Temperature prediction of geothermal drilling considering the drilling fluid thermophysical parameters

An increasing number of geothermal wells are being drilled to meet the growing demand for geothermal energy. Given that the harsh environment of geothermal wells exposes drill-following tools to the risk of high-temperature failure, scholars have developed thermo-mathematical models to predict the temperature field distribution in wellbore. To the best of authors' knowledge, most models ignore the interaction between the fluid thermophysical parameters and its temperature. They also overlook the fact that the actual structure of the drilling column causes changes in the convective heat transfer coefficients between the fluid and the well wall, which subsequently affects heat transfer from the wellbore. In this study, we tested the changes of thermal property parameters of drilling fluid with density and temperature. Based on the actual drill string structure and considering the variation in thermophysical parameters during drilling fluids’ circulation, we innovatively established a transient heat transfer model for geothermal horizontal wells with heat–fluid–solid coupling. Subsequently, a drilled geothermal well was used to simulate the temperature during drilling. The effects of the drilling fluid system, density, and displacement, rotary speed, and WOB during drilling on the wellbore temperature distribution were analyzed. Furthermore, suggestions for the selection of drilling fluid and parameters during the drilling process were given. The results of this study can help accurately predict the wellbore temperature of geothermal wells and high-temperature wells, which provides guidance for the rational selection of drilling tools for drilling operations.