Current Situation and Development Suggestions for Drilling Fluid Technologies in China

Thanks to continuous research and field practice in recent years, new progress has been made in drilling fluid technologies in China. In order to systematically understand the research and application of drilling fluid technologies in China and improve drilling fluid systems and performance, research and application of water-based drilling fluid systems recently emerging in China, including polyalcohol drilling fluid with strong inhibitive ability, amine inhibiting drilling fluid, organic salt drilling fluid, ultra-high temperature drilling fluid, micro-bubble drilling fluid, strong plugging drilling fluid, environmentally friendly drilling fluid, and soil-free/solid-free water-based drilling fluid. Furthermore, oil-based drilling fluid systems, such as all-oil-based drilling fluid, water-in-oil emulsion drilling fluid, and soil-free oil-based drilling fluid were summarized, and synthetic-based drilling fluid systems including hydrocarbon synthetic-based drilling fluid and biomass synthetic-based drilling fluid were studied. The problems in the research and field application of drilling fluid were identified, and the causes of these problems were analyzed. Suggestions for developing drilling fluid technologies were put forward according to the field needs and drilling fluid research, application, and specification, which are of certain reference value for the development and application of drilling fluid technologies in China.