AADE-04-DF-HO-18
Applications of Novel Aphron Drilling Fluids
Frederick B. Growcock, Gerard A. Simon, Jose Guzman and Ben Paiuk, M-I SWACO
This paper was prepared for presentation at the AADE 2004 Drilling Fluids Conference, held at the Radisson Astrodome in Houston, Texas, April 6-7, 2004. This conference was sponsored by the
Houston Chapter of the American Association of Drilling Engineers. The information presented in this paper does not reflect any position, claim or endorsement made or implied by the American
Association of Drilling Engineers, their officers or members. Questions concerning the content of this paper should be directed to the individuals listed as author/s of this work.
Abstract
A few years ago, a novel drilling fluid containing
specially designed microbubbles, or aphrons, was
introduced. This aphron drilling fluid has now been used
to drill successfully through numerous formations which
previously had experienced unacceptably high losses
and differential sticking. Low fluid invasion results from
(a) a base fluid that is highly shear-thinning and
possesses low thixotropy, and (b) microbubbles that can
seal pores and microfractures.
Recent developments have led to aphron drilling fluid
systems with enhanced viscosity profiles, improved
filtration control and reduced lost circulation potential. In
one system, special clays decrease ECDs and provide
structure at low shear rates that prevents drilled solids
from compacting, thus facilitating their removal from the
wellbore. A polymer/surfactant package has been
introduced that works in all of the systems to increase
the longevity and resistance of the bubbles to
pressurization, rendering aphron-based systems even
more effective for sealing problematic loss zones.
The authors discuss the design and properties of
aphron drilling fluids, with particular emphasis on recent
innovations and how these systems provide superior
performance in drilling operations with a high risk of lost
circulation.
Introduction
Aphron fluids have been used successfully in
numerous applications worldwide to drill microfractured
environments, high-permeability formations, and
depleted reservoirs in mature oil and gas fields.1-3 They
have also proven to be a successful, cost-effective
substitute to underbalanced drilling.
These microbubble fluids have two distinctive
features that lead to minimal fluid invasion and minimal
damage to the formation. First, the base fluid is very
highly shear-thinning and possesses a low-shear-rate
viscosity much higher than conventional muds or
reservoir drilling fluids. Furthermore, low thixotropy, as
evidenced by non-progressive gel strengths, enables the
fluid to generate high viscosity very quickly upon
entering a loss zone. Second, the microbubbles
(aphrons) are sufficiently sturdy, yet flexible, to serve as
an effective, minimally damaging bridging material.
Furthermore, aphrons can be incorporated into the bulk
fluid with conventional mud mixing equipment. This
reduces costs and safety concerns associated with high-
pressure hoses and compressors commonly used in air
or foam drilling.4
In this paper, we describe recent innovations and
field applications of aphron drilling fluids.
Aphron Structure and Composition
Drilling fluid aphrons are composed of two
fundamental elements:5 (1) a core of air, and (2) an
outer surfactant-containing shell composed of a
hydrophobic cover to protect against coalescence with
nearby aphrons. A conventional bubble is stabilized by
a surfactant monolayer (Fig. 1) whereas an aphron
achieves its enhanced stabilization with a much stronger
and impermeable shell consisting of a trilayer of
surfactants (Fig. 2).5 The innermost surfactant film is
covered with a sheath of viscosified water and a
surfactant double-layer that renders the aphron
hydrophilic and thus compatible with the continuous
aqueous mud phase. When sufficient shear or
compression is applied to an aphron, the outermost
surfactant layer is stripped off and yields a structure that
is hydrophobic.3,5
Aphrons behave as a bridging material; consequently,
proper sizing and concentration are critical to their
effectiveness as sealants of permeable and fractured
formations. In the field, aphrons are generated in the
drilling fluid through the use of conventional mud-mixing
equipment and specialized aphron-generating surfac-
tants. Aphrons are thought to be polished at the bit jets
to achieve a more uniform size distribution. The system
is generally designed to incorporate 12 15% v/v air at
surface conditions and measured by fluid density,
though this can be adjusted according to the needs of
the individual operator.
Various techniques are utilized to characterize
aphrons: (1) Acoustic Bubble Spectrometry, a technique
which enables analysis of opaque fluids; (2) Sight Flow
Pressurization, which allows for visualization of the
aphrons under varying pressures; (3) Triaxial Loading
Core Leak-Off, which enables aphron strength testing,
sealing capability, and formation damage potential under
varying pressures and temperatures; and (4) Particle-
Size-Distribution Analysis. Under ambient conditions,
aphrons in the field range in size from 15-100 m in
2 F.B. GROWCOCK, G.A. SIMON, J. GUZMAN, B. PAIUK
diameter.6-8
Stabilization of aphrons is achieved through control of
the size, collision rate and the mechanical properties of
the bubbles. The size is a function of the shear energy
put into the system, and surfactant type and
