N-FLOW™ Breaker Systems
Lubricants
Successful use of BARO-LUBE®
GOLD SEAL lubricant in oil-based
fluid
Measured
Depth (feet)
Location: Gulf of Mexico
OPERATOR’S CHALLENGE – After experiencing
stuck pipe, the operator was unable to run wireline past
11,900 feet through the drill string to achieve a free point
log. Coil tubing was then used to cleanout the interior of
the drill string to run logs. However, the coil tubing unit
was not able to get below 11,800 feet because of high
friction in the 47 degree wellbore. The fluid system being
used was a diesel based system.
HALLIBURTON’S SOLUTION – Baroid recommended
adding BARO-LUBE® GOLD SEAL lubricant to the
active mud system to reduce the metal on metal friction
between the coil tubing and the drill string. Recent lab
testing had shown a reduction in the friction co-efficient
when using BARO-LUBE GOLD SEAL lubricant in oilbased fluid, which is typically used in water-based fluids.
It is typically thought that friction can not be reduced in
oil-based fluids.
ECONOMIC VALUE CREATED – Friction was
reduced which allowed the coil tubing unit to clean out the
drill string so that a free point and back-off could be made
at the lowest depth possible to recover the majority of the
drill pipe that was stuck in the wellbore. This was the first
time that BARO-LUBE GOLD SEAL lubricant was used
in an oil-based fluid environment to reduce friction, and
proved successful.
8000
24000
19000
9000
31000
21000
10500
39000
24000
11000
43000
26000
11300
45000
26000
11400
46000
26000
11500
46500
26000
11700
47000
26000
11800
48000
26500
12000
27000
12300
27500
12450
27500
Comparison between tubing pick-up weights required with the
use of BARO-LUBE® GOLD SEAL lubricant and before the
lubricant was applied.
60000
50000
40000
Measured Depth
BARO-LUBE GOLD SEAL lubricant was added to the
mud system at 2% by volume. The friction was reduced
significantly and enabled the operator to clean out the drill
string with the coil tubing unit to make a free point and
back-off of the drill string.
Tubing pick-up weight
Tubing pick-up
with
weight before (lbs) BARO-LUBE® GOLD SEAL
lubricant (lbs)
30000
20000
10000
0
Weight (lbs)
Before adding
BARO-LUBE GOLD SEAL
With BARO-LUBE
GOLD SEAL
H09817 09/12