As part of the implementation of the esteemed President’s long-term scientific and educational policy, the primary objective set before the scientists of our country and society as a whole is to elevate Turkmenistan’s scientific development to a global level, enhance the efficiency of scientific research and technical developments, and orient them toward solving societal and practical challenges.

In recent years, plans have been made to expand the scale of oil and gas well drilling. The development of the technical and economic indicators of drilling largely depends on the quality of drilling fluids, as well as the technical and technological efficiency of their preparation. The quality of drilling fluids and their compatibility with geological conditions affect the drilling speed, borehole wall stability, the ability to prevent complications and accidents, the effectiveness of penetrating productive formations, the durability and reliability of drilling equipment, the success of cementing, and the overall cost of well construction. Drilling fluid washes out rock particles. When drilling clay formations, swelling occurs, leading to thickening and contamination of the drilling fluid.

To successfully address the challenges associated with drilling wells in clay-bearing formations, it is necessary to develop and select compositions of modified drilling fluids. One method of modification is the addition of agents that prevent clay swelling. These substances are called inhibitors, and drilling fluids containing them are referred to as inhibited fluids. Inhibited drilling fluids offer several advantages: they enhance borehole wall stability, prevent spontaneous rock disintegration and dispersion into the drilling fluid, and possess high clay-carrying capacity.

To reduce complications when drilling in clay deposits and maintain borehole wall stability, our institute’s drilling fluid and well-cementing laboratory conducted comprehensive research to develop a modified inhibiting additive. The results showed that when using the new inhibiting composition, drilling fluids demonstrated increased clay-carrying capacity, reduced filtration rates and filter cake thickness, and maintained stable fluid parameters at temperatures of +50–70°C. This confirms the high inhibitive properties of the composition.

The additive developed to prevent clay swelling, when introduced into the drilling fluid, engages in a physico-chemical interaction with the clay, suppressing hydration and swelling processes. As a result, the risk of borehole collapse and wall displacement is reduced, while ensuring the stability of the drilling fluid during both operation and shutdown of the drilling equipment.

Esen TAGANGYLYJOV,
Engineer at the "Nebitgazylmytaslama" Institute
State Concern "Türkmennebit"

Source: "Balkan" Newspaper