Literature
General Information
3M™ Glass Bubbles for Insulation & Buoyancy (PDF, 770 Kb)
Flow Assurance Brochure (PDF, 331 Kb)
3M™ Glass Bubbles Selection Guide (PDF, 388 Kb)
3M™ Glass Bubbles Application Guide (PDF, 767 Kb)
Handling Information
3M™ Glass Bubbles Bulk Container Unloading Suggestions (PDF 806 KB)
3M™ Glass Bubbles Bag Unloading (PDF, 298 Kb)
Product Information
3M™ Glass Bubbles XLD3000 Prod Info Sheet (PDF, 450 Kb)
3M™ Glass Bubbles XLD6000 Prod Info Sheet (PDF, 451 Kb)
3M™ Glass Bubbles S42XHS Prod Info Sheet (PDF, 447 Kb)
3M™ Glass Bubbles HGS Series Prod Info Sheet (PDF, 97 Kb)
3M™ Glass Bubbles K&S Series (PDF, 112 Kb)
Technical Papers
Ultra-Lightweight Cement Slurries Improve Cement Performance
By Fred Sabins, Cementing Solutions, Inc.
Cementing systems using ultra-lightweight hollow spheres can improve lightweight cement performance in deepwater operations and provide a viable alternative to conventional lightweight cement slurries.
Ultra-Lightweight Cement Slurries Improve Cement Performance (PDF, 432 Kb)
Increasing Oil Well Production by Maximizing Under-balance during Perforation
By Melvin Devadass, 3M Malaysia
Perforation is the process that creates a direct link between the wellbore and a producing formation by puncturing holes through the casing and the cement sheath that surrounds it. Perforation involves specialized equipment that creates tiny holes through the casing, the surrounding cement, and any other barrier between the formation and the open well. A number of types of completion techniques have been developed, and the method selected for a given application depends on the characteristics and location of the formation. The perforation application discussed in this article centers on tubing conveyed perforated completion.
The primary cause of wellbore damage and reduced production in any perforated completion is the invasion of pulverized rock formation grains that create a restrictive "low-permeability crushed zone." When accomplished effectively, perforation allows for efficient flow of hydrocarbons into the well hole by minimizing the invasion of this pulverized debris.
Increasing Oil Well Production by Maximizing Under-balance during Perforation (PDF, 361 Kb)
SPE 108423 - Increasing Production by Maximizing Underbalance during Perforation
| Authors |
Badrul M. Jan, SPE, University of Malaya; Graeme Rae, Talisman (M) Sdn Bhd; M. Ishenny Noor and An N Suhadi, Enro Analisa Sdn Bhd and Melvin Devadass, SPE, 3M (M) Sdn Bhd. |
Traditional well fluids have a limited application in depleted reservoirs as the lowest achievable density is on the order of 6.6 ppg. In many depleted reservoirs this density can represent an overbalance. It is not always desirable or operationally practical to provide this underbalance with a gas cushion, and therefore in order to achieve underbalance, it is desirable to engineer a stable fluid with non-damaging chemical properties that would have a significantly lower density.
This paper reports on the formulation of super light completion fluids consisting of Shell Sarapar 147 synthetic oil [Shell MDS (M)], 3M™ Glass Bubbles as a density reducing agent and an appropriate rheology control agent. Laboratory tests show that density values as low as 5.0 ppg could be achieved. Similar mixtures were prepared and used in perforation operations for Talisman's Malaysia. A total of 72 barrels of lightweight completion fluids at about 5.5 ppg was pumped downhole and the perforation job completed successfully.
Production history of the well shows a marked increase in production rate compared to neighboring wells, which produce from the same reservoir, but were perforated traditionally. This technology is not necessarily limited to depleted reservoirs. In normally pressured zones where permeability is extremely low, the fluid provides an opportunity to increase the available underbalance by an order of magnitude to assist cleanup.
A document preview for
SPE 108423 - Increasing Production by Maximizing Underbalance during Perforation is available at OnePetro.org.
SPE 62899 - Field Application of Glass Bubbles as a Density-Reducing Agent
| Authors |
Manuel J. Arco, 3M; Jose G. Blanco, Rosa L. Marquez, PDVSA-Intevep; Sandra M. Garavito, Jose G. Tovar, PDVSA; Antonio F. Farias, Jesus A. Capo, PDVSA E&P |
In this field application, a proprietary oil-in-water emulsion fluid developed by PDVSA-INTEVEP which contained hollow glass bubbles (3M) was used during the drilling of a producing interval. The oil-in-water emulsion provided a suitable fluid base, whereas the glass bubbles, by virtue of their low density, imparted a lower finished density than that of the corresponding base fluid. The density lowering capacity of the glass bubbles is proportional to the concentration of bubbles incorporated in the fluid.
The field trial substantiated that the fluid-glass bubble pair is stable, homogenous, and compatible through conventional mud motors, bits, surface cleaning equipment, and of such rheological and filtrate properties, as to lend itself to be used in low pressure reservoirs and in producing zones of high permeability.
During this field application, we were able to lower and maintain the density of the base fluid at 7.1 PPG. Additional oil production increase was observed relative to a vicinal well (vs. GF-134D) drilled with oil based fluids at an excessive overbalanced. This observation may suggest that damage to the producing zone has been avoided.
This technology is an alternative to the use of aerated fluids, with potential economic and technical advantages due to the elimination of surface compressing and air injection controller equipment, and to the simplification of operations required to avoid excessive overbalance during pipe trips.
Other potential benefits of using this low density fluid includes torque reduction as a result of higher lubricity, reduction in casing wear, higher penetration rates, decreased formation damage, lost control mitigation, and the use of mud pulse MWD tools. Glass bubbles are also a viable alternative to reduce the density of water based drilling fluids, oil and polymer-based fluids, and brines.
A document preview for
SPE 62899 - Field Application of Glass Bubbles as a Density-Reducing Agent is available at OnePetro.org.
SPE 38637 - Field Application of LightWeight Hollow Glass Sphere Drilling Fluid
| Authors |
Medley, Jr., George H., Maurer Engineering Inc.; Haston, Jerry E., Haston Petroleum Consultants; Montgomery, Richard L., 3M; Martindale, I. Dylan, Mobil Oil Company; Duda, John R., US Department of Energy |
A new class of underbalanced drilling fluids being developed under U.S. Department of Energy sponsorship was recently successfully field tested. The fluid utilizes hollow glass spheres (HGS), also known as glass bubbles, to decrease the fluid density to below that of the base mud while maintaining incompressibility.
The field trial substantiated that the fluid-glass bubble pair is stable, homogenous, and compatible through conventional mud motors, bits, surface cleaning equipment, and of such rheological and filtrate properties, as to lend itself to be used in low pressure reservoirs and in producing zones of high permeability.
Potential benefits of using these fluids include higher penetration rates, decreased formation damage, and lost circulation mitigation. When used in place of aerated fluid they can eliminate compressor usage and allow the use of mud pulse MWD tools. These benefits improve drilling economics. These and other recent advances in technology have spurred interest in underbalanced drilling to the highest level in 30 years. Industry-wide surveys indicate that more than 12% of wells drilled in the United States in 1997 will intentionally employ underbalanced techniques.
A document preview for
SPE 38637 - Field Application of LightWeight Hollow Glass Sphere Drilling Fluid is available at OnePetro.org.
SPE 92970 – New Ultra-Lightweight Cementing Technology Proven with Case Studies, Combines Benefits of Current Leading Methodologies
SPE 30500 – Use of Hollow Glass Spheres for Underbalanced Drilling Fluids
