含有空心玻璃珠 (HGB) 的轻密度钻井液越来越多地用于钻探枯竭地层，以最小的损失和提高的钻速。然而，由于目前基于重晶石加重泥浆的实践和程序效率低下，因此缺乏关于如何最好地使用典型固控设备的研究。在完整的论文中，作者报告了一个系统的全面测试计划，用于使用离心机、水力旋流器和页岩振动筛研究和优化此类流体的固控效率。
为现场测试开发的流体配方的目标设计密度为 7.2 磅/加仑。我们投入了大量精力来开发 HGB 流体，该流体符合或超过用于在枯竭油田钻探生产孔层段的现有钻井液的所有设计要求。
Light-density drilling fluids with hollow glass beads (HGBs) are being used increasingly in applications for drilling depleted formations with minimal losses and increasing rates of penetration. Studies about how best to use typical solids-control equipment are lacking, however, because current practices and procedures based on barite-weighted muds are inefficient. In the complete paper, the authors report a systematic full-scale test program to study and optimize solids-control efficiency with such fluids using centrifuges, hydrocyclones, and shale shakers.
The fluid formulation developed for the field test had a target design density of 7.2 lbm/gal. Significant effort was put into developing an HGB fluid that matched or exceeded all design requirements for the existing drilling fluid used to drill a production hole interval in a depleted field.
