Second Generation Synthetic Fluids in the North Sea: Are They Better?

At the beginning of the 1990's, three synthetic type materials were introduced - esters, ethers and polyalphaolefins. Now after heading towards the last half of this decade, a new generation of synthetics are gaining popularity - linear alpha olefins and isomerised olefins. Another base fluid, linear paraffin, which can be considered pseudo-oil rather than synthetic, is also making an impact. Each of these materials have similarities as well as differences both as base fluids and drilling muds. North Sea applications of synthetic-based muds highlight the major aspects which not only delineate the first generation of fluids from the second but also the various fluids themselves. Each area - the United Kingdom, Norway, and the Netherlands - not only have different marketplaces, but also different emphasis on the many facets of environmental as well as health and safety concerns. This variance from country to country provided the impetus for the introduction of these various fluids. This paper provides an overview of these second generation fluids and deals with their technical, environmental, and economical status as it relates to the North Sea drilling area. It will also discuss these second generation fluids in light of their predecessors and emphasise the differences. Details will be provided into the chemistry of these second generation fluids and actual field data will be provided to illustrate their effectiveness.