Formate brines enhance HTHP drilling projects in the Middle East
Posted: 13 September 2004
EcoForm formate brines have been in regular use in the North Sea since 1994, but in the past 12 months Hydro Formates has begun supplying EcoForm formate brines for important HTHP gas well drilling projects in Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia . It is projected that their widespread use in the Middle East will greatly benefit hydrocarbon recovery economics in the region.
Constructing long horizontal wells in deep HTHP gas reservoirs requires very special drilling and completion fluids. For years the challenge has been to find a fluid that not only optimizes drilling performance under difficult HTHP conditions, but one that also improves the well economics with increased production and reduction of drilling waste.
Shell’s development of formate brines in the early-90s was a revolutionary step in this context. The formates create a seamless range of high performance brines, with densities up to 19.2 ppg, which were specifically designed for HTHP drilling and completion operations. Formate brines increase ROP, reduce differential sticking, eliminate sag, improve hole cleaning, lower ECDs, minimise formation damage, allow early kick detection and reduce drilling wastes. They can also be used as combined drilling-in and completion fluids.
Today hundreds of wells, including > 60 HTHP wells, have been drilled and/or completed with formate-based fluids. The published industry reports on the field use of formates in HTHP wells over the past 8 years have shown that these unique brines have consistently lived up to their promise by improving project economics through reducing drilling costs and improving well productivity. Figures published suggest that typical production rate increases are in the 30 to 40 % range, but in some instances productivity increases and actual oil production rates have been 300 to 600 % higher than expected. As a welcome bonus the formate brines have also reduced risk and liability.
Hydro Formates, a Norwegian company, has been the leading wholesale supplier of “EcoForm” sodium formate and potassium formate to the oil industry since 1994. The EcoForm range of formates are manufactured in Norway or Turkey and supplied as unique non-caking powders. The potassium formate is also available as 13.1 ppg brine, and stock levels of this brine are maintained at 12,000 bbl at all times for immediate call-off. Hydro Formates is the only formate wholesaler to have been granted a License by Shell to provide formates for use according to Shell’s patents in oilfield applications.
In recognition of the growing interest in formate brines in the Middle East , Hydro Formates will have a stand at ADIPEC 2004. Their business manager, Ms. Trine Roald, says:
“Formate brines were developed by Shell as a key enabling tech nology for Deep Gas well construction projects and we are pleased to be able to offer operators in the Middle East the chance to exploit the economic benefits provided by this tech nology through the use our pre-licensed EcoForm formate products. We look forward to meeting oil company representatives at our stand to discuss how we can increase the profitability of their gas field development projects”.
For more information see http://www.yara.com
Posted by Richard Price,
Editor Pipeline Magazine
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