AADE 2023 NTCE 018 A Novel and Sustainable NAIPF
Shermin Akhtar2023, AADE
Sign up for access to the world's latest research
checkGet notified about relevant papers
checkSave papers to use in your research
checkJoin the discussion with peers
checkTrack your impact
Abstract
Ensuring well integrity for the life of a well is a crucial challenge faced in the industry. Heat transfer between formation and fluids in the tubing or annulus fluids can result in undesired annular pressure buildup (APB), leading to integrity problems such as collapsed tubing and casing burst. Heat transfer across the wellbore also poses environmental concerns like thawing of surrounding permafrost in arctic environments. Remediation involves costly and unsustainable intervention methods such as killing the well or performing complicated workover operations. Using vacuum-insulated tubing is a conventional practice in the industry to mitigate APB by restricting heat transfer from production flow to casing and surrounding formation, but this mechanical solution used alone has several limitations. Hence, a chemical solution should be included to increase the effectiveness of operations. A chemical solution is placing an insulating packer fluid (IPF) into the wellbore. However, conventional IPF with crosslinking agents does not always provide results that satisfy flow assurance requirements. This leads to the need for developing a more sustainable and robust IPF solution with long-term stability at wide range of temperatures. A novel nonaqueous insulating packer fluid (NAIPF), containing base oil with a newly designed synthetic polymer forms a unique micelle structure chemistry under static conditions. The chemistry provides sufficient viscoelastic properties and yield stress without need of crosslinking agents to minimize convective heat loss in conjunction with low thermal conductivity. The NAIPF exhibits stable rheological properties at high temperatures and provides conductivity superior to water-based IPF systems. With no requirement of any additional solids, it can be recovered back on surface when needed and reused, providing additional sustainability benefit. In this paper, we characterize the micelle structure based NAIPF with different base oils. Validation of chemistry required extensive laboratory study for a period of 2 years prior to being ready for field trials. NAIPF were formulated with different base oils, tested for key properties including thermal conductivity, yield stress, and thermal stability. Extended aging was conducted at temperatures varying from ambient up to 350°F for prolonged periods of time to test fluid stability. Field application required detailed discussion about performance expectations to identify the challenge the fluid intended to address. The NAIPF has been successfully deployed on multiple projects globally including Arctic, South America and West Africa. Performance was further validated during a well reentry to monitor pressures confirming the fluid maintained its properties over extended period. This paper presents the design and implementation of the NAIPF, including methods developed to optimize fluid mixing, transport, and wellbore displacement. The system's ability to limit conductive and convective heat transfer while maintaining stability makes it an economical and sustainable chemical solution to offer maximum protection against well integrity and production complications.
Related papers
Development of Oil and Gas Stimulation Fluids Based on Polymers and Recycled Produced Water
Polymers, 2021
Freshwater scarcity is a highly pressing and accelerating issue facing our planet. Therefore, there is a great incentive to develop sustainable solutions by reusing wastewater or produced water (PW), especially in places where it is generated abundantly. PW represents the water produced as a by-product during oil and gas extraction operations in the petroleum industry. It is the largest wastewater stream within the industry, with hundreds of millions of produced water barrels per day worldwide. This research investigates a reuse opportunity for PW to replace freshwater utilization in well stimulation applications. Introducing an environmentally friendly chelating agent (GLDA) allowed formulating a PW-based fluid system that has similar rheological properties in fresh water. This work aims at evaluating the rheological properties of the developed stimulation fluid. The thickening profile of the fluid was controlled by chelation chemistry and varying different design parameters. The e...
Polymer Treatment Controls Fluid Loss While Maintaining Hydrocarbon Flow
Journal of Petroleum Technology, 2009
Technology Update The loss of pumped fluids that are circulated from surface to total depth (TD) and back during various drilling, completion, and intervention operations poses numerous problems affecting wells and reservoirs. Fluid loss (FL) to the formation is costly not only in terms of the fluid itself, diverted from its task, but in the time and expense required to mitigate the problem. Well control can be compromised, wellbore cleanouts impaired, and reservoirs damaged, sometimes permanently, as a result of fluids entering the formation. A low-viscosity, solids-free FL treatment can help (1) cure lost circulation, (2) prevent loss of expensive drill-in fluid during workovers, (3) improve well control by maintaining a hydrostatic column, and (4) provide FL control in vertical- and horizontal-well gravel-packing operations. The treatment technology, developed by Halliburton as the LO-Gard fluid-loss-control system, relies on an associative polymer to decrease matrix permeability...
