Improving the anti-collapse performance of water-based drilling fluids of Xinjiang Oilfield using hydrophobically modified silica nanoparticles with cationic surfactants

Wellbore instability,especially drilling with water-based drilling fluids(WBDFs)in complex shale for-mations,is a critical challenge for oil and gas development.The purpose of this paper is to study the feasibility of using hydrophobically modified silica nanoparticle(HMN)to enhance the comprehensive performance of WBDFs in the Xinjiang Oilfield,especially the anti-collapse performance.The effect of HMN on the overall performance of WBDFs in the Xinjiang Oilfield,including inhibition,plugging,lu-bricity,rheology,and filtration loss,was studied with a series of experiments.The mechanism of HMN action was studied by analyzing the changes of shale surface structure and chemical groups,wettability,and capillary force.The experimental results showed that HMN could improve the performance of WBDFs in the Xinjiang Oilfeld to inhibit the hydration swelling and dispersion of shale.The plugging and lubrication performance of the WBDFs in the Xinjiang Oilfield were also enhanced with HMN based on the experimental results.HMN had less impact on the rheological and filtration performance of the WBDFs in the Xinjiang Oilfield.In addition,HMN significantly prevented the decrease of shale strength.The potential mechanism of HMN was as follows.The chemical composition and structure of the shale surface were altered due to the adsorption of HMN driven by electrostatic attraction.Changes of the shale surface resulted in significant wettability transition.The capillary force of the shale was converted from a driving force of water into the interior to a resistance.In summary,hydrophobic nanoparticles presented afavorable application potential for WBDFs.

Hydrophobic Small-Molecule Polymers as High-Temperature-Resistant Inhibitors in Water-Based Drilling Fluids

Water-based drilling fluids can cause hydration of the wellbore rocks,thereby leading to instability.This study aimed to synthesize a hydrophobic small-molecule polymer(HLMP)as an inhibitor to suppress mud shale hydration.An infrared spectral method and a thermogravimetric technique were used to characterize the chemical composition of the HLMP and evaluate its heat stability.Experiments were conducted to measure the linear swelling,rolling recovery rate,and bentonite inhibition rate and evaluate accordingly the inhibition performance of the HLMP.Moreover,the HLMP was characterized through measurements of the zeta potential,particle size distribution,contact angles,and interlayer space testing.As confirmed by the results,the HLMP could successfully be synthesized with a favorable heat stability.Furthermore,favorable results were found for the inhibitory processes of the HLMP on swelling and dispersed hydration during mud shale hydration.The positively charged HLMP could be electrically neutralized with clay particles,thereby inhibiting diffusion in the double electron clay layers.The hydrophobic group in the HLMP molecular structure resulted in the formation of a hydrophobic membrane on the rock surface,enhancing the hydrophobicity of the rock.In addition,the small molecules of the HLMP could plug the spaces between the layers of bentonite crystals,thereby reducing the entry of water molecules and inhibiting shale hydration.

Friction Behavior of Magnetorheological Fluids with Different Material Types and Magnetic Field Strength

Magnetorheological （MR） fluid is a type of a smart material that can control its mechanical properties under a magnetic field. Iron particles in MR fluid form chain structures in the direction of an applied magnetic field, which is known as MR effect, resulting in variation of stiffness, shear modulus, damping and tribological characteristics of MR fluid. As MR effect depends on the density of particles in the fluid or the strength of a magnetic field, the experiments are conducted to evaluate the friction property under reciprocating motion by changing the types of MR fluid and the strength of a magnetic field. The material of aluminum, brass, and steel are chosen for specimen as they are the most common material in mechanical applications. The surfaces of specimen are also observed by optical microscope before and after experiments to compare the surfaces with test conditions. The comparing results show that the friction coefficient increases as the strength of a magnetic field increases in regardless of types of MR fluid or the material. Also the density of particle in MR fluid affects the friction characteristic. The results from this research can be used to improve the performance of mechanical applications using MR fluid.

High temperature and high pressure rheological properties of high-density water-based drilling fluids for deep wells

To maintain tight control over rheological properties of high-density water-based drilling fluids, it is essential to understand the factors influencing the theology of water-based drilling fluids. This paper examines temperature effects on the rheological properties of two types of high-density water-based drilling fluids （fresh water-based and brine-based） under high temperature and high pressure （HTHP） with a Fann 50SL rheometer. On the basis of the water-based drilling fluid systems formulated in laboratory, this paper mainly describes the influences of different types and concentration of clay, the content of a colloid stabilizer named GHJ-1 and fluid density on the rheological parameters such as viscosity and shear stress. In addition, the effects of aging temperature and aging time of the drilling fluid on these parameters were also examined. Clay content and proportions for different densities of brine-based fluids were recommended to effectively regulate the rheological properties. Four theological models, the Bingham, power law, Casson and H-B models, were employed to fit the rheological parameters. It turns out that the H-B model was the best one to describe the rheological properties of the high-density drilling fluid under HTHP conditions and power law model produced the worst fit. In addition, a new mathematical model that describes the apparent viscosity as a function of temperature and pressure was established and has been applied on site.

