Passage:
Geothermal well drilling operations pump pressurized bentonite slurry down the drill pipe to cool the rotary bit and lift dense rock cuttings to the surface. When penetrating formations exceeding 180°C, standard chemical stabilizers in the slurry undergo rapid thermal decomposition, causing the fluid's carrying capacity to fail if pumping ceases. If pulverized rock falls out of suspension during these operational pauses, the material compacts around the bottom-hole assembly, seizing the mechanism.
Statement:
Based on the passage, the primary operational risk of stabilizer breakdown during pumping interruptions is that the drill mechanism will become physically trapped by settled rock debris.
Answer: Answer
Answer
True, because the loss of fluid carrying capacity during pauses causes falling rock debris to compact around and seize the bottom-hole assembly.
The statement correctly identifies the unstated implication of the text: when decomposed stabilizers cause fluid suspension failure during a pause, falling cuttings compact around the bottom-hole assembly and seize it, meaning the drill becomes physically trapped.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Deducing unstated cause-and-effect outcomes from technical and operational context clues.
Estimated Time:1m 30s