Polymers for EOR Application in High Temperature and High Viscosity Oils: Rock–Fluid Behavior
Energies
Viscosity losses and high degradation factors have a drastic impact over hydrolyzed polyacrylamides (HPAM) currently injected, impacting the oil recovery negatively. Previous studies have demonstrated that biopolymers are promising candidates in EOR applications due to high thermochemical stability in harsh environments. However, the dynamic behavior of a biopolymer as scleroglucan through sandstone under specific conditions for a heavy oil field with low salinity and high temperature has not yet been reported. This work presents the rock–fluid evaluation of the scleroglucan (SG at 935 mgL−1) and sulfonated polyacrylamide (ATBS at 2500 mgL−1) to enhance oil recovery in high-temperature for heavy oils (212 °F and total dissolved solid of 3800 mgL−1) in synthetic (0.5 Darcy) and representative rock samples (from 2 to 5 Darcy) for a study case of a Colombian heavy oilfield. Dynamic evaluation at reservoir conditions presents a scenario with stable injectivity after 53.6 PV with a minim...
Enhancing thermal stability and filtration control for water-based drilling fluid using viscosifier polymers and potassium chloride additives
Geoenergy Science and Engineering
Drilling operations conducted under high-pressure and high-temperature conditions present significant challenges for modern drilling advancements. Downhole temperatures can significantly impact the stability of waterbased mud (WBM) properties, leading to costly issues and non-productive time resulting from drilling instabilities. To mitigate these issues, it is crucial to employ high-temperature-resistant additives in such operations. This study aimed to examine the influence of temperature on the stability of commonly used polymer types in water-based mud drilling operations. A series of laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate changes in normal mud properties following exposure to temperatures ranging from 79 to 350 ◦F. Two different mud polymers were used, including two viscosifier polymers (Flowzan - type A and Xanthan gum - type B), with varying concentrations of potassium chloride (KCl). Rheological analysis revealed that Polymer A exhibited superior performance as most mud properties, including viscosity, yield point, and gel strength, were significantly affected at different temperatures. However, plastic viscosities fell below the minimum recommended range of 8 cP for both polymers. At 250 ◦F, Polymer A’s apparent viscosity of WBM was enhanced by 87%, 100%, and 120% with 3%, 5%, and 7% concentrations of KCl, respectively. For Polymer B, at 200 ◦F, it was improved by 118%, 112%, and 106%. The addition of KCl to the viscosifier polymers enhanced the thermal stability of the drilling fluid within the operating temperature range of 250–350 ◦F. Gel Point (10-min) remained below the recommended 35 lb/100 ft2 for all KCl concentrations of both polymers, while Gel Point (10-s) remained below the recommended 15 lb/100 ft2 for temperatures above 200 ◦F. Three other polymers were studied for filtration control without any KCl concentration, namely Bio Pac (type C), Mil Pac Xlo (type D), and Perma Loss (type E). Although API fluid loss remained below the recommended 15 cm3 for all the polymers, filtration control, and cake analysis demonstrated that Polymer C exhibited superior performance compared to the others. It also displayed thermal stability and cake thickness below the recommended 0.1 in up to temperatures below 250 ◦F. A novel sinusoidal correlation function is fit to experimental data, which can be used for training machine learning approaches.
Polymers for application in high temperature and high salinity reservoirs – critical review of properties and aspects to consider for laboratory screening
Revista Fuentes el Reventón Energético, 2018
A significant amount of oil resides in deep reservoirs characterized by relatively high temperature and high salinity. In such reservoirs, most available chemicals fluids for EOR have limited applicability. Even though recent effort has been dedicated to the development of high temperature polymers, there is no clear understanding of what would work best in those harsh environments. In addition, the oil and gas community is also evaluating potential applications of chemical EOR to offshore assets where similar conditions are often found. Field applications in harsh reservoirs have shown limited success in the use of polymers for improved oil recovery. Detail analysis reveals that screening of the fluids was done under ‘model’ laboratory conditions, using non-reservoir core samples and non-representative fluids. These facts have motivated research and development work towards understanding the type of polymers that may be suitable for use in high temperature and high salinity reservo...
