NanoDRIL Ultra-Slip WBM

n  Technical Introduction

    Traditional oil-based drilling fluids have long been favored for their lubrication performance and inhibition capacity in developing shale horizontal wells. However, increasing environmental pressures have prompted a shift towards ultra-slippery water-based drilling fluids as the future trend. NanoDRIL Ultra-Slip WBM achieves this by synthesizing a multifunctional lubricating base fluid and employing a combination of adsorption and film formation to mimic the lubricating properties of oil-based fluids. This system, enhanced with efficient inhibitors, offers a water-based drilling fluid solution tailored for the challenges of horizontal shale formations.

n  Technical Features

    ( 1 )   Excellent Lubricity: With an extreme pressure friction coefficient of less than 0.07, equivalent to oil-based lubricity, it mitigates high friction torque in long open-hole horizontal sections and reduces drilling tool wear.

    ( 2 )   Strong Inhibition: Achieves a 99.84% rolling recovery rate of shale cuttings and an 89.9% anti-swelling rate within 8 hours, effectively preventing mud-making from mudstone, stabilizing drilling fluid flow, and addressing wellbore instability in mudstone sections.

    ( 3 )   Superior Plugging Performance: API medium pressure filtration rate below 3mL, high-temperature and high-pressure filtration rate below 6mL, and invasion depth of only 1cm (about 0.39 inches) on ordinary sand beds. It seals formation pores, reduces pressure transmission, and stabilizes the wellbore. In high-temperature and high-pressure PPA tests, the filtration rate is only 8mL.

    ( 4 )   Environmentally Friendly: The system is oil-free and environmentally friendly, allowing drilling cuttings to be directly buried, significantly reducing treatment costs.

n  Field Application

    The NanoDRIL Ultra-Slip WBM has been successfully deployed in four wells in the Fuling shale gas field and one well in tight gas formations. Notably, one shale gas well has set the record for the longest water-based operation level section in China. With lubrication coefficients below 0.08 in all five wells, tripping operations were smooth, and comprehensive performance rivaled oil-based drilling fluid systems. Mechanical penetration rates in horizontal sections outperformed traditional oil-based fluids. Furthermore, the system's environmental compatibility and oil-free nature simplify drilling cuttings treatment, reducing costs. Additionally, the old completion slurry can be stored for reuse, further enhancing cost savings in drilling operations.