HYDRAGLyDE fluid system

High-performance water-based drilling fluid system

PERFORMANCE MEETS PRACTICALITY

Recognizing that no two shale plays are alike and the need to rein in costs, M-I SWACO developed HydraGlyde* high-performance water-based drilling fluid system specifically to address these diverse conditions.
The system provides a fast, trouble-free, flexible drilling fluid solution that fits well within rigid AFE and HSE constraints. Its novel cost-effective chemistry reduces torque and drag, in addition to shale swelling and dispersion. The HydraGlyde system delivers oil mud-comparable ROP, exceptional hole cleaning, and wellbore stability in high-angle-build and long-lateral sections—all while reducing restrictive costs and decreasing environmental impact.

• The exceptional drillability of nonaqueous fluids in high-angle, long-reach horizontal land wells is offset by tremendously high logistical and waste management costs that can account for half the total drilling fluids bill.

• While highly inhibitive water-based drilling fluids mitigate many environmental issues, their price often prohibits use in these cost-competitive plays.

• Most premier water-based fluids formulations lack the engineering flexibility to address the unique drilling conditions of widely diverse shale formations, which demand more than a one-size-fits-all fluid system.

CASE STUDIES

HYDRACAP

The HydraCap* encapsulating additive is a low-molecular-weight, dry acrylic acid copolymer that provides excellent cuttings encapsulation by adsorbing onto the clay surfaces and forming a protective film that prevents cuttings from sticking to each other or the shaker screens. It limits dilution rates and low-gravity-solids loading by preventing clay solid from dispersing into the mud system.

HYDRAHIB

The HydraHib shale inhibitor is a liquid polyamine shale suppressant used in inhibitive water-base drilling fluids. The inhibitor suppresses clay hydration by intercalating and reducing the space between clay platelets so that water molecules will not penetrate and cause swelling.

HYDRASPEED II

The HydraSpeed II* anticrete lubricant can be used in all types of water-based drilling systems when drilling highly deviated, extended-reach, or horizontal wells. It lowers the coefficient of friction, achieving significant reductions in torque and drag levels. By treating the system with the appropriate concentration, the potential for differential sticking can also be reduced.