FAZEPRO

Sometimes you need a reservoir drill-in fluid

system that can do two things at once
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Operators are discovering that the FAZEPRO
*
system eliminates the normal trade-off between
faster drilling and easy formation cleanup.
Features
Oil-base drilling performance
Water-base filter-cake removal
Oil-wetting easily reversed
with pH change
Stable chemical package
Water-wet surfaces after
pHchange
Good shale inhibition
Benefits
Faster drilling, stable wellbore
Easier to destroy filter cake
Better production/injection rates
Reduced waste generation
Simplified cleanup through
openhole gravel packs and
other complex completions
No remedial treatments
Drill fast while oil-wet.
Complete cleanwhile water-wet.
Do both with the reversible,
invert-emulsion FAZEPRO system.
Dual objectives ease of completion
and efficient drilling in challeng-
ing well designs and reservoirs
demand a Reservoir Drill-In Fluid
(RDF) that actually can satisfy two
diverse requirements.
Operators today are faced with a
two-sided problem in certain types
of reservoirs:
Drilling requirements demand an
oil- or synthetic-base reservoir drill-
in fluid. While this approach might
meet technical, geological and eco-
nomic objectives, completing a
reservoir with a conventional invert-
emulsion system has drawbacks
in providing full reservoir connec-
tivity during production or injection.
Not only does it make sand-control
completions more difficult, but thor-
ough, even destruction of oil-wet
filter cakes can be time-consuming
and extremely costly.
Completion requirements call for
a water-base system that makes
it much easier to destroy the filter
cake, but the system may be unable
to inhibit water-reactive shale and
its inherent clays, compromising
drilling efficiency. In such cases, a
troublesome, costly and often inade-
quate completion negates a fast and
efficient drilling phase.
Operators demand both drilling
efficiency and unimpaired comple-
tions. The industrys only reversible,
invert-emulsion reservoir drill-in fluid
system delivers performance plus
non-damaging, single-stage destruc-
tion of oil-base filter cake with an
overall completion simplicity greater
than that of water-base fluid.
Filter-cake removal is a
matter of good chemistry
While drilling the reservoir, the
FAZEPRO system generates the high
performance you expect from an
invert-emulsion system. With the oil-
or synthetic-base fluid serving as the
continuous phase, the FAZEPRO sys-
tem delivers the excellent inhibition
and lubricity inherent in these fluids,
resulting in a high-quality wellbore
and a cost-effective rate of penetra-
tion. The FAZEPRO system generates
and maintains its strong invert
emulsion during drilling operations.
Once you reach the completion
phase, the uniqueness of the FAZEPRO
system really becomes apparent.
By simply adjusting the pH of the
breaker solution, the wettability of
the filter cake is transformed from
an oil-wet state to water-wet. Once
the filter cake is water-wet, it can be

A P P L I C A T I O N S
Openhole completions that require
thorough filter-cake destruction for
unimpeded production or injection;
openhole gravel packs after drilling
with an invert-emulsion system;
cased-hole injector wells requiring
destruction of residual emulsifiers
within formation pores.

P R O B L E M S
Conventional invert emulsions are
extremely difficult to destroy chemi-
cally. Solvents and surfactants often
promote rapid but uneven break-
through of the filter cake, yielding only
limited destruction and a residue that
can plug the formation pores or the
completion assembly/gravel pack.

S O L U T I O N S
The award-winning FAZEPRO systems
filter cake can be easily destroyed dur-
ing or after completion by breakers
having a moderate pH (<7) or by more
aggressive acids. Gentle, engineered-
delay breakers allow uniform destruc-
tion of the filter cake, with little to no
problematic residue.

E C O N O M I C S
By promoting communication with
the reservoir, FAZEPRO chemistry
enhances productivity or injectivity,
removing solids/fluid residue. As an
invert-emulsion drilling fluid, it deliv-
ers problem-free drilling and a stable
wellbore in challenging environments.