Polymers for enhanced oil recovery: fundamentals and selection criteria
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 2017
With a rising population, the demand for energy has increased over the years. As per the projections, both fossil fuel and renewables will remain as major energy source (678 quadrillion BTU) till 2030 with fossil fuel contributing 78% of total energy consumption. Hence, attempts are continuously made to make fossil fuel production more sustainable and cheaper. From the past 40 years, polymer flooding has been carried out in marginal oil fields and have proved to be successful in many cases. The common expectation from polymer flooding is to obtain 50% ultimate recovery with 15 to 20% incremental recovery over secondary water flooding. Both naturally derived polymers like xanthan gum and synthetic polymers like partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) have been used for this purpose. Earlier laboratory and field trials revealed that salinity and temperature are the major issues with the synthetic polymers that lead to polymer degradation and adsorption on the rock surface. Microbial degradation and concentration are major issues with naturally derived polymers leading to loss of viscosity and pore throat plugging. Earlier studies also revealed that polymer flooding is successful in the fields where oil viscosity is quite higher (up to 126 cp) than injection water due to improvement in mobility ratio during polymer flooding. The largest successful polymer flood was reported in China in 1990 where both synthetic and naturally derived polymers were used in nearly 20 projects. The implementation of these projects provides valuable suggestions for further improving the available processes in future. This paper examines the selection criteria of polymer, field characteristics that support polymer floods and recommendation to design a large producing polymer flooding.
Application of Polymer as Chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery for Increasing Quantity of Crude Oil Resorcer
Proceedings of the 2nd Borobudur International Symposium on Science and Technology (BIS-STE 2020), 2021
Chemical injection using Polymer is expected to increase the pressing efficiency and sweeping efficiency so that the oil recovery can increase after the flood of water from the initial oil reserve (OOIP) in the reservoir. This research will carry out the stages of making polymers that are hygroscopic against EOR conditions. This time the polymer is made using Glycidyl Methacrylate (GMA) as a monomer, Ethylene Dimehacrylate (EDMA) as Croslinker and alcohol group solvent as a porogen and trimethylamine as active group formers. These polymers are expected to be polymers that have amine and hydroxyl functionalities and are synthetic organic polymers. Provision of variations in polymer concentrations of 10 ppm, 20 ppm, and 50 ppm, as well as for variations in salinity of 1000 and 10,000 ppm. Meanwhile, the Trimetylamine concentration was 0.5% and 1%. In this situation, optimal conditions are obtained at a polymer concentration of 50 ppm with Trimeylamine 1% at a salinity of 10,000 ppm, meaning that there is a linearity relationship between the increase in concentration and the resulting interface stress. This condition needs to be developed again to obtain stabilization and suitability for the repetition process to increase the production of old wells. The test will be carried out at a temperature of 85˚C and an observation of the physical properties of the fluid between viscosity and interface tension (Inter Facial Tension) will be carried out. To see a comparison of the physical properties of the fluid between the polymer and production water.
Erratum to: Evaluation of Rheological and Thermal Properties of a New Fluorocarbon Surfactant–Polymer System for EOR Applications in High-Temperature and High-Salinity Oil Reservoirs
Thermal stability and rheological properties of a novel surfactant-polymer system containing non-ionic ethoxylated fluorocarbon surfactant was evaluated. A copolymer of acrylamide (AM) and 2-acrylamido-2methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS) was used. Thermal stability and surfactant structural changes after aging at 100°C were evaluated using TGA, 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR, 19 F NMR and FTIR. The surfactant was compatible with AM-AMPS copolymer and synthetic sea water. No precipitation of surfactant was observed in sea water. The surfactant was found to be thermally stable at 100°C and no structural changes were detected after exposure to this temperature. Rheological properties of the surfactant-polymer (SP) system were measured in a high pressure rheometer. The effects of surfactant concentration, temperature, polymer concentration and salinity on rheological properties were studied for several SP solutions. At low temperature (50°C), the viscosity initially increased slightly with the addition of the surfactant, then decreased at high surfactant concentration. At a high temperature (90°C), an increase in the viscosity with the increase in surfactant concentration was not observed. Overall, the influence of the fluorocarbon surfactant on the viscosity of SP system was weak particularly at high temperatures and high shear rate. Salts present in sea water reduced the viscosity of the polymer due to a charge shielding effect. However, the surfactant was found to be thermally stable in the presence of salts.
