Wellbore ballooning or “breathing” is a topic often discussed but not properly understood. Ballooning or breathing is when fluid is forced into the rock’s micro-fractures while pumping which are open only enough to contain fluid but not enough to permanently fracture the rock. When we stop pumping and reduce the hydrostatic or equivalent circulating density, the overburden of the rock forces the fluid back into the wellbore.
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Depending on the drilling conditions, alkalinity and pH need to be a fine-tuned science. In this episode of the WBM Series, Alkalinity, Matt and Justin discuss the sources of alkaline, how they work, and where they fit into the whole picture!
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