Method for determining optimum concentration of hydration inhibitor for clays in drilling fluids
First Claim
1. A method for determining the optimum inhibitor concentration required in an aqueous inhibited fluid for maximum clay swelling and dispersion inhibition of water-wettable argillaceous materials encountered in drilling operations comprising:
- (a) determining a parameter for said aqueous inhibited fluid having dispersed therein a quantity of the water-swelling argillaceous material which parameter is a function of the swelling of the argillaceous material and approaches a substantially constant value with increasing concentration of said inhibitor; and
(b) determining from said parameter the minimum inhibitor concentration at which said substantially constant value is first obtained.
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Abstract
A method is provided for selecting the optimum concentration of inhibitors such as soluble salts to effect maximum clay swelling and dispersion inhibition in an aqueous fluid of water-swellable, argillaceous materials including clays as exemplified by bentonite and argillaceous sediments, such as shales, encountered in drilling operations. In this method filtration measurements are first taken to develop a filtration parameter from which the optimum inhibitor concentration is readily determined.
24 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for determining the optimum inhibitor concentration required in an aqueous inhibited fluid for maximum clay swelling and dispersion inhibition of water-wettable argillaceous materials encountered in drilling operations comprising:
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(a) determining a parameter for said aqueous inhibited fluid having dispersed therein a quantity of the water-swelling argillaceous material which parameter is a function of the swelling of the argillaceous material and approaches a substantially constant value with increasing concentration of said inhibitor; and (b) determining from said parameter the minimum inhibitor concentration at which said substantially constant value is first obtained. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification