OUR STORY
Research Thrust III
Drilling Fluids and Mechanisms of Particle Sedimentation
Safe and efficient drilling of wellbores for oil and gas production relies on the drilling fluid properties, which often involve a water-in-oil emulsion (to avoid water contact with swellable rock) with solids at the interface. Similar phenomena are encountered in foodstuff emulsions and in personal care products such as lotions and creams. The design of drilling fluid is vital, as sedimentation of weighting material particles is highly detrimental to drilling operations. The objective of this work is to understand the mechanisms for sedimentation of particles in structured fluids, such as drilling fluids. Through experimental studies and modeling, interaction between particles and fluid will be characterized to develop a basis for formulation of macroscopic fluid properties. An experimental set-up will be fabricated for detailed measurements of sedimentation.
In non-Newtonian fluid characterization, the project teams will address the impact of shear and mixing as well as individual
components in the drilling fluids on the resulting fluid rheology. This also includes effects of long-term exposure towards cycling of pressure, temperature and gas loading. The impact from additives (e.g., stabilizers) on the robustness of fluid properties will be studied, and samples will be analyzed with respect to constituent degradation. For particle sedimentation characterization, new test facilities will be fabricated to enable in situ and local rheometry at high pressure and temperature, gas absorption and desorption studies, and measurements of sedimentation rate, particle size distribution, and density by gamma and X-ray densitometry to quantify the sedimentation rates. X-ray PTV will also be used to measure particle velocities. To support verification of model concepts, both integral and local sedimentation rate measurements will be performed.
CCNY Faculty: Sanjoy Banerjee, Masahiro Kawaji, Jeffrey Morris
Ph.D. Students: Dinesh Kalaga, Manizheh Ansari [Graduated ’19]
SINTEF: Harald Linga, Bjornar Lund, Martin Fossen
NTNU: Ole Jorgen Nydal, Sigbjorn Sangesland
UIO: Atle Jensen, Andreas Carlson
INP-LGC: Olivier Masbernat, Micheline Abbas