Fluid Loss Additives
Drilling muds are under considerable pressure as they carry the weight of hydraulic fluid above them. They can therefore lose water to permeable zones causing a number of issues.
In most muds, either the incorporation of bentonite, drilled solids, or a combination thereof, will help achieve a barrier to fluid loss by forming a thin filter-cake in the annulus of the well. Significant loss of water will build excessive filter cake at the well bore, which restricts the annulus and may lead to total loss of mud properties. Fluid loss additives also reduce the risk of formation damage and the high costs associated with remedial treatments.
Alcomer® 507 is a very effective fluid loss reagent for fresh water situations where hardness can be controlled.
Polydrill® and Alcomer® 242 offer fluid loss control for more challenging conditions, such as high temperatures and high salt concentrations.
Polydrill® has the following additional advantages:
- Provides very low fluid loss values even at temperatures exceeding 450 °F (without generating carbon dioxide)
- Does not create viscosity
- Improves filter cake and deflocculates bentonite
- Attaches onto the positively charged edges of clay platelets, plugging pore spaces in the bentonite structure and together with its enormous water binding capability reduces filter cake permeability, when the bentonite mud filter cake is formed
- Builds superior filter cake qualities when used with a high quality non-treated bentonite in freshwater, seawater, calcium based and salt muds
- Is completely soluble in saturated salt brines
Polythin® is one of our deflocculants for clay / water-based muds and supports fluid loss additives. It can be combined with Polydrill® to obtain a system approach in high temperature drilling. Polythin® reconditions gelled muds by deflocculating bentonite, making the fluid pumpable again with a low static shear strength. It offers superior deflocculation of bentonite at temperatures of up to 500 °F (250 °C).
For additional benefits, visit our Thinners page.