An Investigation of the Factors Influencing the High Temperature Rheology of Polymers

Introduction: Nowadays, polymers, as an important application material in drilling engineering, have obvious advantages in solving the rock-carrying problem at the bottom of deep wells, and improving the drilling speed due to their excellent viscosity enhancement effect. Method: In this study, the effects of polymer type, concentration, shear time, electrolyte, and clay on the rheological properties of polymer solutions at high temperature and high pressure were investigated using a Fann 50SL rheometer. The experimental results showed that, except for the polymer additive amount and clay, the increase in shear time and the amount of salt both led to a decrease in the viscosity of the polymer solution, with 190°C as the critical temperature above which the viscosity decreased significantly. Results: The polymer solution containing formate showed higher viscosity retention during heating and then cooling compared to chlorides. The presence of clay enhances the reticulation of polymer molecules in the blend, which facilitates the carrying of rock cuttings at high temperatures. In addition, regression analyses showed that the increase in temperature resulted in an enhanced tendency for the polymer solution to evolve from a pseudoplastic to a Newtonian type. Conclusion: This research provides theoretical basis and data support for developing high-temperature polymers and formulating high-temperature drilling fluid systems.