7 JANUARY 2024 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Drilling Fluid Maintenance I by Ronald B. Peterson Drilling Products Specialist, Mountainland Supply Company I hope you all had Happy Holidays filled with family, friends, good times, gratitude, and many thoughts of the reason for the season! One of the most critical issues with drilling fluids is the proper maintenance of the drilling fluid system. We have carefully selected our drill site based on available drilling records, experience in the area, and to ensure we have enough room for the necessary drilling equipment. We have reviewed the available geological records, identified the potential problematic zones, and selected our drilling equipment, including solids control equipment, to best meet those challenges. We know and understand the limitations of our equipment and personnel. We have developed a drilling fluid system that will best meet the challenges with minimal drilling issues. We have moved the rig in, set it up, and mixed the fluid according to the drilling fluids program. Do we have the equipment on hand and the ability to monitor the drilling fluid properties? Do we have someone trained to properly to use the equipment? If not, why not? We have gone to great lengths to make sure we have done everything possible to ensure a problem-free drilling operation. If we want our plans to meet our expectations, we must properly follow through by testing and maintaining those properties. The drilling fluid properties will change during the drilling process. We must monitor them and take the proper steps to maintain the desired properties. During the drilling process the drilling fluids are used up. This is quite simply a fact of life. The bentonite and polymers become attached to and coat the drill cuttings and are inadvertently removed along with the cuttings by the solids control equipment. It’s their job. Drilled solids replace the desired drilling fluid additives in the system. The drilling fluid properties need to be monitored and maintained at the desired level. If we fail to do so, the drilling fluid will not function as it was designed and we compromise the success of the drilling operation. The deeper the hole and the longer we are on it, the more critical this becomes. This article is the beginning of a series of articles where we will address this critical portion of the drilling process. Watch for the continuation of this series in future issues. We will discuss the drilling process and its effect on the drilling operation and drilling fluid. Feel free to chip in with any comments or concerns you have. Please submit any questions to WWDR - contact Michele (below) and she will get them to me. Remember, this is your resource and can only provide information you need and can use if we have your input. I hope you had a successful 2023. Thank you for all you do and for your dedication and support. Thanks for reading. As I often say, “A man has to know his limitations.” Working together, it is amazing where we can go. Enjoy the trip. Ron E-mail to michele@ worldwidedrillingresource.com WTR R Best quality R Best customer service R Best repair turnaround Palmer Bit Company 800-421-2487 701-572-5271 sales@palmerbit.com
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