E N V I R O N M E N T A L
The FAZEPRO system reduces the vol-
ume of drilling fluids and contami-
nated interfaces generated during
drilling and completion. Its easily
reversible chemistry allows less-
aggressive, moderate-pH breakers
to be used, minimizing impact on
personnel and the environment.
Filter-Cake Cleanup with 40/60 Gravel Pack
100 Rate of fluid loss (gm/min)
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
10 15 20 25 30 35
Time (min)
2.54-in. (65-mm) Sand Depth, CaCO
3
1.69-in. (43-mm) Sand Depth, CaCO
3
0.85-in. (22-mm) Sand Depth, CaCO
3
2.54-in. (65-mm) Sand Depth with Barite
Once the pH is modified, filtration rises dramati-
cally, even when traces of barite are on the now
water-wet filter cake.
removed easily and entirely with
water-base breaker treatments. Even
challenging gravel packs that are
known to restrict lift-off/flowback
performance and uniform accessibil-
ity of a breaker system to the filter
cake (particularly with aggressive
treatments) are not a problem for a
FAZEPRO invert emulsion. The result
is mitigation of formation damage
and completion impairment.
As an added bonus, FAZEPROchem-
istry has been shown to be exception-
ally effective for water-injection wells,
especially when immediate post-
completion injectivity is desired with-
out preproducing the well to clean
up the reservoir.
Reversal from water-in-oil
to oil-in-water
In the past, powerful surfactants and
solvents were commonly used prior
to well production/injection in an
attempt to remove or break down
conventional invert-emulsion filter
cakes, but they met with only limited
success. The FAZEPRO invert-emulsion
system changed all that.
When the pH of the environment
around the filter cake is lowered dur-
ing completion, the FAZEPRO filter
cake is converted from a water-in-oil
emulsion to a direct oil-in-water
emulsion, resulting in easy and com-
plete filter-cake destruction. The
uniquely engineered FAZEPRO system,
consisting of FAZE-MUL* emulsifier
and FAZE-WET* wetting agent, allows
for an easy, single-stage efficient
cleanup using gentler dissolution
chemicals to achieve a better and
more uniform result.
The FAZE-MUL product is the indus-
trys only emulsifier capable of being
reversed from an invert emulsion into
a water-wet surfactant. M-I SWACO*
designed the emulsifier package so
that alkalinity conditions slightly
below neutral (pH 7) will change
the oil-wet filter cake to a water-
wet state. This reversible mechanism
can permit total destruction of the
filter cake, removing the barrier that
was created between the formation
face and the wellbore, thus regaining
reservoir connectivity. This reversal
process has contributed to increasing
reservoir productivity/injectivity.
The emulsifier package is coupled
with an application-specific, brine-
base internal phase and uses organo-
philic clay for viscosity and lime
as the alkalinity agent. The brine
requires no special makeup, and it
can be incorporated into a variety of
invert-emulsion base fluids including
synthetics, diesel, mineral oils, paraf-
fins and olefins any base fluid you
would use in a conventional invert
system. The organophilic clays are
also used to create viscosity
in reduced concentrations when
compared to conventional
invert-emulsion fluids.
Two approaches
to remove filter cake
Easy, efficient destruction of the filter
cake is crucial to smooth completion
operations. There are two approaches
to destroy the integrity of filter cake:
dispersion or dissolution.
Dissolution is the act of destroying
the filter-cake components to reduce
the likelihood of solids impairing the
formation or completion. Dissolution
is the method of choice for injector
wells using any type of openhole
completion and production wells
that are gravel-packed or that
use fine-gauge premium and/or
expandable-screen completions.
Dispersion involves destroying
the integrity of the filter cake to allow
the residual solid particles (bridging
solids and drilled solids) to flow back
through the completion or fall out
of the way. Dispersion is generally
applicable to gas or oil producers that
are barefoot or predrilled-liner com-
pletions. It can also be useful in
some gravel-pack completions.
