Improving the working environment and drilling economics through better understanding of oil-based drilling fluid chemistry

The relationships between oil-based drilling fluid composition and the asso ciated vapors have been quantified. The study documents the long- and short -term changes in base oil selection and fluid compositions. The study is ba sed on the generation and assessment of data collected from the vapor emiss ions of oil-based drilling fluids with varying compositions and at a range of temperatures. The purpose of the study was to enable a better understanding of the potent ial working environment hazards when using mineral oil-based drilling fluid s. One result of this understanding is that new rig construction designs an d older rig upgrades can be performed more informatively. This will reduce the repetition of continual modification costs.