In some cases, neither water-based nor oil-based fluids can get the job done and the only way to effectively drill a well is to use a gaseous method that incorporates pressure from certain gases in order to keep fluid come from coming up through the bore hole. This can be one of the most difficult methods to master and it’s also one of the most dangerous. In reality, much of the danger level is associated with the specific types of gases that are used and whether or not they have any flammable properties. With that being said, this is typically the riskiest method of drilling a well because it’s more difficult to keep the pressure in check with gas than it is to use a liquid-based method. In some cases, the pressure simply isn’t enough to keep whatever is being drilled for from coming back up through the bore hole before workers are ready for it. This can cause a whole host of problems and it can be dangerous, even deadly. The other problem is that there are times when the pressure builds up too much, even to the point of causing an explosion or causing critical components of the well to fail. This can cause the well to collapse or it can cause certain components to blow out. Either way, the danger level is increased several times over when gases are used as opposed to using either water-based or oil-based fluids. As a result, this method is not used as frequently but it is used on a fairly routine basis because the method used is entirely dependent on the type of well that is being drilled and the area in which the work is being processed. In some cases, other methods simply won’t work and workers are left with only one choice in order to get the job done. With that being said, extreme caution must be used when utilizing this method.
