AES Drilling Fluids

How is the oil and gas industry doing from an investor's standpoint? Join us on this exciting episode of The Flowline as Matt and Josh Young, Chief Investment Officer and Founder of Bison Interests, dive into the overview of our industry.

Continuing our Water-Based Mud series, Justin and Matt talk about the different types of defoamers, how they work - and things to avoid needing them in the first place.

One of the main culprits of thick water-based mud is flocculation. Thinners are one of the solutions for this issue. Tune into this episode of the WBM Series as Matt and Justin delve into the properties and use cases of thinners.

A Flowline listener asked about glycols and choosing the cloud point for the best shale inhibition performance. Justin and Matt provide more detail on glycols and a strategy for selection. 

Water and clays aren't always the best combination. What are the water-based mud products that inhibit shale interaction? Tune into this episode of The #Flowline - WBM Series as Matt and Justin discuss shale inhibitors!

Depending on the drilling conditions, alkalinity and pH need to be a fine-tuned science. In this episode of the #WBM Series, Alkalinity, Matt and Justin discuss the sources of alkaline, how they work, and where they fit into the whole picture!

Tune into this Water-Based Mud Series episode as Justin and Matt sits down to discuss why filtration control agents are used, incompatibility with cationic and anionic products, and much more!

Water-based muds require viscosifiers compatible with the base fluid. Several kinds of viscosifiers provide quality hole cleaning and solid-suspension characteristics. Tune into this episode of the #WBM Series as Matt and Justin discuss why viscosifiers are needed, the different kinds of viscosifiers, and much more!

In this new series of The #Flowline, Matt and Justin go in-depth into water-based mud. Each episode will break down different components and key functions of WBM. Tune into this episode of the #WBM Series, as our hosts talk about all things base fluid in water-based mud.

Too often, we assume there is sag and cause the ensuing panic. But, do we really have sag? Tune into this episode of the Flowline, as Matt and Justin dive into the conditions that induce sag, evidence-based questions to diagnose sag, and much more!

In this episode of The #Flowline, we answer a listener's request. What is "AES Culture" and what makes us unique? Tune into this exciting episode as Matt and Justin share their perspective on our company's culture.

One of our lab's most requested tests is XRD (X-ray diffraction). So, why has it become such a buzzword? Tune into this episode of The Flowline as Justin and Matt break down what it is, why it's useful, and its added value.

Looking for a new book or movie to dive into?

Can you really hate an inanimate molded piece of plastic? Justin talks to Matt about the sag shoe test - what it is...and why he hates it.

Altered volcanic ash can create havoc while drilling. Justin and Matt break down why it's an issue – and anything you can do when encountering this troublesome material.

Justin and Matt talk about screen blinding - what it is, what you can do about it, and why people sometimes get it wrong. 

There's lots of buzz about PFAS (poly-fluoroalkyl substances). We don't use them, but people keep asking about them like we do. Tune into this episode of The Flowline as Justin and Matt explain what PFAS are, how they are used, and why we don't use them.

It's 2024 and things are picking up. So, let's analyze 2024's landscape, navigating knowns and confronting uncertainties. Tune into this episode of The Flowline as Matt and Justin talk about what they think lies ahead this year.

Other than cheap, what is ABO (Asphaltene based oil)? How can it help (or hurt) a drilling fluid? Tune into this episode of The Flowline as Justin and Matt discuss the pros and cons of ABO, and much more.

Lubricant testing is notoriously inconsistent. The data can cause misleading insights and requires both working knowledge and lots of skepticism to make an interpretation. As you might guess, Matt hates lubricant testing. 

There are lots of diesel alternatives, and GTL is a synthetic oil that's made some appearances in the land drilling market. What is it? Tune into this episode of The Flowline as Justin and Matt dive into what GTL is, where it comes from, and what we get out of using it.

pH and alkalinity share similarities, but have differences worth defining. So, tune into this episode of The Flowline as Justin and Matt run through the distinctions as they relate to water-based muds. 

You're drilling with a finely dispersed mud and then you take a flow. It's time to swap systems. Tune in to this episode of The Flowline as Matt and Justin run through this scenario and things to think about when drilling doesn't go according to plan.

Every once in a while, someone asks "Can I break this polymer mud and reuse the brine?". Tune in to this episode of The Flowline as Justin and Matt break down why this process is so complicated, especially in xanthan-based systems.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!