Well Construction: Drilling Fluid Functions
Background Earlier on, we defined drilling fluid and attempted to classify them based on the nature of the basic fluid used in its formulation eg water based fluid, oil based fluid and pneumatic fluids. We also went further to group them into formation dispersant and non formation dispersant fluids. Then we talked about shale inhibition fluids. Extensive research and field results acquired during drilling operations had proven that penetration rate and its response to weight on bit and rotary speed depends on the hydraulic horse power reaching the formation at the bit. Since the drilling fluid flow rate sets the system pressure losses and these pressure losses set the hydraulic horsepower across the bit, it can be concluded that drilling fluid is very important in the determination of drilling cost. An optimum drilling fluid is a fluid properly formulated so that the flow rate necessary to clean the hole results in the proper hydraulic horsepower required to clean the bit for the weig