HOLLOW GLASS MICROSPHERE (HGS) MANUFACTURE IN LABORATORY SCALE

• Main Author: Pande, Batara
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/40072
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Hollow Glass Microsphere (HGS) is a microscopic-sized-compound (1 to 100 ?m) also known as Low Density Agent (LDA) and Low-Density Downhole Fluid (LDDF) which is usually used in the manufacturing industry as fillers with low true density in range of 0.29 to 0.63 gr/cc, low thermal conductivity, and relatively high compressive strength value in range of 2,000 to 18,000 psi (Yami et al. 2015). Conventionally, underbalanced drilling is done by using aerated mud (Yami, 2012). Otherwise, this method requires compressor and nitrogen which is as much as US$20,000-30,000/day (Medley et al. 1995). Therefore, in the late 1990s, U.S. Department of Energy initiated research into the use of mixture of drilling fluid additive in form of HGS to produce low density mud (Medley et al. 1995). Moreover, this compound will effectively reduce drilling fluid density down to 41 pcf (Yami et al. 2015) to solve the loss circulation problem from 100 bbl/hr to 6 bbl/hr (Thyagaraju et al. 2009), eliminate differential sticking (Arco et al. 2000) and prevent formation damage to be occurred (Medley et al. 1995). In addition, HGS is spherical-shaped material with minimum surface area. Therefore, this additive can improve drilling fluid circulation in a well without any abrasion effect or ball bearing effect . Previously, there was a similar research that was successfully conducted and presented by Marbun (2012). In this paper, manufacture of Hollow Glass Microsphere in laboratory scale will be discussed and done repeating steps of previous research which was conducted by Marbun (2012). The only difference is there are 2 manufactured samples. They had been made and had been compared one to another for some aspects including technical aspects and economical aspects. Moreover, manufactured HGS in this research will be compared to some big companies produced similar products.