BAKER HUGHES - Drilling Fluids Reference Manual

Chapter 5
Table of Contents
Oil / Synthetic Fluids .................................................................................................................................5-1
Introduction............................................................................................................................................5-1
Advantages of Oil-Base Fluids ..........................................................................................................5-1
Disadvantages of Oil-Base Fluids......................................................................................................5-3
Oil-base fluid applications .....................................................................................................................5-5
Oil-based fluid chemistry.......................................................................................................................5-7
Fundamental Chemical Concepts.......................................................................................................5-7
Fundamental Chemical Classes .........................................................................................................5-8
Surface Tension ...............................................................................................................................5-11
Emulsions.........................................................................................................................................5-12
Surfactants........................................................................................................................................5-13
Dispersions.......................................................................................................................................5-14
General Colloidal Systems...............................................................................................................5-16
Non-Aqueous external phase ...............................................................................................................5-17
Base Oils ..........................................................................................................................................5-17
Synthetics.........................................................................................................................................5-18
Aqueous (internal) phase .....................................................................................................................5-19
Aw and Osmosis ..............................................................................................................................5-19
Emulsifiers ...........................................................................................................................................5-21
Surfactants........................................................................................................................................5-21
Soaps................................................................................................................................................5-21
Fatty Acids.......................................................................................................................................5-22
Anionic Emulsifiers .........................................................................................................................5-23
Non-ionic Emulsifiers......................................................................................................................5-23
Colloids................................................................................................................................................5-24
Organophilic Clay............................................................................................................................5-24
Polymers ..........................................................................................................................................5-25
Asphalt / Gilsonite ...........................................................................................................................5-25
Amine Lignite ..................................................................................................................................5-26
Lime .................................................................................................................................................5-26
Emulsion based drilling fluids .............................................................................................................5-26
Baker Hughes Drilling Fluids
Revised 2006
Reference Manual
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