Minimizing the HTHP filtration loss of oil-based drilling fluid with swellable polymer microspheres

Abstract

Filtration control of drilling fluid plays an important role in the process of wellbore construction and ensures the success of drilling operation. A swellable polymer microsphere (SPM) of methylmethacrylate (MMA), butyl acrylate (BA), and lauryl methacrylate (LMA) was synthesized with suspension polymerization. Its swelling property was characterized by oil adsorption capacity measurement. First, the effect of SPM on the filtration and rheological properties of virgin organic clay dispersion was investigated. Then the filtration and rheological properties of mineral oil-based drilling fluid in the presence of SPM were elucidated under the respective conditions of hot aging temperature, oil to water ratio and density. Furthermore, the filtration control properties between SPM and two traditional filtration loss additives including modified lignite and asphaltic additive was compared. Addition of SPM exhibited obvious influence on the viscosity of oil-based drilling fluid especially at high concentration of 3 w/v%, therefore, a concentration of lower than 1.5 w/v% was recommended. After hot aging at 200 °C, the oil-based drilling fluid containing 1 w/v% SPM exhibited an API filtration loss decrease of 85%, and HTHP filtration loss decrease of 79% in comparison with the base fluid. After hot rolling at 180 °C, the API filtration loss decreased by 2%, 24% and 53%, and the HTHP filtration loss decreased by 42%, 54% and 65% respectively when 1 w/v% asphaltic additive, modified lignite and SPM are in the presence of the base fluid. Besides decreasing the filtration loss volume under high temperatures, incorporation of SPM also improves the filter cake quality of oil-based drilling fluid. SPM is capable of adsorbing considerable base oil and become swellable. The swellable polymer microspheres with favorably deformable and compressible properties can effectively fill the voids of filter cake and reduce the permeability, which leads to low filtration loss and minimization of solids invasion.