New developments in oil base drilling fluids technologies

During well construction it is possible to drill through zones with different mineral compositions. It would contain large zone of reactive shales where water based drilling fluids can produce an adverse reaction, which may be the cause of some problems such as stuck pipe, crumble and even loose the well. In order to avoid these problems, water based drilling fluids were replaced by oil base drilling fluids. In the past, oil based drilling fluids had a high content of aromatic compound which produce negatives effects over human beings and the environment. To comply with the environmental restrictions, Intevep, the Research and Technological Support Center of Petroleos de Venezuela, S. A. (PDVSA), has been working on developments of oils with low contain of aromatic compounds that involve more refined oils or new kind of oils. Nowadays, PDVSA is using refined oils, mineral oils and synthetic oils. In Venezuela, there is a large number of reservoirs with formations, containing reactive shales and high pressure and high temperature conditions, that require oil based muds in order to reach these reservoir. This paper shows two oil base friendly technologies used to prepare this kind of fluids, namely. BIODOIL (R) and INTOIL (R).