Julliet Adubo

Well Completion Fluids1

 Definition

• Is a fluid that placed against the producing formation while conducting operations such as
well killing, cleaning out, hardware replacement, gravel packing, etc.
• It is designed to cause the least damage possible to the pay zone/ reservoir.
• Workover fluid is used when a workover job is done on a well. In this discussion, it refers
to the same completion fluid.
• Workover fluid does not include well stimulation fluid, fracturing fluid, cement slurry, etc.
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 Characteristics of Well Completion Fluids

• Specific gravity
• Viscosity
• Filtration rate
• Compatibility
• Stability
• Preparation and handling
• Price
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 Specific gravity
• Specific gravity is designed to keep the well stable by exerting sufficient back up
pressure on the reservoir.
• Back up pressure is the difference between the hydrostatic pressure and formation
pressures.
• A pressure differential of 1 Mpa(150 psi) is ususally adopted to maintain a certain
degree of safety while minimizing invasion of the reservoir.
• However in some cases the differential may be much lower.
• In other words the specific gravity must be easy to adjust.
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 Viscosity

• Viscosity of the completion fluid must be sufficient enough scavenge out the
borehole properly, keep solids in suspension, cutting and weighting materials
and keeps gas kicks at bay.

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 Filtrate rate
• Any completion fluid must be able to keep solids from migrating into the
formation pore system.
• Temporary fluid loss additives must be used whose grain sizes are adapted
to the pore diameter of the payzone.
• In some sensitive formations, its important to keep the volume of filtrate
invading the formation to a minimum.

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 Compatibility

• All physiochemical reactions between the filtrate and formation must be

prevented by adapting its composition to the reservoir water and to the
sensitive components in the formation (especially shales).

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 Stability

• The fluid must exhibit good stability with time and mainly be able to with
stand the reservoir temperature.

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 Preparation and handling
• The completion fluid must be fairly easy to prepare since rigs particularly
servicing rigs are not always properly equipped.
• It must neither be toxic, pollutant nor corrosive.

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 Price

• The fluid must have the lowest possible cost price.

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 Types of Well Completion Fluids
• Clean drilling fluids
• Salt water fluids
• Without solids
• With solids
• Low solid content
• High solid content
• Oil based fluids
• Diesel or crude
• Inverted emulsion mud 11

• Direct emulsion mud

 Additives
• Viscosifiers
These are used to increase viscosity for improved hole cleaning, to increase
bentonite yield and to clarify or dewater low-solids fluids. Salt (or brine),
hydrated lime, gypsum, soda ash, bicarbonate of soda, sodium tetraphosphate
and acrylamide-based polymers may be used. They cause colloidal particles in
suspension to group into bunches or “flocs,” causing solids to settle out.
Bentonite and attapulgite clays, high-molecular-weight polymers and
biopolymers increase viscosity for better hole cleaning and suspension of
solids.
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 Additives
• Emusifiers
Emulsifiers. These products create a heterogeneous mixture (emulsion) of two
insoluble liquids. They include fatty acids and amine-based chemicals for oil-
based muds and detergents, soaps, organic acids and water-based surfactants
for waterbased muds. Products may be anionic (negatively charged), non-ionic
(neutral) or cationic (positively charged).
• Weighting materials
• Anti corrosion additives
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 Additives
• Defoamers
Defoamers. Products are designed to reduce foaming action, particularly in
brackish and saturated saltwater muds.

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 Additives
• Fluid loss control agent
• Weighting materials
Weighting materials. Barite, iron oxides and calcium carbonates, as well as salts,
are used for density to control formation pressures, prevent formation caving
and facilitate pulling dry pipe.
• Anti corrosion additives

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