DIPRO

The system that transforms high-density divalent brines

into premium, biopolymer-free reservoir drill-in fluids
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PRO Series
FLOPRO NT
FLOPRO SF
VERSAPRO
NOVAPRO
FLOTHRU
DIPRO
FAZEPRO
The DIPROsystem is just one product
in the M-I SWACO PROSeries
Each product in the PRO series is engineered around an understanding of,
and a focus on, optimizing your reservoir through a combination of mini-
mizing reservoir damage and maintaining compatibility with the design.
DIPRO
*
. Jointly developed by M-I SWACO and TBC-Brinadd, the water-
base DIPRO system is the industrys only water-base reservoir drill-in
fluid that is biopolymer-free.
FAZEPRO
*
. This system combines the trouble-free drilling of a conven-
tional invert oil-base fluid with the cleanup efficiency of a conven-
tional water-base reservoir drill-in fluid.
NOVAPRO
*
. This invert, synthetic-base reservoir drill-in fluid is designed
for all types of completions, including sand control and non-sand
control, with emphasis on completion compatibility and minimizing
formation damage.
VERSAPRO
*
. This diesel/mineral-oil-base reservoir drill-in fluid takes
the next step from the VERSADRIL
*
and VERSACLEAN
*
systems. The
VERSAPRO system can be used for all types of completions, including
sand control and non-sand control.
FLOPRO
*
NT. The new-technology, non-damaging water-base system
characterized by high Rate of Penetration (ROP), minimal drawdown
pressure, excellent cuttings transport, easy cleanup and global
environmental compliance.
FLOPROSF. The premier, solids-free, water-base, rheologically engineered
reservoir drill-in fluid specifically designed for formations with either
Ultra-Low (UL) permeabilities or extremely viscous oil.
FLOTHRU
*
. This water-base system develops organophilic channels
in the filter cake to provide pathways that permit oil to flow during
production, with lower flow-initiation pressure and resulting lower
water production.
The DIPROsystem gives
you high density, low solids,
minimal formation damage
and easy cleanup in divalent brines

A P P L I C A T I O N S
Onshore and offshore projects
that will use divalent brines as the
completion fluid and/or applica-
tions where a low-solids, high-
density Reservoir Drill-in Fluid
(RDF) is required.

P R O B L E M S
Divalent brines incompatibility with
biopolymers create RDFs that are less
than optimal for hole cleaning and
ECD minimization. In addition, it has
been difficult to remove the filter cake
formed by divalent-brine/biopolymer
systems, increasing cleanup time
and costs.

S O L U T I O N S
The DIPRO
*
system can use a variety
of divalent brines for its base fluid and
achieves high density without loading
the system with solids. It creates a thin,
impermeable filter cake and builds low-
shear-rate viscosity, without producing
high ECDs.

E C O N O M I C S
The DIPROsystems low ECDs reduce
costly fluid losses and formation dam-
age. The system is highly compatible
with various completion fluids and
methods; it can be reused; and its thin
filter cake protects the reservoir and
canbe produced through virtually any
completion equipment.

