Hydraulics optimization of foam drilling in drilling operations

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2009
Özer, Ceren
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In drilling, drilling fluid affects every single step of operation. If rig system is thought as the human body, drilling mud can be defined as the blood system of it. Drilling fluid carries the cuttings, cools the bit, it conditions the hole and so on. Some special kinds of drilling fluids are used for special purposes such as underbalanced drilling. Underbalanced drilling is generally used to prevent formation damage, lost circulation and to increase the penetration rate.Since 1980’s foam is used as drilling fluid for underbalanced drilling purposes and there are some models for bit hydraulic optimizations. In this study, mathematical model has been derived considering not the volumetric flow rate but the mass flow rate of the foams. Maximum hydraulic horse power at the bit is determined as a function of mass flow rate. Using this concept, optimum volumetric flow rates for liquid and gas phases as well as optimum nozzle size are determined.Using this mathematical model, a computer program is developed for comparing the results with the existing data available in the literature. It accounts for the compressibility of foam and pressure losses inside the drill string, bit and annulus.Hole size, drill-string properties, formation temperature and pressure, maximum inlet pressure are used as input parameters. Program calculates static back pressure,pressure losses in the whole system, bottom hole foam properties such as quality and velocity and optimum liquid and gas flow rates which are the key parameters of foamdrilling optimization. Results show that liquid and gas rates should be increased with increasing hole sizeand formation pressure. Increasing temperature gradient causes a minimal decrease on foam rate properties. In addition, pressure losses due to friction increases with increasing hole size and formation pressure. Decrease in formation temperature also decreases the foam quality. Changes in temperature gradient causes minimal changes on foam rate properties. Comparisons of the proposed model with other models from the literature also gave good match. The optimization criteria and assumptions are differing from the existing models. As a result the comparison does not have to one to one match with the others. The results from this study may be used for optimization of flow rate of foam as drilling fluid based on mass flow.
Petrology., Engineering geology.
http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/2/12611059/index.pdf
https://hdl.handle.net/11511/18835
Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Thesis

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Citation Formats
C. Özer, “Hydraulics optimization of foam drilling in drilling operations,” M.S. - Master of Science, Middle East Technical University, 2009.
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