Prediction of Barite Sag Potential of Drilling Fluids from Rheological Measurements

Abstract

Abstract Barite sag under static and dynamic conditions has been studied in the laboratory. Static sag has been related to viscoelastic properties of several fluids. These viscoelastic properties are related to gel formation which needs to be sufficient to keep barite in suspension. This static sag was not predictable by the use of standard VG viscometers. Dynamic sag can be severe even when static sag is negligible. The understanding of dynamic sag is much more difficult than sag under static conditions.