E N V I R O N M E N T A L
All DIPRO system components are
accepted for use in both the U.S.
and North Sea when utilizing an
approved base brine.
For its base fluids, the DIPRO system
uses the divalent-cation brines and
brine blends CaCl
2
, CaBr
2
, CaCl
2
/
CaBr
2
, CaBr
2
/ZnBr
2
and CaCl
2
/CaBr
2
/
ZnBr
2
in the 11.5 to 17.5-lb/gal
(1.4 to 2.1-kg/L) density range. With
any of these base brines, the system
uses a unique viscosifier/filtration-
control additive in conjunction with
properly sized calcium carbonate
bridging agents to build a fluid that
generates low filtration rates and
produces a thin filter cake to protect
the reservoir.
The systems low ECDs help pre-
vent excessive invasion of whole mud,
especially in formations having low
fracture gradients, such as those
found in deepwater.
Product Functions Description
CaCl
2
, CaBr
2
, CaCl
2
/CaBr
2
, Density and shale inhibition Base brine
CaBr
2
/ZnBr
2
and
CaCl
2
/CaBr
2
/ZnBr
2
DI-TROL
*
Fluid-loss control, viscosity Starch derivative
DI-BALANCE
*
pH control, viscosity Inorganic compound
SAFE-CARB
*
2, 10, 20, 40 Pore bridging Optimally sized
and 250 calcium carbonate
DI-BOOST
*
(optional) Viscosity stabilization Glycol blend
Key Components of the DIPRO System
The key components
of the DIPRO system
The DIPRO system achieves high den-
sity without loading the system with
solids; the only significant solids are
the carefully selected, calcium car-
bonate bridging agent. In addition to
creating a thin, impermeable filter
cake, the DI-TROL
*
and DI-BALANCE
*
components work together to build
Low-Shear-Rate Viscosity (LSRV)
without producing high ECDs.
Features
Biopolymer-free
Divalent-brine base
Precisely controlled
particle-size distribution
of bridging agent
Customized formulations
Low ECDs
Excellent shale stability
Compatible with complex
completions, including
open-hole gravel packs
Benefits
Maximizes production
High production rates sooner
Filter cake is easily removed
Cost-effective, high-
density fluids
Minimal formation damage
Minimal fluid loss with
durable filter cake
Reduces remediation
and disposal costs
High performance in
deepwater applications
PRODUCTION SCREEN TESTER
*
(PST*). The correct
design and maintenance of a reservoir drill-in
fluid is critical where open-hole completions are
planned. The particle-size distribution of solids
in the open hole must be carefully chosen, pri-
marily to bridge across the exposed formation,
but it may also permit flow-back through the
openings in the completion assembly. Initial
fluid design and testing must be done in the
laboratory, but once drilling has started in the
reservoir, any flow-back testing on field samples
normally requires urgent shipping to shore,
resulting in delays of days between sampling
and test results. M-I SWACO has designed the
PST to perform onsite testing of fluid flow-back
at the rigsite. The unit allows field fluid to be
tested in real-time on samples of identical
completion screen.
This test also assists in determining the
optimum cleanup chemistry such as our
BREAKFREE
*
or BREAKOVER
*
treatments.
Completion
Formation damage. The systems unique
viscosifier/filtration-control additive results
in low-filtration rates and protects the
reservoir with a tough, thin filter cake.
Completion compatibility. The system
forms a durable filter cake that remains
intact during completion operations, such
as high-rate water packing, but may also
be flowed back through virtually any
completion during production.
Displacement. Because of the base-
brine composition, the DIPROsystem is
compatible with completion fluids and
displaces easily.
Cleanup. The DIPRO system filter cake
can be produced through a completion,
or be easily destroyed with a variety of
chemical breakers.
Long-term stability. The DIPRO systems
divalent-brine base fluid allows the fluid
to remain in the well for long periods of
time without significant degradation.
Recoverability. The base brine from the
DIPRO system can be easily reclaimed for
use as a completion fluid or for formulating
another DIPRO system.
Drilling
Density requirements. The DIPRO system
functions optimally in the 11.5 to 17.5-lb/gal
(1.4 to 2.1-kg/L) range and its density can
be adjusted within this range without
increasing the solids in the system.
Rheological properties. Typically, the DIPRO
system has a shear-thinning rheological
profile, low plastic viscosity, high yield point
and relatively high LSRV.
Contaminant tolerance. The system toler-
ates the contaminants commonly found
in drilling: cement, drilled solids, reactive
shales and oil.
Torque and drag. While the DIPRO system
produces torque and drag that is slightly
higher than synthetic or oil-base systems,