Optimizing Control for Rotor Vibration with Magnetorheological Fluid Damper

The aim of this work is to analyze and design a control system for vibration reduction in a rotor system using a shear mode magnetorheological fluid(MRF)damper.A dynamic model of the MRF damper-rotor system was built and simulated in Matlab/Simulink to analyze the rotor vibration characteristics and the vibration reduction effect of the MRF damper.Based on the numerical simulation analysis,an optimizing control strategy using pattern search method was proposed and designed.The control system was constructed on a test rotor bench and experiment validations on the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy were conducted.Experimental results show that rotor vibration caused by unbalance can be well controlled whether in resonance region(70%)or in non-resonance region(30%).An irregular vibration amplitude jump can be suppressed with the optimization strategy.Furthermore,it is found that the rapidity of transient response and efficiency of optimizing technique depend on the pattern search step.The presented strategies and control system can be extended to multi-span(more than two or three spans)rotor system.It provides a powerful technical support for the extension and application in target and control for shafting vibration.

Squeeze-Strengthening Effect of Silicone Oil-based Magnetorheological Fluid

In order to study the squeeze-strengthening effect of silicone oil-based magnetorheological fluid （MRF）, theoretical basis of disc squeezing brake was presented and a squeezing braking characteristics test-bed for MRF was designed. Moreover, relevant experiments were carded out and the relationship between squeezing pressure and braking torque was proposed. Experiments results showed that the yield stress of MRF improved linearly with the increasing of external squeezing pressure and the braking torque increased three times when external squeezing pressure achieved 2 MPa.

Carbon nanotube enhanced water-based drilling fluid for high temperature and high salinity deep resource development

Drilling fluids face failure during drilling deep reservoir with high temperature and high salt.The experimental results show that high temperature and salinity reduce the negative charge on the surface of bentonite in the drilling fluid and cause the coalescence of bentonite particles.As a result,the particles coalesce,the grid structure is destroyed,and the rheological properties,rock-carrying capacity and filtration properties are lost.To resolve the foregoing,in this study,0.05-wt%carbon nanotubes are introduced into a 4%bentonite drilling fluid under conditions where the temperature and concentration of added Na Cl reach 180°C and 10 wt%,respectively.The carbon nanotubes adsorb on the bentonite surface and increase the space among bentonite particles.The steric hindrance prevents the coalescence of bentonite in high temperature and high salt environment.Thus bentonite maintains the small size distribution of bentonite and supports the bentonite grid structure in the drilling fluid.As a result,the rock-carrying capacity of the drilling fluid increases by 85.1%.Moreover,the mud cake formed by the accumulation of small-sized bentonite particles is dense;consequently,the filtration of bentonite drilling fluid reduced by 30.2%.

DESIGN METHOD OF MAGNETORHEOLOGICAL FLUID SHOCK ABSORBER FOR CAR SUSPENSION

The Bingham constitutive model, which is previously used in depiction of magnetorheological （MR） fluids rheological behaviors for design devices, exhibits discontinuous characteristics in representation of pre-yield behaviors and post-yield behaviors. A Biviscous constitutive model is presented to depict rheological behaviors of MR fluids and design automotive shock absorber. Quasi-static flow equations of MR fluids in annular channels are set theoretically up based on Navier-Stokes equations and several rational simplifications are made. And both flow boundary conditions and flow compatibilities conditions are established. Meantime, analytical velocity profiles of MR fluids though annular channels are obtained via solution of the quasi-static flow equations using Biviscous constitutive model. The prediction methodology of damping force offered by MR fluid shock absorber is formulated and damping performances are predicated in order to determine design parameters. MR fluid shock absorber for Mazda 323 car suspension is designed and fabricated in Chongqing University, China. Measurements from sinusoidal displacement cycle by Shanchuan Shock Absorber Ltd. of China North Industry Corporation reveal that the analytical methodology and design theory are reasonable.