concentration. The collision rate is inversely proportional
to the viscosity of the medium. Increasing bulk viscosity
of the aphron drilling fluid decreases the collision rate.
Thus, a fluid with a very high low-shear-rate viscosity
reduces fluid leak-off to the formation and damage
potential (particularly if it exhibits low thixotropy), but it
also minimizes bubble interaction in the loss zone until
the bubbles reach a pore throat or a fracture tip and
bridge the opening.3
Of the mechanical properties important for aphron
stabilization, low permeability is among the most critical.
Permeability is the tendency for water and air to escape
from the aphron shell and core of the bubble,
respectively. This property is thought to be a strong
function of the shell thickness5 and interfacial viscosity.9
The thickness and viscosity of the aphron shell are
controlled by the unique chemistry of the components
incorporated in the shell, The propensity for water from
the bubble shell to diffuse into the bulk liquid (Marangoni
effect5,9,10) causes thinning of the shell and ultimately
rupture of the bubble. A thicker and more viscous shell
will not thin as readily. Similarly, when pressurized, the
rate at which air diffuses out of a bubble decreases with
increasing shell thickness and viscosity. Diffusion of air
from conventional bubbles into the bulk fluid occurs in
only a fraction of a second.11 Visualization experiments
indicate that aphrons, on the other hand, can survive up
to at least 1500 psia for extended time intervals.
Conversely, in a pressurized aphron drilling fluid
supersaturated with (solubilized) air, PVT experiments
suggest there is a significant lag time in generation of
aphrons from the solubilized air during depressuriza-
tion.6
Aphron Drilling Fluid Properties
Tables 1a and 1b illustrate the formulations of typical
polymer and clay-based aphron drilling fluids. Each fluid
consists of viscosifiers, pH control additives, aphron
generators and stabilizers, and fluid-loss-control
additives. The main difference in the two systems is the
type of viscosifier.
Standard API properties (Table 2) for each system
were acquired in the laboratory, along with LSRV
(Brookfield viscometer, L3 spindle, 0.06 sec-1) and Half-
Life (3 hr) at 70 F after hot-rolling at 150 F for 16 hr.
The Half-Life calculation procedure is given in Appendix
A. There is little overall difference in the properties of
the polymer-based and clay-based aphron systems.
Although the overall rheological profile of the clay-based
aphron system is slightly lower, the fluid loss is twice the
value of the polymer-based aphron system.
AADE-04-DF-HO-18
Ability of Aphrons to Reduce Losses
The aphron shell is engineered to be hydrophobic,
allowing aphrons to agglomerate, yet resist coalescence.
As the aphron drilling fluid enters a formation (Fig. 3),
the individual aphrons are forced together into a large,
network not unlike that of a true foam (>70% vol air),
thereby forming an internal bridge.
Laboratory Leak-off Tests using a Triaxial Loading
Core Leak-Off Tester (Fig. 4) were run according to the
procedure outlined in Appendix B. Results indicate that
both polymer-based and clay-based aphron drilling fluids
can effectively seal cores of even very high permeability
(at least as high as 80 darcy). An example is given in
Table 3 for sealing of a 10-darcy core using a low
wellbore pressure and no back pressure. In this
example, the clay-based aphron fluid appears to provide
even lower leak-off than the polymer-based fluid.
Furthermore, the seal is significantly better with air, i.e.
with aphrons, than without air.
Aphron Drilling Fluid Field Trial in Veracruz, Mexico
Recently, the latest version of a polymer-based
aphron drilling fluid was run on the Copite-92 well,
onshore about 50 km out of Veracruz, Mexico (Fig. 5).
The interval drilled was a depleted fractured limestone.
Rock fracture geometry on a core sample from that
interval was determined by means of Scanning Electron
Microscopy (Fig. 6) to assess whether aphrons would be
capable of bridging the fractures. Most fractures
observed were not active (sealed) and had an average
aperture of about 10 m. Larger fractures (with aper-
tures of 70 to 100 m) were also observed, but these
were deemed to be permanently sealed.
Fluid losses in this field are quite common and
generally very high, even when using light-weight direct
emulsions. The casing program of Copite-92 (Table 4)
indicates that the aphron-based system was employed
to a TD of 9364 ft. This interval was drilled using the
aphron drilling fluid with only minor losses reported.
The operator showed high satisfaction with the
performance of the drilling fluid. Unfortunately, during
the follow-up cementing job, significant fluid losses were
observed, and no production data have been available
since the well was completed. A second trial for the
aphron drilling fluid is planned in the same field.
Summary
Both polymer-based and clay-based aphron drilling
fluids are able to successfully control fluid losses to high-
permeability and microfractured formations. It is
believed that these fluids reduce whole mud losses via a
combination of very high low-shear-rate viscosity and
plugging by uniquely stabilized microbubbles. The
chemistry of these bubbles aphrons enables them to
survive under downhole conditions and to bridge loss
zones, ultimately forming a minimally damaging internal
filter cake.
AADE-04-DF-HO-18 APPLICATIONS OF NOVEL APHRON DRILLING FLUIDS 3

Significant modifications to the chemistry of aphron SI Metric Conversion Factors

drilling fluids have led to the development of an
enhanced polymer-based aphron drilling fluid and a new bbl x 0.159 = m3
clay-based aphron drilling fluid. The enhanced polymer- cP x 1.00 = mPa-s
based aphron drilling fluid was successfully tested in an F x (F-32) X 5/9 = C
onshore field trial near Veracruz, Mexico. ft x 0.3048 =m
gal x 0.00379 = m3
Acknowledgements in x 0.0254 =m
The authors thank the managements of M-I SWACO lb x 0.454 = kg
and MASI Technologies L.L.C. for permission to present lb/bbl x 2.853 = kg/m3
this paper. lb/gal x 119.8 = kg/m3
lb/gal x 0.120 = specific gravity (sg)
Nomenclature lbf/100 ft2 x 0.478 = Pa
BHT = bottom hole temperature psia x 6.895 = kPa
ECD = equivalent circulation density
PVT = pressure volume temperature Appendix A Half-Life of Entrained Air
TVD = total depth The Half-Life method serves as a simple way to
determine bubble stability of aphron-based drilling fluids.
References The calculation assumes that the rate of loss of
1. Brookey, T., Rea, A. and Roe, T.: UBD and Beyond: undissolved air follows standard first order kinetics, as in
Aphron Drilling Fluids for Depleted Zones, presented at the case of a true foam. Although aphrons are better
IADC World Drilling Conference, Vienna, Austria, June 25- characterized as dispersed bubbles rather than foams
26, 2003.
and their rate of decay is not strictly first order,
2. Montilva, J., Ivan, C.D., Friedheim, J. and Bayter, R.:
Aphron Drilling Fluid: Field Lessons From Successful experience indicates that the Half-Life is a fair trend
Application in Drilling Depleted Reservoirs in Lake indicator of bubble stability.
Maracaibo, OTC 14278, presented at the 2002 Offshore First determine the initial amount of undissolved air
Technology Conference, Houston, May 6-9, 2002. incorporated in the mud, or Air Quality, using the
3. Growcock, F.G., Simon, G.A., Rea, A.B., Leonard, R.S., following expression:
Noello, E. and Castellan, R.: Alternative Aphron-Based
Drilling Fluid, IADC/SPE 87134, presented at the 2004 % Airi = [(dt di)/dt] x 100 (Eq. A1)
IADC/SPE Drilling Conference, Dallas, March 2-4, 2004. where dt is the theoretical density of the air-free mud and
4. White, C.C., Chesters, A.P., Ivan, C.D., Maikranz, S. and
Nouris, R.: Aphron-Based Drilling Fluid: Novel
di is the initial density after the aphron generation step.
Technology for Drilling Depleted Formations, World Oil, Determine the final amount of undissolved air
vol. 224, no. 10 (Oct. 2003) 37. incorporated in the mud after some arbitrary period of
5. Sebba, F.: Foams and Biliquid Foams Aphrons, John time, tf, e.g. 3 hr, 24 hr:
Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester (1987).
6. Ivan, C.D., Growcock, F.B. and Friedheim, J.E.:
% Airf = [(dt df)/dt] x 100 (Eq. A2)
Chemical and Physical Characterization of Aphron-Based The rate coefficient for loss of air from the mud, KAir,
Drilling Fluids, SPE 77445, presented at the 2002 SPE is given by:
Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, San Antonio,
Sept. 29 Oct. 2, 2002. KAir = tf-1 ln (% Airi/%Airf) = tf-1 ln (dt di)/(dt df) (Eq. A3)
7. Growcock, F.B., Khan, A.M. and Simon, G.A.: Application
of Water-Based and Oil-Based Aphrons in Drilling Fluids, where df is the final mud density after the desired
SPE 80208, presented at SPE International Symposium waiting period. Note that the Half-Life for decay of the
on Oilfield Chemistry, Houston, Feb. 5 8, 2003. Air Quality, 1/2, is simply equal to
8. Duraiswami, R., Prabhukumar, S. and Chahine, G.L.:
Bubble Counting Using and Inverse Acoustic Scattering 1/2 = ln 2 / KAir = 0.693/KAir (Eq. A4)
Method, J. Acoust. Soc. Am., vol. 104 (1998) 2699. -1
9. Clunie, J.S., Goodman, J.F. and Symons, P.C.: Solvation or 1/2 = 0.693 tf x ln (dt di)/(dt df) in hr (Eq. A5)
Forces in Soap Films, Nature, vol. 216 (1967) 1203.
10. Scriven, L.E., and Sternling, C.V.: Nature, vol. 187 (1960)
186.
11. Bredwell, M.D. and Worden, R.M.: Mass-Tansfer
Properties of Microbubbles. I. Experimental Studies,
Biotech. Prog., Vol. 14 (Jan/Feb 1998) 31.
4 F.B. GROWCOCK, G.A. SIMON, J. GUZMAN, B. PAIUK AADE-04-DF-HO-18

Appendix B Triaxial Loading Core Leak-Off Test

Procedure

1. Saturate core with water.

2. Mount core in Leak-Off Tester and apply
confining stress to at least 500 psig above
system pressure.
3. Raise oven temperature to BHT for the
formation core.
4. Apply back-pressure if so desired.
5. Raise system pressure via accumulator to
desired pressure.
6. Open accumulator to allow for core injection.
7. Treat core for 30 min with aphron-based drilling
fluid, monitoring effluent weight versus time.

Table 1a - Formulation of a Typical Polymer-Based Table 1b - Formulation of Typical Clay-Based

Aphron Drilling Fluid System Aphron Drilling Fluid System
Component Function Concentration Component Function Concentration
Fresh water/brine Continuous 0.97 bbl Fresh water/brine Continuous 0.97 bbl
phase phase
Soda ash Hardness 3 lbm/bbl Soda ash Hardness 0.25 lbm/bbl
Buffer Buffer
Biopolymer blend Viscosifier 5 lbm/bbl Caustic Soda Alkalinity 1.5 lbm/bbl
Polymer blend Filtration 5 lbm/bbl Control Agent
Control Agent Clay/Polymer Viscosifier 25 lbm/bbl
and Thermal Blend
Stabilizer Polymer Blend Filtration 2 lbm/bbl
Alkalinity Control pH control 0.5 lbm/bbl Control Agent
Agent and Thermal
Surfactant Blend Aphron 2 lbm/bbl Stabilizer
Generator Surfactant Blend Aphron 0.5 lbm/bbl
Biocide Biocide 0.05 gal/bbl Generator
Polymer/Surfactant Aphron 1 lbm/bbl Biocide Biocide 0.05 gal/bbl
Blend Stabilizer Polymer/Surfactant Aphron 1 lbm/bbl
Polymer Shale 1 lbm/bbl Blend Stabilizer
Stabilizer Polymer Shale 0.2 lbm/bbl
Oligomer* Defoamer As Needed Stabilizer
*
Optional component Oligomer* Defoamer As Needed
*Optional component
AADE-04-DF-HO-18 APPLICATIONS OF NOVEL APHRON DRILLING FLUIDS 5

Table 2. Standard Properties of Polymer-Based and Table 4. Casing Program for Copite 92 well in
Clay-Based Drilling Fluids Veracruz, Mexico
Formulation Casing Measured Mud MW Bit
Additive Units Polymer Clay Diameter Depth (m) System Size
Sea Water* mL/lab bbl 338 331 (in.) (g/cm3) (in)
Soda Ash g/lab bbl 3.0 0.3 13
Caustic Soda
50 Bentonite 1.10 17
g/lab bbl 1.5 Conductor
Biopolymer Blend g/lab bbl 5.0
9
Polymer Blend g/lab bbl 5.0 400 Polymer 1.23 12
Surface
Clay/Polymer Blend g/lab bbl 25.0
Polymer Blend g/lab bbl 2.0 7
2481 OBM 1.28 8
Alkalinity Control Agent g/lab bbl 2.0 Intermediate
Aphron Generator g/lab bbl 1.0 0.5 5
Shale Inhibitor g/lab bbl 1.0 0.2 2854 Aphron 1.12 6
Liner
Aphron Enhancer g/lab bbl 1.0 1.0

