Kelly Fox, Carl Soffer and Beau Utley, Drilling Specialties Company
A new friction reducer was tested in various fluids to measure its performance in both a small scale flow loop and a field scale system. The polymer was mixed into fresh water and a 1% KCl brine, then pumped through 1_ inch coiled tubing and straight pipe. Drag reduction as high as 69% was achieved in the coiled tubing, and as high as 84% in straight pipe. The study also included 7% KCl, 10 ppg NaCl and 11.4 ppg CaCl2. A small scale flow loop, consisting of _ inch diameter coiled tubing and straight pipe was used. There was good correlation between the fresh water friction pressures measured in the small scale flow loop and full scale system for straight pipe. The measurements using the _ inch coiled tubing over estimated the amount of friction anticipated in the larger coiled tubing. The heavier brines generally required greater polymer loadings.