Partially Hydrolyzed Polyacrylamide | Petra Phpa

PETRA PHPA L | PETRA PHPA P |PARTIALLY HYDROLYZED POLYACRYLAMIDE | PHPA L | PHPA P

Partially Hydrolyzed Polyacrylamide PETRA PHPA is a co-polymer with a high molecular weight and anionic nature. It is a water-soluble polymer that is predominantly utilized in fresh water, calcium, sodium brines, and KCL mud systems as a very effective fluid loss reduction, viscosities, and protective colloid for shale's and cutting. The majority of drilling fluid products, biopolymers, PAC, and CMC are compatible with it. By preventing shale erosion and swelling, it preserves borehole stability.

Wearing protective gear and taking the safety measures listed in the MSDS are required when handling HPA as an industrial chemical.

Flocculation is a chemical process used extensively in the drilling fluids industry. Flocculation describes the formation of particle associations in a suspension.

This particle association can alter suspension characteristics of a fluid or separate solids from a liquid phase medium. In flocculated gel systems flocculation alter the fluid properties. Properties affected include an increase in funnel viscosity, yield point and gel strengths, as well as an increase in fluid loss. As flocculation occurs it creates a structural modification to the clay (bentonitic) particles in the fluid. By aggregating the clay particles they become more structured, thus increasing the resistance to flow. One way to impart a large degree of flocculation on a gel based system is by increasing the pH of the system to values greater than 10.

The mechanism for this high degree of flocculation may be hydroxide bridging between positively charged edges of clay platelets. In flocculated clear water systems flocculation is used to separate solid from a liquid phase, maintaining clear water as the drilling fluid. With the introduction of a cation, usually calcium, as a link between clay particles and an anionic polymer, a floc is formed. As the drilled solids form flocs with the cation and polymer, the floc becomes large enough in size to fall out of suspension in the water at surface and leave the drilling water clear. It is crucial to run pilot tests on location and pay close attention to the flocculation process. If the wrong flocculant or concentration of flocculant is used it cause serious problems. In particular flocculation would occur not in the mud tanks, sump or floc tank as required, but rather in the wellbore annulus having a serious affect on drilling the well.