BAKER HUGHES - Drilling Fluids Reference Manual

Water Based Drilling Fluids
BIO-PAQ ® - acceptable in low pH seawater system. At low pH, some preservative may be
needed. This product has higher temperature stability than BIO-LOSE.
CHEMTROL ® X – effective HT/HP fluid reduction additive in seawater and high-hardness
environments. CHEMTROL ® X is an effective deflocculant (thinner) at hardness levels of 400
mg/L or above. It also works well at lower pH ranges of 8.0 to 9.0.
LIGCO ® – lignite additive for fresh and seawater systems. A minimum pH of 9.5 is required.
This product works well as an HT-HP fluid control additive and will also provide some degree of
deflocculation and gel strength reduction
MIL-PAC – (polyanionic cellulose) polymer-based additive for all systems. Performs more
effectively in hardness levels of 500 mg/L or less.
MILSTARCH – not applicable for low pH seawater systems, usually requires a preservative.
SULFATROL ® - sulfonated asphalt product for HT-HP fluid loss reduction and to provide some
degree of shale stabilization by plugging shale micro-fractures.
Viscosifying Agents
MIL-BEN ® – OCMA-grade bentonite for international (non-US) locations. Produces ½ the
viscositiy of MILGEL ® .
MILGEL ® – Wyoming bentonite meeting API specifications. Used sparingly for viscosity in
maintenance treatments. Pre-hydrate bentonite for use in seawater and high-salt NEW-DRILL ®
fluids.
MILGEL ® NT – Untreated Wyoming bentonite meeting API specifications. Pre-hydrated
bentonite is used in seawater and high-salt NEW-DRILL ® fluids.
XAN-PLEX ® D – Xanthan gum additive used to increase viscosity and suspend barite and drill
cuttings. Often used in situations where bentonite will not build viscosity, such as in a seawater
or high salt environment.
SALT WATER GEL ® – Attapulgite clay meeting API specifications that serves as a viscosifier in
high salt concentration environment. Generally produces a more viscous “hump” than MILGEL
with various polymer additions.
Weighting Agents
MIL-BAR ® (4.2 s.g.). – barium sulfate (barite) weight material
ORIMATITA (5.0-5.1 s.g.) – hematite-based weighting agent that, because of its higher density
compared to barite, provides a low-solids environment and high ROP in conjunction with the
polymer viscosifiers.
MIL-CARB ® (2.5-2.65 s.g.) – calcium carbonate weight material and bridging agent. MIL-
CARB has a lower density than barite or hematite and works well as a weight material and helps
minimize mud losses in low density NEW-DRILL Systems. MIL-CARB is also the only weight
material that is acid soluble.
W.O. 30 – calcium carbonate used as a bridging and/or weighting material in workover,
completion and drill-in fluids. W.O. 30 is 95 to 98% soluble in hydrochloric acid, which
minimizes permanent plugging of the producing formation. W.O. 30 is available in grades from
fine to coarse.
Reference Manual
Baker Hughes Drilling Fluids
3-54 Revised 2006