Optimizing control of a two-span rotor system with magnetorheological fluid dampers

A control system aims at vibration reduction in a two-span rotor system with two shear mode magnetorheological （MRF） dampers is designed. A finite element model of the MRF damper- rotor system is built and used to analyze the rotor vibration characteristics. Based on Hooke and Jeeves algorithm and the numerical simulation analysis, an optimal appropriate controller is proposed and designed. Experimental results show that rotor vibration caused by unbalance is well controlled （ first critical speed region 37% , second critical speed region 42% ）. To reflect advantages of optimi- zing strategy presented and validate the intelligent optimization control technology, detailed experi- ments were developed on a two-span rotor-vibration-control platform. The influence on accuracy, rapidity and stability of optimizing control for rotor vibration are analyzed. It provides a powerful technical support for the extension and application in target and control for shafting vibration.

Investigation of regulating rheological properties of water-based drilling fluids by ultrasound

Regulating rheological properties of water-based drilling fluids has always been a hot topic.This paper proposed a new method for regulating rheological properties of water-based drilling fluids by ultrasonic field.The experimental results showed that the ultrasound increased the viscosity and yield point of bentonite suspension by reducing the particle size of clay,destroying the network structure between clay particles,increasing the mud yield and the cation exchange capacity of bentonite,and promoting the hydration dispersion of bentonite.The change of rheological property showed a memory effect at room temperature and high temperature.Besides,the ultrasonic energy affected the network structure between clays and polymer chains,thus regulating the rheological properties of the bentonite-polymer system.For two types of drilling fluids investigated,the rheology of the poly-sulfonate drilling fluid was regulated by damaging the grid structure between additives and clays by low-power ultrasound and reducing the clay particle size by high-power ultrasound,while the rheology of the deep-water drilling fluid was mainly regulated by disentangling the spatial grid structure between additives.Additionally,ultrasound showed no effect on the lubricity,inhibition and stability of drilling fluids,which proved the feasibility of ultrasound to regulate rheological properties of water-based drilling fluids.

Notoginsenoside as an environmentally friendly shale inhibitor in water-based drilling fluid

The demand for non-toxic and biodegradable shale inhibitors is growing in the drilling industry.In this paper,the effect of notoginsenoside(NS)as a new,environmentally friendly inhibitor of shale hydration is systematically studied for the first time.The inhibition performance of NS was evaluated via inhibition evaluation tests,including mud ball immersion tests,linear expansion tests,shale rolling recovery tests,and compressive strength tests.The inhibition mechanism of NS was analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR),contact angle measurements,particle size distribution determination,thermogravimetric analysis(TGA),and scanning electron microscopy(SEM).The experimental results demonstrate that NS is able to adhere to the clay surface,forming a hydrophobic film that prevents the entry of water molecules and inhibiting the hydration dispersion of the clay.Because of this,NS can maintain the original state of bentonite pellets in water,which can effectively reduce the swelling rate of bentonite,increase the recovery rate of shale drill cuttings,maintain the strength of the shale,and therefore maintain the stability of the borehole wall during drilling.In addition,NS is non-toxic,degradable,and compatible with water-based drilling fluids.The above advantages make NS a promising candidate for use as an environmentally friendly shale inhibitor.

Application of sustainable basil seed as an eco-friendly multifunctional additive for water-based drilling fluids

Basil seed,containing anionic heteropolysaccharides in its outer pericarp,swells as gelatinous hydrocolloid when soaked in water.In this study,basil seed powder(BSP)was used as a multifunctional additive for water-based drilling fluids.The chemical composition,water absorbency,rheological properties of aqueous suspension of BSP were tested.The effect of BSP on the rheological and filtration of bentonitebased drilling fluid before and after thermal aging was investigated.The inhibition characteristics were evaluated by linear swelling,shale cuttings dispersion and shale immersion test.Lubricity improvement by BSP was measured with extreme pressure lubricity test.The results revealed that incorporation of BSP into bentonite suspension improved rheological and filtration properties effectively after thermal aging of 120℃.BSP exhibited superior inhibitive capacity to xanthan and synergistic effect with KCl.BSP could reduce friction by forming hydration layer.The nanoscale three-dimensional network structures enable BSP to maintain high water retention and absorb strongly on bentonite and metal surface,contributing to enhanced rheology,filtration,inhibition and lubrication properties.The versatile characteristic of BSP,as well as biodegradation makes it a promising additive using in high performance water-based drilling fluid and a potential alternative to conventional synthetic polymers.

