of the proposed a way that it prevents the waste of fluid in
material should be controllable and not any place or reduces the flowability of the
cause severe corrosion of wall pipes and fluid outside the wall pipe (formation
downhole tools. environment).

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✓ The use of methods to quickly identify the operations, contamination causes serious
leaky area at the beginning of drilling to damage to a reservoir. Since most of Iran's
prevent the spread of this problem by reservoirs are of carbonate type with abundant
providing quick and appropriate solutions fractures, loss of mud or any flow means loss of
immediately after registering the first signs mud or cement during drilling operations.
of fluid leaky and before continuing drilling Excavations can be done according to the natural
in that area [9]. shape of the formation or by injecting mud into
✓ The use of solid leak-proof materials such as the formation. For a significant porosity in
clays or reinforced carbon materials should porous formations, the pore size should be about
be pumped to the contaminated area along three times larger than the mud particle size.
with the drilling fluid. Of course, special care Therefore, this type of permeability of the
must be taken in this case, so that the formation should be 10-15 Darcy. Therefore,
reasons for the ineffectiveness of the this type of debris is almost limited to sand and
common materials for controlling severe coarse stones near the surface. Natural cracks
fluid leakage are identified and fixed. and fissures can be very permeable under
normal conditions and can be the source of
Providing calculation methods and dimensional production in some fields. Based on the
analysis to control any item for classification, operational experience, the main reason for
formulation and more effective control of any erosion all over the world is these natural cracks
item and fissures. If the flower column pressure is
higher than the balanced limit, anything can
Unacceptable solutions: happen. Limestone and dolomite are usually
✓ Materials and methods that do not have found in these types of formations. Due to their
control over the exact location of anything. size, drilling these types of formations may lead
✓ Materials and methods that the cost of to serious damage. Too much mud weight may
providing them is more than the cost cause formation failure and eventually lead to
equivalent to the interruption of the drilling destruction. In formations with high porosity,
rig. the high weight of mud can lead to an increase in
✓ Materials that cannot be pumped or injected porosity inside the pores of the formation. In the
into the well. formations where the pore pressure difference
✓ Materials and methods that cause of the fracture pressure is low, the ruptures may
destruction of oil or gas formation [10]. occur due to the fracture of the formation by ECD
drilling or suction and thrust pressure. During
Conclusion the entire drilling operation, the instruction to
Leakage is caused by the introduction of a prevent spillage should be considered. Drilling
significant volume of drilling fluid into the mud is one of the most undesirable factors in the
formation that is being drilled. Mud overflow drilling operations of oil and gas wells, which has
occurs when the permeability of the formation is a direct effect on the well completion and
high enough, or the holes and fractures in the production operations. For this reason, it
formation are so large that they are not blocked doubles the importance of studying Harzroi and
by solid materials in the mud. Anything can vary investigating the factors affecting it. Based on
from very little to very much. In addition to this, in the present article, the presence of
incurring additional costs for the preparation drilling mud and the factors affecting it have
and replacement of mud during drilling been studied in the Asmari reservoir. For this

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