Synthetic-based fluids (SBF) are the fluid-of-choice in deepwater wells as they provide excellent wellbore stability and rates of penetration (ROP) compared to water-based fluids; however, equivalent circulating density (ECD), circulation initiation and surge pressures are often more challenging wit
2019
The Gulf of Mexico (GoM) deepwater environment presents the potential for a variety of operational challenges. Synthetic-based fluids (SBF) are the fluid-of-choice in deepwater wells as they provide excellent wellbore stability and rates of penetration (ROP) compared to water-based fluids; however, equivalent circulating density (ECD), circulation initiation and surge pressures are often more challenging with SBF due to temperature and pressure effects on rheological properties and fluid density. The inability to control these parameters can result in downhole losses, which negatively affect operating costs and non-productive time (NPT). This paper highlights the development and field trials of a flatrheology, synthetic-based fluid (FR-SBF) designed to overcome the problems associated with pressure management in deepwater operations. The design, development and field testing of the unique FRSBF in GoM deepwater wells was coupled with the commissioning of a unique, next-generation of...
Evaluation of Polymeric Materials for Chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery
Processes, 2020
Polymer flooding is a promising enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technique; sweeping a reservoir with a dilute polymer solution can significantly improve the overall oil recovery. In this overview, polymeric materials for enhanced oil recovery are described in general terms, with specific emphasis on desirable characteristics for the application. Application-specific properties should be considered when selecting or developing polymers for enhanced oil recovery and should be carefully evaluated. Characterization techniques should be informed by current best practices; several are described herein. Evaluation of fundamental polymer properties (including polymer composition, microstructure, and molecular weight averages); resistance to shear/thermal/chemical degradation; and salinity/hardness compatibility are discussed. Finally, evaluation techniques to establish the polymer flooding performance of candidate EOR materials are described.
Related papers
Polymer science applied to petroleum production
Pure and Applied Chemistry, 2000
The science of polymers, more specifically, synthesis, characterization, and physicochemical properties in solutions, has wide application in the petroleum industry, which uses polymers as components of fluids or additives to correct problems that affect oil production and/or increase production costs. Polymers are utilized during all phases, from drilling to treatment of oil and water. Research on the synthesis of polymers and their respective characterization aims to develop new molecules, with controlled structures, for various applications, having one or more objectives, namely: (1) to enhance operating efficiency;
Polymer science applied to petroleum production.(Report)
Pure and Applied Chemistry, 2009
The science of polymers, more specifically, synthesis, characterization, and physicochemical properties in solutions, has wide application in the petroleum industry, which uses polymers as components of fluids or additives to correct problems that affect oil production and/or increase production costs. Polymers are utilized during all phases, from drilling to treatment of oil and water. Research on the synthesis of polymers and their respective characterization aims to develop new molecules, with controlled structures, for various applications, having one or more objectives, namely: (1) to enhance operating efficiency;
Recent Insights in Petroleum Science and Engineering
2018
As a result of the ever-increasing global energy demand coupled with the rapid decline of the oil production, the games of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) are played in many oilfields worldwide especially in China. It was reported that EOR jobs produced 45.1 × 10 4 m 3 /d of oil production rate in 2014 all over the world, proving the significance of these jobs. Due to the complex geology, chemical enhanced oil recovery (C-EOR) methods are considered the predominant technology in China and takes nearly 86% of the total EOR projects currently. This fact motivates us to develop novel and more advanced C-EOR methods for different geological types of Chinese reservoirs such as high temperature and pressure, ultralow permeability, heavy oil reservoirs, etc. Through 20 years' efforts, many advantageous C-EOR methods have been successfully developed in our group and tested in oilfields such as stabilized foam injection, nanofluid flooding, functional polymer flooding, etc. Herein, this chapter summarized the latest experimental results of three representative C-EOR methods. More attentions were given to the relationship between bulk properties and flow behaviors in porous media. The lessons learned from our research in C-EOR were also discussed in this chapter.