Super-amphiphobic, strong self-cleaning and high-efficiency water-based drilling fluids

Based on the amphiphobic theory on underground rock surface, a super-amphiphobic agent is developed and evaluated which can form nano-micro papilla structure on rock, filter cake and metal surface, reduce surface free energy, prevent collapse, protect reservoir, lubricate and increase drilling speed. With this super-amphiphobic agent as the core agent, a super-amphiphobic, strong self-cleaning and high-performance water-based drilling fluid system has been developed by combining with other agents based on drilled formation, and compared with high-performance water-based drilling fluid and typical oil based drilling fluid commonly used in oilfields. The results show that the super-amphiphobic, strong self-cleaning and high-performance water-based drilling fluid has better rheology, and high temperature and high pressure filtration similar with that of oil-based drilling fluid, inhibiting and lubricating properties close to oil based drilling fluid. Besides, the super-amphiphobic system is non-toxic, safe and environmentally friendly. Field tests show this newly developed drilling fluid system can prevent wellbore collapse, reservoir damage and pipe-sticking, increase drilling speed and lower drilling cost, meeting the requirement of safe, high efficient, economic and environmentally friendly drilling. Compared with other drilling fluids, this new drilling fluid system can reduce downhole complexities by 82.9%, enhance the drilling speed by about 18.5%, lower drilling fluid cost by 39.3%, and increase the daily oil output by more than 1.5 times in the same block.

Characteristic analysis of magnetorheological fluid based on different carriers

In order to prepare special MRFs to satisfy the demands of tracked vehicle,two different carrier fluids were used to prepare MRFs.Preparation of MRF,which are based on carrier of special shock absorption fluid and 45# transformer oil,was finished.And characteristics of these samples were tested and analyzed.The results show that Tween-80 and Span-80 can improve the sedimentary stability,and the larger mass fraction can also increase the sedimentary stability.Using 45# transformer oil instead of special shock absorption fluid as a carrier of MRF,the shear yield stress remains nearly constant but the viscosity and the sedimentary stability are reduced.The MRF with diameter of 2.73 μm shows better sedimentary stability than that of the MRF with diameter of 2.30 μm,or 4.02 μm.Stearic acid obviously improves sedimentary stability and off-state viscosity,but has no function on the shear yield stress.In magnetic field of 237 kA/m,the shear yield stress of MRF based on special shock absorption fluid is 18.34 kPa and the shear yield stress of MRF based on 45# transformer oil is 14.26 kPa.

A New Theoretical Model about Shear Stress in Magnetorheological Fluids with Small Shear Deformation

Based on the single-chain structure model of magnetorheological fluids, a formu la for the calculation of shear stresses was established. The interaction force of two magnetic particles in an infinite single-chain was deduced using a new theoretical model which is founded on Ampere' molecular curr ent hypothesis, dipole theory and Ampere' law. Furthermore, the resultant force on a particle was then deduced by taking into account of the action caused by al l the other particles in the single-chain. A predictive formula for shear stres ses was made corresponding to the case that MR fluids were sheared by a small an gle and the calculating results fit well on the order with the yield stresses of the commercial MR fluids.

First order sensitivity analysis of magnetorheological fluid damper based on the output damping force

With many features,the magnetorheological fluid( MRF) damper is widely applied in the semiactive vibration control system. And sensitivity analysis is an important method to study the influence weight of various parameters on damping force characteristics. A mathematical model of the output damping force on the MRF damper is established by the mechanism modeling method,a first order output sensitivity equation is deduced and the expression of the first order output sensitivity function is obtained. The first-order sensitivity functions of ten design parameters are solved,and the influence degree of system parameters change on the output force of MRF damper is analyzed by comparing the sensitivity index of the parameters. Two sensitivities of vibration velocity and control current are obtained through experiment to prove the other parameters sensitivity analysis conclusion by analogy verification,which provides guidance for the structure optimization design of MRF damper.

A new environmentally friendly water-based drilling fluids with laponite nanoparticles and polysaccharide/polypeptide derivatives