Oil
Oil
Acid
Base
Water
Water
Filter cakes deposited by traditional invert-
emulsion reservoir drill-in fluids (top) can be
costly and time-consuming to clean up, unlike
those from a FAZEPRO system (bottom).
Adjusting alkalinity to reverse emulsion.
Changing the pH around in the FAZEPRO
systemchemistry converts a water-in-oil
emulsion into a direct oil-in-water emulsion
for easy and complete cleanup.
The FAZEPRO systems chemistry
simplifies both of these processes.
In fact, it is easier to destroy the
integrity of the FAZEPRO filter cake
than that of many water-base reser-
voir drill-in fluid filter cakes that
require finding and breaking down
polymers of various molecular
weights. The integrity of a FAZEPRO
filter cake is generated by the invert
emulsion. Separating the two phases
(oil and water) compromises the
filter cake.
M-I SWACO has taken drilling
and openhole completions to a new
level with a field-proven system
that provides wellbore stability and
excellent shale inhibition without
sacrificing efficient, simplified com-
pletions. The result is that operators
can now control the fluids during the
completions rather than the fluids
controlling operations.
FAZEPRO breakers:
Providing more control to
filter-cake removal through
SMART RDF technology
Breakers are designed to destroy the
integrity of the filter cake created
during the drilling process, and their
action may remove one or more of
the drilling-fluid components, as
needed. This destruction should
occur in a timed, controlled and
predictable fashion.
Originally, acids (organic or inor-
ganic) were the preferred agents for
destroying the FAZEPRO filter cake.
While acids provide the necessary low
pH, they can act rapidly and without
regard for the downhole components
they attack, including tubulars and
formation components. Acids gener-
ally require additional equipment,
such as boats, tanks and/or coiled
tubing, that allow placement along
the openhole-completed interval.
This results in extra costs, time and
risk to complete the well.
M-I SWACO has overcome these
challenges by creating SMART RDF*
breakers that permit placement
during the completion while main-
taining well control. The controlled
destruction generated by these
breakers during or after completion
is so efficient that post-completion
intervention breaker treatments
are not required. The three FAZEPRO
breakers FAZE-AWAY
*
, FAZE-OUT
*
and
FAZEBREAK
*
lend greater control to
FAZEPRO filter-cake destruction.
FAZE-AWAY breaker, when used as
a spacer/pill during displacement,
dissolves filter cakes created by the
FAZEPROsystem. It is recommended
for higher-temperature (>210 F
[99 C]) producer wells, for open-
hole completions that use stand-
alone or expandable screens, and
after gravel-pack operations per-
formed inopenhole completions.
It is most applicable where signi-
ficant delay in breakthrough is
desired; FAZE-AWAY breaker can delay
breakthrough for more than 20 hrs.
FAZE-AWAY breaker is also applicable
for formations that are sensitive
to water-base treatments.
FAZE-OUT water-base breaker dis-
solves FAZEPRO filter cakes in injector
or production wells. It can be mixed
at the rigsite and is designed for
total dissolution of invert-emulsion
filter cakes, permitting ready flow-
back through restrictive openhole
completions, such as premium
screens and openhole gravel packs.
FAZE-OUT breaker possesses a rela-
tively low corrosion rate due to the
controlled release of its D-STRUCTOR
*
component. FAZE-OUT breaker can
be incorporated into the gravel-pack
fluid placed at the end of the comple-
tion or can be used as a remediation
treatment when properly engineered.
