Evaluating the effect of drill string rotation and change in drilling fluid viscosity on hole cleaning

Abstract The most primitive hole challenge is cleaning the hole, which is more severe in deviated wells. This problem was tackled in this research via experimental analysis and graphical evaluations. To hit this aim, rheological parameters were experimentally obtained, and Noah’s model was used to determine cutting bed erosion time at varying heights. A graphical evaluation was done using a case study of deviated wells X and Y from a Niger Delta field. The result shows that low-viscosity fluid, KCL polymer fluid and high-viscosity fluid take 124, 283 and 342 min, respectively, to erode equal height as graphical evaluation shows that hole cleaning will grow complex on deviation. Thus, the deduction from this work in reducing non-productive time (NPT) related to hole cleaning in drilling operation is first, prior to making a trip, pumping low-viscosity fluid at a high flow rate. Secondly, during drilling, increasing drill string rotation in deviated wells can effectively stir the cuttings into the annulus above the low session of the hole.