Baker Hughes announced the availability of a drilling fluid system that can improve drilling economics by enabling operators to manage circulating pressure more efficiently. The Baker Hughes MPRESS™ drilling fluid system allows operators to reduce their stand pipe pressure and apply more horsepower to the bottomhole assembly and drill bit, thereby increasing rates of penetration and decreasing non-productive time.
Baker Hughes recently commercialized the MPRESS system to reduce viscosity in the drillstring, while optimizing viscosity in the annulus for more efficient cuttings transport. The pressure saved in the drillstring can be used to increase flow rate, provide more power to motors and bits, and save wear and tear on surface equipment. In combination with other Baker Hughes technologies, such as the Autotrak™ Curve rotary steerable system and Talon™ high-efficiency PDC bits, the pressure profile of the MPRESS system enables highly efficient drilling of challenging lateral sections in unconventional reservoirs.
The shear-thinning rheological profile of the MPRESS system has a unique “rapid-set/easy-break” gel structure that minimizes the cuttings in the vertical section of the wellbore from settling into the curve during connections and trips. It also has elevated ultra-low-shear-rate viscosity (ULSRV) that minimizes the likelihood of the cuttings in the lateral section from agglomerating on the bottom of the wellbore “gluing down” during connections. Both the rapid-set gels and elevated ULSRV help keep the wellbore clean and minimize torque and drag associated with cuttings beds in the lateral section. In addition, the gels within the MPRESS system have the ability to break easily, reducing surge pressure when tripping in the hole so mud losses are reduced.