Enhancing Oil Recovery from Low-Permeability Reservoirs with a Thermoviscosifying Water-Soluble Polymer
Molecules, 2021
Water-soluble polymers, mainly partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM), have been used in the enhanced oil recovery (EOR) process. However, the poor salt tolerance, weak thermal stability and unsatisfactory injectivity impede its use in low-permeability hostile oil reservoirs. Here, we examined the adaptivity of a thermoviscosifying polymer (TVP) in comparison with HPAM for chemical EOR under simulated conditions (45 • C, 4500 mg/L salinity containing 65 mg/L Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ ) of low-permeability oil reservoirs in Daqing Oilfield. The results show that the viscosity of the 0.1% TVP solution can reach 48 mPa•s, six times that of HPAM. After 90 days of thermal aging at 45 • C, the TVP solution had 71% viscosity retention, 18% higher than that of the HPAM solution. While both polymer solutions could smoothly propagate in porous media, with permeability of around 100 milliDarcy, TVP exhibited stronger mobility reduction and permeability reduction than HPAM. After 0.7 pore volume of 0.1% polymer solution was injected, TVP achieved an incremental oil recovery factor of 13.64% after water flooding, 3.54% higher than that of HPAM under identical conditions. All these results demonstrate that TVP has great potential to be used in low-permeability oil reservoirs for chemical EOR.
A Materials Science Perspective of Midstream Challenges in the Utilization of Heavy Crude Oil
ACS Omega
An increasing global population and a sharply upward trajectory of per capita energy consumption continue to drive the demand for fossil fuels, which remain integral to energy grids and the global transportation infrastructure. The oil and gas industry is increasingly reliant on unconventional deposits such as heavy crude oil and bitumen for reasons of accessibility, scale, and geopolitics. Unconventional deposits such as the Canadian Oil Sands in Northern Alberta contain more than one-third of the world's viscous oil reserves and are vital linchpins to meet the energy needs of rapidly industrializing populations. Heavy oil is typically recovered from subsurface deposits using thermal recovery approaches such as steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD). In this perspective article, we discuss several aspects of materials science challenges in the utilization of heavy crude oil with an emphasis on the needs of the Canadian Oil Sands. In particular, we discuss surface modification and materials' design approaches essential to operations under extreme environments of high temperatures and pressures and the presence of corrosive species. The demanding conditions for materials and surfaces are directly traceable to the high viscosity, low surface tension, and substantial sulfur content of heavy crude oil, which necessitates extensive energy-intensive thermal processes, warrants dilution/emulsification to ease the flow of rheologically challenging fluids, and engenders the need to protect corrodible components. Geopolitical reasons have further led to a considerable geographic separation between extraction sites and advanced refineries capable of processing heavy oils to a diverse slate of products, thus necessitating a massive midstream infrastructure for transportation of these rheologically challenging fluids. Innovations in fluid handling, bitumen processing, and midstream transportation are critical to the economic viability of heavy oil. Here, we discuss foundational principles, recent technological advancements, and unmet needs emphasizing candidate solutions for thermal insulation, membrane-assisted separations, corrosion protection, and midstream bitumen transportation. This perspective seeks to highlight illustrative materials' technology developments spanning the range from nanocomposite coatings and cement sheaths for thermal insulation to the utilization of orthogonal wettability to engender separation of water−oil emulsions stabilized by endogenous surfactants extracted during SAGD, size-exclusion membranes for fractionation of bitumen, omniphobic coatings for drag reduction in pipelines and to ease oil handling in containers, solid prills obtained from partial bitumen solidification to enable solid-state transport with reduced risk of damage from spills, and nanocomposite coatings incorporating multiple modes of corrosion inhibition. Future outlooks for onsite partial upgradation are also described, which could potentially bypass the use of refineries for some fractions, enable access to a broader cross-section of refineries, and enable a new distributed chemical manufacturing paradigm.
Characterization and selection of polymers for future research on enhanced oil recovery
2008
Polymer flooding has been applied for petroleum recovery and the main results of this method are the effective increasing in oil production and the reduction of water circulation The objective of this work is to present a methodology for pre-selecting a polymer to be used in future research on enhanced oil recovery (EOR) by injecting polymer solution. A reservoir was selected and characterized. Seven samples of commercial partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (PHPA) were also selected and characterized. Polymer solutions were prepared and characterized in terms of filterability , viscosity, stability (under reservoir conditions) and mechanical degradation. Polymer-reservoir interaction was also investigated. The results showed that it is very useful to establish a methodology to pre-select the more suitable polymer for fluid injection operations in oil field. Besides, for the conditions used in this study, the best polymer presents hydrolysis degree of 30%, molar mass of 5·10 6 g /mol...
