Promoting wellbore stability in active shale formations by water-based muds: A case study in Pabdeh shale, Southwestern Iran

Minimizing water invasion into shales is a critical property for many water-based muds. By improving drilling fluids rheology in HPHT conditions, it is possible to minimize water invasion and maintain true overbalance pressure conditions at near wellbore scale which endorses wellbore stability. In order to propose an inhibitive mud formulation for drilling troublesome swelling Pabdeh formation frequently encountered in southern to southwestern...