FAZEBREAK breaker is an adaptable
fluid based on chelant chemistry
for dispersion of residual FAZEPRO
Component Function Formulation
Base fluid (synthetic, Provides continuous As needed for SWR/OWR
mineral oil) phase for system
CaCl
2
/CaBr
2
Internal phase inhibition As needed for SWR/OWR
or density
VG-PLUS
*
Viscosity 1 5 lb/bbl
FAZE-MUL
*
Primary emulsifier 8 12 lb/bbl
FAZE-WET
*
Wetting agent 1 4 lb/bbl
Lime Alkalinity 3 9 lb/bbl
SAFE-CARB
*
Acid-soluble bridging material >30 lb/bbl
Formulation for a General FAZEPRO System
Typical Formulation and Properties
of a Mineral-Base FAZEPRO System
as used in West Africa, tested at
150 F (66 C)
filter cakes used in drilling pro-
duction zones. It is formulated for
openhole completions, specifically
gravel pack. The FAZEBREAK breaker
is designed to promote these char-
acteristics: a delay of the reversal
process, thereby mitigating losses;
reversal of the residual FAZEPRO
solids from an oil-wet to a water-
wet state; water-wetting of the
residual solids; and initiation
of the chelationprocess. Unique
characteristics allow placement
of the breaker during the com-
pletion and subsequent pulling
of the completion tubulars without
excessive losses.
FAZEPRO success stories
Africa Equatorial Guinea
FAZEPRO SYSTEM BOOSTS
INJECTION RATES AT
LOWER PRESSURES
The FAZEPRO invert-emulsion system
was successfully used to drill an 8-in.
reservoir interval offshore Equatorial
Guinea and resulted in achieving the
highest injectivity rate and the lowest
injection pressure, once the filter cake
was destroyed with acid, of any of
the previous injectors drilled from
this location. Injection performance
resulted in 30% more seawater at
40%less pressure than expected.
This was also more than twice the
amount injected on the best offset
at 30% of the injection pressure.
In an effort to further reduce required
rig time and extra equipment on subse-
quent wells, a FAZE-OUT breaker was
used. After running the production
screen and displacing the FAZEPRO sys-
tem with completion fluid, a FAZE-OUT
breaker was spotted over the openhole
section. No losses were encountered
during placement or during the 5 hrs
it required to remove the wash pipe
and isolate the openhole section from
hydrostatic pressure. The FAZE-OUT
breaker remained in contact with the
filter cake for 55 hrs while the upper
completion was installed. The injec-
tion test provided comparable results
to acid-treated FAZEPRO filter cakes in
this field.
Costly rig and coiled-tubing equip-
ment time was eliminated while pro-
viding uniform FAZEPRO filter-cake
destruction. Handling of aggressive
acids and related equipment was
also eliminated.
Formulation
Base oil, bbl 0.462
VG-69*, lb/bbl 2
Lime, lb/bbl 6
FAZE-MUL
*
, lb/bbl 12
FAZE-WET
*
, lb/bbl 4
CaCl
2
, lb/bbl 47.83
Water, bbl 0.41
SAFE-CARB
*
40, lb/bbl 15
SAFE-CARB 10, lb/bbl 15
Properties
Plastic viscosity (cP) 31
Yield point (lb/100 ft
2
) 21
Low-shear yield point
(lb/100 ft
2
) 6
10-sec gel (lb/100 ft
2
) 6 10
10-min gel (lb/100 ft
2
) 10 20
P
OM
alkalinity of whole
mud (mL) < 3.0
Electrical stability (volts) 500 800
HTHP fluid loss @ 250 F
(121 C) (mL) 5
Simulator Results of Pressure-Drop Comparison
As shown in the table, both drilling fluids yield similar core return permeability (82 to 83%) values.
However, the table and graph reveal that the filter cake deposited by the SBM plugged the screen,
whereas the FAZEPRO filter cake did not damage the screen. This data can be explained by the fact that
the FAZEPRO systems components were well-dispersed or dissolved by the acid treatment, so there was
no coherent filter cake left to plug the screen.
