Definition of Completion fluids
Completion fluids or drilling fluids are specially prepared brine fluids that are formulated especially for assisting in oil drilling activities. The completion fluid should be chemically compatible with the reservoir formation. Completion fluids are prepared in a way that their density, flow, and pH level is maintained as per the drill well which helps in the performance of the well production zone. A good completion fluid is an effectively filtered and solid free liquid that adds value to the production oil well bore. They are used to aid drilling boreholes into the earth. Completion fluids are used in completion operations of oil and natural gas wells such as setting screens production liners, packers, down hole valves or shooting perforations into the producing zone. They usually comprise of chlorides and bromides, clear brine liquids but they can be any fluids with the characteristic high density.
The global completion fluids market is expected to significantly increase from the $10.86 billion in 2013 to $18.37 billion by 2020, at 7.8% CAGR. The global market is likely to take a hike in their use in the shale activities in the US, Gulf of Mexico, and Canada. The demand is also particularly high in Europe and Asia Pacific region; particularly in China, India, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. Completion Fluids India is gaining demand globally because of their considerable production supply in the last few decades.
Uses of Completion Fluids
The completion fluids are used in deep, high pressure oil and gas wells that do not plug the formation in workover and completion operations and are much better at performing a filtered drilling than the traditional drilling muds. The bromide salt brine liquids like calcium bromide liquid, Sodium Bromide Liquid, and zinc bromide fluids due to their high densities and brine compositions, both desired properties for completion and drilling fluids are used widely for the drilling and completion activities.
Density of Calcium Bromide
Calcium Bromide, clear brine liquid is used as single salt brine in densities ranging from 11.7 lbs/gal to 15.1 lbs/gal. It is used as a single-salt or a spike fuel that increases densities of other fluids up to 14.2lbs/gal. Sodium Bromide, a salt is used alone or in a combination with sodium chloride or other bromides to form clear workaround and drilling fluids with densities of 8.4-12.5 lbs/gal. Zinc Bromide, a solids-free fluid has a maximum density of 19.2lbs/gal. The bromide fluids have excellent high density that suits perfectly the requirements for making a good completion fluid. But these bromides can be prepared to form varying compositions of multi-salt brines that form excellent drilling, completion, and packer fluids for the oil drilling activities. Preparing multi-salt brines from these bromides forms excellent completion fluids that are needed in the drill formation liquids.