The Application and Evaluation of Mud Pills Process for Improving Hole Cleaning in Ecuadorian Oil Well

During the drilling process in the oil fields of Ecuador, the formation penetrated are soft, and the Wellbore configuration is complex, making it difficult for cutting to return out of the wellbore, which complicates the downhole conditions and renders the hole cleaning one of the main technical challenges in the drilling operations of Ecuadorian oil wells. In response to the technical challenges, based on the performance of drilling fluids and the characteristics of treatment agents, the high-frequency mud pills technology was employed to clean the drilling tools and borehole in different well sections. This was achieved through the characterization and monitoring of parameters such as the cuttings transport ratio CTR), cuttings concentration (Ca), cuttings transport index (CCI), and the equivalent circulating density (ECD), which validated the hole cleaning effect. The results indicate that the implementation of the high-frequency mud pills process can effectively remove cuttings from the borehole, with a cuttings transport ratio (CTR) ≥ 50%, cuttings concentration (Ca) ≤ 3%, and cuttings transport index (CCI) ≥ 0.5. The ECD and density change trends are the same, the torque friction is relatively stable, and the effect of the hole cleaning is good. This treatment method fully utilizes the characteristics of drilling fluid treatment agents, as well as the dilution and flushing effects of high-frequency composite segment plugs, enhancing the removal of cuttings. It is particularly suitable for sections with severe cutting build-up and extended reach wells.