Wellbore stability and size control: assessing the influence of mixed metal oxide mud using case study methodology

Abstract Oil and gas exploration uses a variety of drilling fluids during the drilling process. The drilling fluid serves to protect the wells and maintain the stability of the borehole. One type of drilling fluid currently used is the so-called mixed metal oxide (MMO) mud. This is a type of drillin...

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Main Authors: Mohammed Kelany, Nabih A. Alsayed, Ahmed Z. Nooh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2025-07-01
Series:Journal of Engineering and Applied Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s44147-025-00670-4
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author Mohammed Kelany
Nabih A. Alsayed
Ahmed Z. Nooh
author_facet Mohammed Kelany
Nabih A. Alsayed
Ahmed Z. Nooh
author_sort Mohammed Kelany
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Oil and gas exploration uses a variety of drilling fluids during the drilling process. The drilling fluid serves to protect the wells and maintain the stability of the borehole. One type of drilling fluid currently used is the so-called mixed metal oxide (MMO) mud. This is a type of drilling mud that is environmentally friendly, biodegradable, non-toxic, and low cost. MMO also provides other functions such as hole cleaning, lubrication, cooling, hydraulic lifting, and borehole stabilizing. However, some effects of this type of fluid on the drilling process are still unknown, such as the effect of MMO on the borehole size. This research evaluates the impact of MMO mud on borehole sizes. To understand this effect, a case study was performed using two wells/sections, one drilled with MMO mud and the other with conventional polymer mud. The case study has been performed, including wells located in the same field and with the same formation layers, to isolate the other factors that affect the borehole size, including formation types, local field stresses, and drilling techniques. The results can improve calculations for borehole size in case using MMO mud instead of the conventional polymer mud. The results showed an 11% increase from the theoretical calculation. This important finding is essential for drilling-related calculations, including but not limited to cement calculations and bottom hole assembly (BHA) performance.
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spelling doaj-art-bb6d77a6ba3f436493a9e3dc7c9c2a982025-08-20T03:42:49ZengSpringerOpenJournal of Engineering and Applied Science1110-19032536-95122025-07-0172111810.1186/s44147-025-00670-4Wellbore stability and size control: assessing the influence of mixed metal oxide mud using case study methodologyMohammed Kelany0Nabih A. Alsayed1Ahmed Z. Nooh2Department of Petroleum, Faculty of Petroleum and Mining Engineering, Suez UniversityDepartment of Petroleum, Faculty of Petroleum and Mining Engineering, Suez UniversityDepartment of Exploration, Egyptian Petroleum Research InstituteAbstract Oil and gas exploration uses a variety of drilling fluids during the drilling process. The drilling fluid serves to protect the wells and maintain the stability of the borehole. One type of drilling fluid currently used is the so-called mixed metal oxide (MMO) mud. This is a type of drilling mud that is environmentally friendly, biodegradable, non-toxic, and low cost. MMO also provides other functions such as hole cleaning, lubrication, cooling, hydraulic lifting, and borehole stabilizing. However, some effects of this type of fluid on the drilling process are still unknown, such as the effect of MMO on the borehole size. This research evaluates the impact of MMO mud on borehole sizes. To understand this effect, a case study was performed using two wells/sections, one drilled with MMO mud and the other with conventional polymer mud. The case study has been performed, including wells located in the same field and with the same formation layers, to isolate the other factors that affect the borehole size, including formation types, local field stresses, and drilling techniques. The results can improve calculations for borehole size in case using MMO mud instead of the conventional polymer mud. The results showed an 11% increase from the theoretical calculation. This important finding is essential for drilling-related calculations, including but not limited to cement calculations and bottom hole assembly (BHA) performance.https://doi.org/10.1186/s44147-025-00670-4Borehole sizeDrilling fluid characterizationMixed metal oxide mudPolymer mudWellbore stability
spellingShingle Mohammed Kelany
Nabih A. Alsayed
Ahmed Z. Nooh
Wellbore stability and size control: assessing the influence of mixed metal oxide mud using case study methodology
Journal of Engineering and Applied Science
Borehole size
Drilling fluid characterization
Mixed metal oxide mud
Polymer mud
Wellbore stability
title Wellbore stability and size control: assessing the influence of mixed metal oxide mud using case study methodology
title_full Wellbore stability and size control: assessing the influence of mixed metal oxide mud using case study methodology
title_fullStr Wellbore stability and size control: assessing the influence of mixed metal oxide mud using case study methodology
title_full_unstemmed Wellbore stability and size control: assessing the influence of mixed metal oxide mud using case study methodology
title_short Wellbore stability and size control: assessing the influence of mixed metal oxide mud using case study methodology
title_sort wellbore stability and size control assessing the influence of mixed metal oxide mud using case study methodology
topic Borehole size
Drilling fluid characterization
Mixed metal oxide mud
Polymer mud
Wellbore stability
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s44147-025-00670-4
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AT nabihaalsayed wellborestabilityandsizecontrolassessingtheinfluenceofmixedmetaloxidemudusingcasestudymethodology
AT ahmedznooh wellborestabilityandsizecontrolassessingtheinfluenceofmixedmetaloxidemudusingcasestudymethodology