Considering the increasing environmental pressure,environmentally friendly and high-performance water-based drilling fluids(WBDFs)have been widely studied in recent years to replace the commonly used oil-based drilling fluids(OBDFs).However,few of these drilling fluids are entirely composed of natural materials,which makes it difficult to achieve real environmental protection.Using laponite nanoparticles and various derivatives of natu ral mate rials,including cro sslinked starch,cellulose composite,gelatin ammonium salt,poly-l-arginine,and polyanionic cellulose,a kind of environmentally friendly water-based drilling fluid(EF-WBDF)was built for drilling in environment-sensitive areas.The properties of this EF-WBDF were evaluated by thermal stability tests on rheology,filtration,inhibition,and salt contamination.Besides,biological toxicity,biodegradability,heavy mental content and wheat cultivation tests were conducted to investigate the environmental factor of EF-WBDF.Results showed that EF-WBDF displayed satisfactory thermal resistance up to 150℃,and the rheological properties did not suffer significant fluctuation,showing potential application in high-temperature wells.The optimal rheological model of EF-WBDF was Herschel-Bulkley model.This EF-WBDF performed an eligible filtration of 14.2 mL at 150℃and a differential pressure of 3.5 MPa.This fluid could still maintain colloidal stability after being contaminated by 7.5%NaCl or 0.5%CaC1_(2).Meanwhile,rather low clay swelling degree of 2.44 mm and high shale recovery of more than 95%ensured the inhibitive capability of EF-WBDF.Furthermore,EF-WBDF presented a half maximal effective concentration(EC_(50))of51200 mg/L and a BOD/COD ratio of 47.55%,suggesting that EF-WBDF was non-toxic and easily biodegradable.The wheat cultivated in EF-WBDF could grow healthily,beneficial for reducing the adverse impact on ecological environment.The formed EF-WBDF has a promising future for drilling in environment-sensitive and high-temperature areas.

A Novel Dual Helical Magnetorheological Fluid Micro-Robot

To address the problem of flexible drive control of gastrointestinal(GI)tract micro-capsule robot posture,a novel dual helix magnetorheological fluid(MRF)micro-robot(DHMRFMR)is proposed and developed in this paper.Based on the mechanical properties of magnetorheological fluid,the relationship model of magnetic field force is obtained,and the thrust model is established.Double micro DC deceleration motor is used to drive the two ends of the helical actuator to make the DHMRFMR forward and backward,by changing the external magnetic field rotation speed,direction and distance,adjust the attitude direction of the robot.Numerical simulation software ANSYS is used to analyze the motion law of external fluid of DHMRFMR,and the visualization of fluid velocity and pressure distribution is realized.The front-end helix actuator can change the flow path of the fluid,and the middle and tail of the DHMRFMR bear less pressure,which improves the stability and flexibility of the robot.The novel DHMRFMR is suitable for internal drive in bending environment,and has a good application prospect in biomedical engineering field in human intestinal unstructured environment.

Preparation and Performance of the Hyperbranched Polyamine as an Effective Shale Inhibitor for Water-Based Drilling Fluid

Seeking effective solutions to control and mitigate the interaction between drilling fluids and clay formations has been a challenge for many years, and various shale inhibitors have shown excellent results in problematic shale formations around the world. Herein, the hyperbranched polyamine (HBPA) inhibitor with a higher ratio of amine groups and obvious tendentiousness in protonation was successfully synthesized from ethylenediamine, acryloyl chloride and aziridine by five steps, in which the metal-organic framework (MOF) was employed as a catalyst for ring-open polycondensation (ROP). The structure and purity were confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance hydrogen spectroscopy and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) respectively. The HBPA displays more excellent performance than EDA and KCl widely applied in the oil field. After aging at 80°C and 180°C, the YP of a slurry system containing 25 wt.% bentonite and 2 wt.% HBPA are just 8.5 Pa and 5.5 Pa (wt.%: percentage of mass), respectively. The swelling lengths of 2 wt.% HBPA are estimated to be 1.78 mm, which falls by 70% compared with that of freshwater. Under a hot rolling aging temperature of 180°C, the HBPA system demonstrates a significant inhibition with more than 85% shale cuttings recovery rate and is superior to conventional EDA and KCl. Mechanism analysis further validates that the HBPA can help to increase the zeta potential.

Experimental Investigation and Semi-Active Control Design of A Magnetorheological Engine Mount

In this paper;the dynamic characteristics of a semi-active magnetorheological fluid(MRF)engine mount are studied.To do so,the performance of the MRF engine mount is experimentally examined in higher frequencies(50~170 Hz)and the various amplitudes(0.01~0.2 mm).In such an examination,an MRF engine mount along with its magnetically biased is fabricated and successfully measured.In addition,the natural frequencies of the system are obtained by standard hammer modal test.For modelling the behavior of the system,a mass-spring-damper model with tuned PID coefficients based on Pessen integral of absolute error method is used.The parameters of such a model including mass,damping ratio,and stiffness are identified with the help of experimental modal tests and the recursive least square method(RLS).It is shown that using PID controller leads to reducing the vibration transmissibility in the resonance frequency(=93.45 Hz)with respect to the typical passive engine mount by a factor of 58%.The average of the vibration transmissibility decreasing is also 43%within frequency bandwidth(50~170 Hz).