Drilling fluid invasion

_Hello all readers, today we are going to talk about Drilling fluid invasion. This is a very broad and relevant topic today, covering a wide variety of aspects ranging from _aspect1 to _aspect2. Drilling fluid invasion is a very influential figure in the _tema1 field and his legacy has left its mark on _tema2. Throughout history, Drilling fluid invasion has been the object of controversy and admiration, generating debates and reflections that have transcended time. Therefore, it is important to delve into its origins, impact and meaning, to better understand its importance in _tema3 and _tema4. In this article we will explore the different nuances of Drilling fluid invasion and how it has marked a before and after in _tema5. Stay tuned for the following lines to discover more about this exciting topic._

Drilling fluid invasion is a process that occurs in a well being drilled with higher wellbore pressure (normally caused by excessive mud weights) than formation pressure. The liquid component of the drilling fluid (known as the mud filtrate, or spurt) continues to "invade" the porous and permeable formation until the solids present in the mud, commonly bentonite, clog enough pores to form a mud cake capable of preventing further invasion.

If invasion is severe enough, and reservoir pressures are unable to force the fluid and associated particles out entirely when the well starts producing, the amount of oil and gas a well can produce can be permanently reduced. This is especially true when a process called phase trapping occurs. This is when a fluid enters a formation that is below its irreducible saturation of that fluid. Once the fluid is present, it is held in place by capillary forces and usually can not be removed.

Invasion also has significant implications for well logging. In many cases the "depth of investigation" of a well logging tool is only a few inches (or even less for methods such as sonic logs), and it is quite possible that drilling fluid has invaded beyond this depth. In these cases readings are strongly influenced by mud filtrate properties rather than pure formation (in situ) properties. This influence must be considered when interpreting the resulting logs.

See also

References

  • Roscoe Moss Company (21 February 1990). Handbook of Ground Water Development. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 56–. ISBN 978-0-471-85611-5.