its lubricity is good for water-base reservoir
drill-in fluid systems. If needed, the systems
lubricity can be enhanced with a compati-
ble lubricant.
Wellbore stability. The base brines used to
formulate the system produce an excellent
level of shale inhibition.
Engineering ease. Because the DIPROsystem
consists of only a few components, it is easy
to mix on the rig and maintain.
The DIPRO System has the Characteristics Youve Come to Expect from M-I SWACO
With the completion simulator developed by
M-I SWACO, we can perform core-flow and
screen-plugging tests under actual working
pressures and temperatures.
Because we can engineer the sys-
tem so precisely, and because of its
flexible chemistry, DIPRO can be for-
mulated in densities ranging from
11.5 to 17.5 lb/gal (1.4 to 2.1 kg/L) for
any of several completion methods:
Open-hole gravel packs
Standalone screens
Slotted/perforated liners
Barefoot
DIPRO success stories
Let the DIPRO system
show you the benefits
of divalent-brine drilling
To hear more about the DIPROsystem,
call the M-I SWACO office nearest you.
One of our representatives will be glad
to tell you how this PRO-technology
system can make a big difference in
your reservoirs productivity.
The M-I SWACO SAFE-CARB bridging agent is
high-purity ground marble which is selected
using our OPTIBRIDGE
*
software to obtain the
optimal blend. In these photos, the disc on top
is coated with a typical filter cake as it would be
deposited by the DIPRO system. The middle photo
shows the even pinholing effect obtained by
back-producing the well, when this is possible.
The bottom photo represents instances where
back-producing is not a viable option; the filter
cake is almost completely dissolved after only a
three-hour soak with 5% HCl acid.
North Sea:
ONE SYSTEM, FOUR WELLS
The DIPROsystem played a major role in
helping a Norwegian operator success-
fully complete a four-well gas reservoir
development project. The DIPROsystem
exceeded customer expectations in
terms of both drilling characteristics
and meeting production objectives.
All four wells were completed
with a shunt-tube, open-hole
gravel-pack system.
The required drilling properties
were maintained while drilling the
600-mD to 5-Darcy, interbedded
shale/sand reservoir section.
Once drilling and logging were
complete, the DIPRO system was
displaced with an unbuffered
13.6-lb/gal (1.6-kg/L) CaBr
2
brine.
The 300-micron screen was run
and gravel packed with 20/40 sand.
The operator reused the same DIPRO
system to drill and complete the
four reservoir sections.
The 8-in. (215.9-mm) intervals ranged
from 470 to 1,444 ft (143.3 to 440.1 m)
at inclinations up to 63, with bottom-
hole temperature reaching as high as
255 F (124 C).
The cake easily disintegrated during
back production without the use of
a chemical breaker.
Gulf of Mexico:
TROPICAL-STORM WINNER
The DIPRO system more than met the
challenge on this U.S. Gulf of Mexico
deepwater project. Despite a nine-day,
tropical-storm delay from the time the
gravel-pack screen was placed in the
open hole and the gravel-pack operations
were initiated, the system performed
beyond expectations. The operator was
very pleased with the systems perform-
ance, especially given the delay caused
by the weather.
A 13.8-lb/gal (1.7-kg/L) DIPRO system
was chosen as the reservoir drill-in fluid.
Due to a small density operating win-
dow between exceeding the fracture
gradient and collapsing a shale section,
the fluid had to have a minimal ECD.
The required properties were main-
tained throughout the 1,524-ft
(464.5-m), 6-in. (165.1-mm)
horizontal interval.
Drilling time was 21.5 on-bottom
hours at an ROP of 70.9 ft/hr
(21.6 m/hr) with no losses to
the formation.
Despite a nine-day storm delay from
the time the gravel-pack screen was
placed in the open hole and the gravel-
pack operations were initiated, the
hole remained stable the entire time.
Once operations resumed, circulation
was established with 100% returns.
P.O. Box 42842
Houston, Texas 77242-2842
Tel: 2815611300
Fax: 2815611441
www.miswaco.com
E-mail: questions@miswaco.com
Technology Centers:
HOUSTON, TEXAS
Tel: 2815611300 Fax: 2815611441
ABERDEEN, SCOTLAND
Tel: 441224334634 Fax: 441224334650
STAVANGER, NORWAY
Tel: 4751577300 Fax: 4751570605
2001 M-I L.L.C. All rights reserved. *Mark of M-I L.L.C.
Order No. MS-04313 2.5M 4/05 Litho in U.S.A.
This information is supplied solely for informational purposes and M-I SWACO makes no
guarantees or warranties, either expressed or implied, with respect to the accuracy and use
of this data. All product warranties and guarantees shall be governed by the Standard Terms
of Sale. Nothing in this document is legal advice or is a substitute for competent legal advice.