On the assessment of the carrying capacity of drilling fluids

Abstract

Methods for evaluating the carrying capacity of drilling fluids for effective hole cleaning are considered. An indicator of the carrying capacity of drilling fluids is proposed, considering the completeness of the flow profile in the annulus. For the rheological models of Newton, Ostwald, Bingham, Herschel – Bulkley and Shulman – Casson, the influence of flow rate and rheological properties on the carrying capacity index in laminar flow in a concentric annular gap is studied. Based on the analysis of field data, the effect of temperature on the carrying capacity of drilling fluids is shown. Keywords: carrying capacity; drilling fluid; laminar flow; rheological model.