Std API Viscosity, 120 F

o
600 94 84
o
300 78 63
o
200 70 53
o
100 60 42
o
6 39 23
o
3 36 22
PV cP 16 21
2
YP lbf/100 ft 62 42
2
Gel 10 sec lbf/100 ft 39 30
2
Gel 10 min lbf/100 ft 58 46
Fig. 1 - Schematic of Conventional Bubble
-1
LSRV (0.06 sec ), 70F cP 192,000 130,000

API Fluid Loss mL/30 min 7 14

Half-Life hr 152 108

Table 3. Triaxial Core Tester Net Leak-Off Data

Pconfining = 2500 psig, Pinlet = 100 psig, Poutlet = 0 psig,
10-Darcy Aloxite 2-in. length x 1-in. diameter, 77F
Aphron Drilling Fluid Leak-off, mL/30min
No Air 15% Air
Polymer-Based 29 21
Clay-Based 22 10

Fig. 2 - Schematic of an Aphron

6 F.B. GROWCOCK, G.A. SIMON, J. GUZMAN, B. PAIUK AADE-04-DF-HO-18

P
- 9 6 .40 . 0 - 9 6 .2 0 . 0 - 96. 0. 0 - 9 5 .4 0 . 0
Annulus Depleted Formation
L O C .C H IY O T O N -1
L O C . O C T O P U S -1
G
ol
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50
L O C .M U J O L -1
L O C .H U IL O P A -1 L O C . C A R D E L -1 de

0
M 1 9 .2 0 . 0
L O C .C A C H A L O T E -1 x

20
L O C .C H A M O R R O - 1
1 9 .2 0 . 0 L O C . P A C H U Q U IL L A -1 100 ic
o

0
LO C . Z AR ZA 1 P . d e O v e ja s
LO C . X O TLA 1
L O C .P A S T O R - 1

L O C .A N G O S T IL L O - 1

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T . H IG U E R A S LO C . TE C O LO TE 1 19. 0. 0
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M .R .A . LO C . C AM E LP O 1
L O C .T O N IN A -1

Boundary pressure M .P IO N C H E LOC. ACAHUAL 1

= Annular pressure M ECAYUCAN P ie d r a s N e g r aPsL A Y U E L A 1 A lv a r a d o

L O C .C R IO L L O -1

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L O C . A J IL -1 L O C .J A R O C H O -1
C O C U IT E L O C .M U C H IT E - 1 1 8 .4 0 . 0
1 8 .4 0 . 0 A c a t la n
ANGO STURA L O C . G L O M E R O S A -1
L O C .P E R C H E R O N -1 L O C .J A R A N A -1 L O C . A P E R T U R A -1 T lac ota lpa n
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R o
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T in
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Formation pressure
V . C a m a lo te s os

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L O C .C A Z A D E R O -1 L Oa nC .S A U C O -1
L O C .J O A C H IN - 1 L O C . C H A L P A -1
L O C .M O L IT O - 1

ch
L O C .C H A P A R R A L -1
T ie r r a B la n c LaO C .V E N D E T A -1 L O C . S O Y O L A P A -1 L O CL O. FCL .AA MU ING UGROIO-1 - 1 L O C . T IC O M A N -1

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SAN P ABLO L O C .B A L S A M O -1 M IR A D O R
L O C .P IN O S -1 V E IN T E L O C .G E N E S IS - 1
1 8 .2 0 . 0
1 8 .2 0 . 0 G L O R IA

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M
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- 9 6 .4 0 . 0 - 9 6 .2 0 . 0 - 96. 0. 0 - 9 5 .40 . 0

Fig. 3 - Formation Invasion by Aphron Drilling Fig. 5 - Location of Copite-92 Well

Fluid

Temco Hassler Core Holder

Mud Reservoir

Spacer

Series 260D Series 1000D

ISCO Pump Outlet ISCO Pump
Maintains Axial and Measures Volume,
Confining Pressures Pressure, Flow rate
2 core

and Time,
Continuously

Spacer

Inlet

Core Holder Specifications

Max Core Size: 6 length, 2 diameter
Max Working Press/Temp: 2,500 psi/350 F

Data Acquisition Digital Balance Head Space: None

Measures Leak-off Continuously

Fig. 4 - Triaxial Loading Core Leak-Off Tester Fig. 6 - Typical Inactive Fracture on a Limestone
Sample from Copite-18 Well