Next-Drill Drilling Fluid System

The Baker Hughes NEXT-DRILL™ drilling fluid system offers the cost-effective, invert-emulsion drilling performance you're searching for. You can rely on higher ROP, lower torque and drag, and excellent wellbore stability with rock-strength integrity while minimizing lost circulation, ballooning/breathing, and NPT.

In shale gas and conventional hydrocarbon plays, our invert-emulsion drilling fluid also enables you to drill longer intervals with reduced formation damage, lower equivalent circulating density (ECD), and less wear and tear on tubular goods.

The NEXT-DRILL drilling fluid family includes NEXT-DRILL eC™, NEXT-DRILL LT™, and NEXT-DRILL DM™. This is the complete offering of base-oil options; synthetic, low-toxicity mineral oil; and mineral oil and diesel for enhanced environmental compliance.

For enhanced rigsite safety, staying in the hole longer eliminates the risk and time associated with running additional casing strings. Decreased drilling fluid losses improve well control.

Operator reduces NPT 17%

An operator working in South Texas used a conventional drilling fluid in a well drilled to 15,300 ft [4,663 m]. A liner had to be set earlier than expected. There were severe breathing/ballooning problems with a whole mud loss of 1,959 bbl [312 m3].

We recommended the NEXT-DRILL DM fluid for the six offset wells. The difference was significant. The operator cut whole mud loss; in four wells, there was zero loss.

There were no breathing/ballooning issues; circulating pressure decreased and there were effective fracture gradients. The greater solids tolerance enabled wellbore strengthening. With this better solution, NPT decreased 17%.