Abstract: A method to control drilling fluid properties, including: circulating a drilling fluid through a wellbore to form a suspension of drilled solids in the drilling fluid; and separating the suspension in a separator to form a particulate fraction and an effluent, wherein the particulate fraction includes at least a portion of the drilled solids and the effluent includes the drilling fluid. The particulate fraction may include particulates having a minimum particle size of 100 microns or greater, and the effluent may include a micronized weighting agent having a particle size d90 of 10 microns or less.

Abstract: A method for drilling and completing a wellbore that includes drilling a wellbore through a subterranean formation with a wellbore fluid, the wellbore fluid comprising: a base fluid; and micronized weighting agent; and disposing a sand screen in an interval of the wellbore with the wellbore fluid is disclosed.

Abstract: A method of increasing a rate of penetration when drilling as compared to drilling with a baseline drilling fluid comprising an API-grade barite weighting agent and having a given sag, settling rate, density, flow rate, and pressure drop through a wellbore, comprising: circulating a drilling fluid comprising a base fluid and a micronized weighting agent through the wellbore; wherein the drilling fluid is characterized as having an equivalent density, an equivalent or lower settling rate, and an equivalent or lower sag than the baseline drilling fluid; wherein the circulating is at a higher flow rate than the baseline drilling fluid flow rate; and wherein the circulating results in an equivalent or lower pressure drop through the wellbore.

Abstract: A method of cementing a pipe into a wellbore filled with a drilling fluid that includes displacing the drilling fluid with the displacement fluid which includes a base fluid, a micronized weighting agent; suspending a pipe in the wellbore; and pumping cement into the wellbore to substantially fill the annulus formed between the outer surface of the pipe and the wellbore is disclosed.

Abstract: A method of drilling a subterranean hole that includes mixing a base fluid and a micronized weighting agent having a particle size d90 of less than about 50 microns to form a wellbore fluid; providing a drilling assembly that includes a casing as at least a portion of a drill string; and a drill bit attached at the distal end of the drill string; and drilling said subterranean hole with the drilling assembly using the wellbore fluid is disclosed.

Abstract: A method of reducing the torque of a drill string used in drilling a subterranean well that includes injecting into the drilling fluid a composition including a base fluid and a polymer coated colloidal solid material. The polymer coated colloidal solid material includes: a solid particle having an weight average particle diameter (d5o) of less than ten microns, and a polymeric dispersing agent coated onto the surface of the solid particle during the cominution (i.e. grinding) process utilized to make the colloidal particles. The polymeric dispersing agent may be a water soluble polymer having a molecular weight of at least 2000 Daltons. The solid particulate material may be selected from materials having of specific gravity of at least 2.

Abstract: A method to control drilling fluid properties, including: circulating a drilling fluid through a wellbore to form a suspension of drilled solids in the drilling fluid; and separating the suspension in a separator to form a particulate fraction and an effluent, wherein the particulate fraction includes at least a portion of the drilled solids and the effluent includes the drilling fluid. The particulate fraction may include particulates having a minimum particle size of 100 microns or greater, and the effluent may include a micronized weighting agent having a particle size d90 of 10 microns or less.

Abstract: A method for drilling and completing a wellbore that includes drilling a wellbore through a subterranean formation with a wellbore fluid, the wellbore fluid comprising: a base fluid; and micronized weighting agent; and disposing a sand screen in an interval of the wellbore with the wellbore fluid is disclosed.

Abstract: A method of increasing a rate of penetration when drilling as compared to drilling with a baseline drilling fluid comprising an API-grade barite weighting agent and having a given sag, settling rate, density, flow rate, and pressure drop through a wellbore, comprising: circulating a drilling fluid comprising a base fluid and a micronized weighting agent through the wellbore; wherein the drilling fluid is characterized as having an equivalent density, an equivalent or lower settling rate, and an equivalent or lower sag than the baseline drilling fluid; wherein the circulating is at a higher flow rate than the baseline drilling fluid flow rate; and wherein the circulating results in an equivalent or lower pressure drop through the wellbore.