Polymers for enhanced oil recovery: fundamentals and selection criteria revisited
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 2021
With a rising population, the demand for energy has increased over the years. As per the projections, both fossil fuel and renewables will remain as major energy source (678 quadrillion BTU) till 2030 with fossil fuel contributing 78% of total energy consumption. Hence, attempts are continuously made to make fossil fuel production more sustainable and cheaper. From the past 40 years, polymer flooding has been carried out in marginal oil fields and have proved to be successful in many cases. The common expectation from polymer flooding is to obtain 50% ultimate recovery with 15 to 20% incremental recovery over secondary water flooding. Both naturally derived polymers like xanthan gum and synthetic polymers like partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) have been used for this purpose. Earlier laboratory and field trials revealed that salinity and temperature are the major issues with the synthetic polymers that lead to polymer degradation and adsorption on the rock surface. Microbial degradation and concentration are major issues with naturally derived polymers leading to loss of viscosity and pore throat plugging. Earlier studies also revealed that polymer flooding is successful in the fields where oil viscosity is quite higher (up to 126 cp) than injection water due to improvement in mobility ratio during polymer flooding. The largest successful polymer flood was reported in China in 1990 where both synthetic and naturally derived polymers were used in nearly 20 projects. The implementation of these projects provides valuable suggestions for further improving the available processes in future. This paper examines the selection criteria of polymer, field characteristics that support polymer floods and recommendation to design a large producing polymer flooding.
New Polymer Technology for Water Control in Gas Wells
SPE production & facilities, 1994
A new polymer treatment process has been developed for selectively reducing water permeability in gas wells. Three field treatments are discussed. The most notable treatment was performed on an offshore gas well that previously was loaded up with water. The treatment returned gas production to the well, averaging 1.9 MMcflD gas for almost 3 years. The water production was reduced from a high of almost 600 to < 50 BID. The treatment was performed in 1 day using common oil-and gas-field acidizing equipment. The treatment design was based on information from earlier field treatments, laboratory corefloods, and gel screening data.
Evaluation of Rheological and Thermal Properties of a New Fluorocarbon Surfactant–Polymer System for EOR Applications in High-Temperature and High-Salinity Oil Reservoirs
Journal of Surfactants and Detergents, 2014
Thermal stability and rheological properties of a novel surfactant-polymer system containing non-ionic ethoxylated fluorocarbon surfactant was evaluated. A copolymer of acrylamide (AM) and 2-acrylamido-2methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS) was used. Thermal stability and surfactant structural changes after aging at 100°C were evaluated using TGA, 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR, 19 F NMR and FTIR. The surfactant was compatible with AM-AMPS copolymer and synthetic sea water. No precipitation of surfactant was observed in sea water. The surfactant was found to be thermally stable at 100°C and no structural changes were detected after exposure to this temperature. Rheological properties of the surfactant-polymer (SP) system were measured in a high pressure rheometer. The effects of surfactant concentration, temperature, polymer concentration and salinity on rheological properties were studied for several SP solutions. At low temperature (50°C), the viscosity initially increased slightly with the addition of the surfactant, then decreased at high surfactant concentration. At a high temperature (90°C), an increase in the viscosity with the increase in surfactant concentration was not observed. Overall, the influence of the fluorocarbon surfactant on the viscosity of SP system was weak particularly at high temperatures and high shear rate. Salts present in sea water reduced the viscosity of the polymer due to a charge shielding effect. However, the surfactant was found to be thermally stable in the presence of salts.
Dimethyl siloxane oils as an alternative borehole fluid
Annals of Glaciology, 2007
Finding a new safe and ecologically friendly borehole fluid is one of the most pressing problems for forthcoming ice-drilling projects. Not all recent borehole fluids qualify as intelligent choices from safety, environmental and other technological standpoints. We propose the use of silicone oils as the borehole fluid. The most suitable type of silicone oils for deep ice drilling are low-molecular (or volatile) dimethyl siloxane oils (DSOs). Low-molecular DSOs are clear, water-white, tasteless, odorless, neutral liquids. They are hydrophobic and inert substances that are stable to water, air, oxygen, metals, wood, paper, plastics, etc. Of the DSOs, class 2 grades of KF96-1.5cs and KF96-2.0cs most fully fit our criteria for choice as borehole fluids. The final conclusion as to the suitability of DSOs for ice deep drilling will be made after the experiments in a test borehole.
Loading Preview
Sorry, preview is currently unavailable. You can download the paper by clicking the button above.