Initial Pressure Final Pressure Initial Pressure Final Pressure
Drop Across Drop Across Drop Across Drop Across
Core, psi (bar) Core, psi (bar) Screen, psi (bar) Screen, psi (bar)
Conventional,
synthetic-base
fluid 2.30 (0.15) 2.77 (0.19) 0.1 (0.01) >300 (>20.7)
FAZEPRO
*
2.34 (0.16) 2.85 (0.20) 0.1 (0.01) 0.3 (0.02)
FAZEPRO success stories
Africa Cabinda
FAZEPRO SYSTEM
HELPS INJECTORS
EXCEED EXPECTATIONS
On a project in Cabinda, an 8-in. inter-
mediate section was drilled over 4,000 ft
(1,219 m) through shales with conven-
tional oil-base mud. The open hole was
then displaced to a 9.6-lb/gal (1.15-kg/L)
FAZEPRO system. Drilling continued an
additional 1,389 ft (423 m) through
unconsolidated sand.
A combination slotted liner and solid
liner was run in the well and placed
across the targeted sands. The solid
liner was cemented in place after inflat-
ing an expandable casing packer. The
solid casing and riser were displaced
with brushes and a series of wash pills
to 19% KCl brine. The FAZEPRO system
was then displaced fromthe slotted liner
with wash pills and KCl brine. The solid
liner was washed with an acidic reversing
pill to remove the residual FAZEPRO RDF.
The gravel-pack screen was run
and the interval was gravel packed
with slick water. Subsequently, acetic
acid was used to destroy the FAZEPRO
filter cake. This instigated losses to
280 bbl/hr. The upper completion
was run after controlling losses with
a SEAL-N-PEEL
*
pill, and the well
exceeded estimated injection rates.
FAZEBREAK BREAKER
HELPS CONTROL
PRODUCTION WELLS
After attempting to use acid to destroy
a FAZEPRO filter cake on an openhole
gravel-pack producer, the operator real-
ized that a treatment was needed to pro-
vide more control for more complete
filter-cake destruction. The acid treat-
ment had been performed with a short
stinger and resulted in immediate break-
through, but the acid bypassed the
majority of the filter cake. On subse-
quent wells, a FAZEBREAK breaker was
used to enable uniform placement
across the entire interval during the
gravel-pack operation or just prior to
extracting the wash pipe. The slow
reaction rate of the FAZEBREAK breaker
provided sufficient control and resulted
in no unplanned losses, even during
the gravel-pack operation.
This method was utilized on five
subsequent openhole gravel-pack com-
pletions with the same results. The
FAZEBREAK breaker was allowed to dif-
fuse through the gravel, destroying
the filter cakes over several days
time. The wells produced above
expectations and without the need
for post-completion intervention.
FAZE-AWAY INVERT
BREAKER EXCEEDS
PRODUCTION
EXPECTATIONS BY 70%
In a field where the target formation con-
tained significant carbonate mineralogy,
the operator wanted a breaker system
that could be placed as a part of the com-
pletion to avoid dissolving the carbonate
minerals and minimize the amount of
water contacting this sensitive reservoir.
The FAZE-AWAY invert-emulsion
breaker, which significantly reduces
the amount of water in the breaker
treatment, was the ideal choice for this
application. The controlled release of
the active component helped avoid
rapid, aggressive destruction of the
FAZEPRO filter cake and formation
mineralogy. It also provided a delay
of 27 hrs in the onset of losses, giving
the operator time to finish the upper
completion. Production was more than
70% greater than expected.
FAZEPRO success stories
China Bohai Bay
OPERATOR VALUES
FAZEPRO FLUID
PROPERTIES AS CRITICAL
The FAZEPRO fluid system has been
used on numerous Bohai Bay produc-
tion wells. Prior to drilling sidetrack
wells through six producing zones, the
production rate from the original wells
averaged 1,500 Barrels of Oil Per Day
(BOPD). These wells had been drilled
with conventional oil-base mud and
completed with a variety of stand-alone
screen types; mostly very restrictive
premium screens. Subsequent to the
acid-breaker application, the FAZEPRO
system helped achieve production in
excess of the anticipated 3,000 BOPD
on several wells, doubling field produc-
tion with the addition of only 50%
more wells.
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
2007 M-I L.L.C. All rights reserved. *Mark of M-I L.L.C.
FBR.0606.0705.R1 (E) 2.5M 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.