Mud Testing Procedures

and Equipment



MUD WEIGHT

MEASURES THE DENSITY OF THE MUD, THE WEIGHT OF A GIVEN VOLUME OF LIQUID.

LB/GAL

G/CM3 (LB/GAL)(0.1198)

LB/FT3 (LB/GAL)(7.48)

KG/M3 (LB/GAL)(120)

MEASURED WITH A MUD BALANCE OR PRESSURIZED MUD BALANCE

AERATED MUD WILL GIVE ERRONEOUS RESULTS

DE-AERATE MUD WITH A VACUUM PUMP OR USE PRESSURIZED MUD BALANCE

CALIBRATE MUD BALANCE WITH FRESHWATER

MUD WEIGHT RECORDED IN/OUT ON ROUTINE INTERVALS

TEMPERATURE/PRESSURE AFFECTS DENSITY IN OIL MUDS MORE THAN WATER MUDS

TEMPERATURE INCREASES VOLUME AND DENSITY IS LOWER

PRESSURE DECREASES VOLUME AND DENSITY IS HIGHER
Mud Balances

FUNNEL VISCOSITY

INDICATES RELATIVE THICKNESS OF A MUD

AFFECTED BY SIZE, SHAPE, NUMBER OF PARTICLES AND ATTRACTIVE FORCES OF THE MUD

MEASURED IN/OUT ON ROUTINE INTERVALS

IN VERSUS OUT VISCOSITY CAN INDICATE MUD CONDITION

LITTLE VARIATION OF IN/OUT VISCOSITY INDICATES ACCEPTABLE MUD CONDITION

LARGE VARIATION OF IN/OUT VISCOSITY INDICATES MUD NEEDS TREATMENT - MOST LIKELY
TREATMENT IS WATER DILUTION

BOTTOMS-UP VISCOSITY, IF EXCESSIVE, USUALLY REQUIRES CHEMICAL TREATMENT WITH SOME
DILUTION

AERATED MUD CAN CAUSE HIGH VISCOSITY VALUES

TEMPERATURE AFFECTS OIL MUDS MUCH MORE THAN WATER MUDS

IN OIL MUDS, AS TEMPERATURE DECREASES, VISCOSITY INCREASES

IN OIL MUDS, THE TEMPERATURE OF THE SAMPLE MUST BE RECORDED
PLASTIC VISCOSITY (PV)

DETERMINED WITH A ROTATIONAL VISCOMETER

INDICATES SIZE, SHAPE AND NUMBER OF PARTICLES

PV,cP = 600 RPM READING - 300 RPM READING

TEMPERATURE AFFECTS PV IN OIL MUDS MORE THAN WATER MUDS

IN OIL MUDS, INCREASE IN TEMPERATURE CAUSES A DECREASE IN THE PV AND DECREASE IN TEMPERATURE
CAUSES AN INCREASE IN PV

HIGHER SOLIDS CONTENT OR REDUCTION IN PARTICLE SIZE WILL INCREASE THE PV

IN OIL MUDS, THE MORE EMULSIFIED WATER, THE HIGHER THE PV
YIELD POINT (YP)

DETERMINED WITH ROTATIONAL VISCOMETER

INDICATES DEGREE OF ATTRACTIVE FORCES BETWEEN THE PARTICLES IN THE MUD

YP, LBS/100 FT 2 = 300 RPM READING - PV

CONTAMINANTS AND HIGH TEMPERATURES INCREASE YP. ADDITIONS OF LIME OR CAUSTIC WILL INCREASE
YP IN CLAY-WATER SYSTEMS

THINNERS WILL REDUCE THE YP MORE THAN WATER ADDITIONS WHEN CONTAMINANTS ARE PRESENT

EXCESSIVELY HIGH DRILL SOLIDS CONTENT REQUIRE WATER DILUTION BEFORE THINNERS BECOME
EFFECTIVE
GEL STRENGTHS

MEASURED WITH A ROTATIONAL VISCOMETER

DETERMINE VISCOSITY AT LOW SHEAR RATE AND INDICATES THIXOTROPIC OR GEL FORMING PROPERTIES OF
MUD. MEASURED AT TWO DIFFERENT TIME INTERVALS (10 SECOND AND 10 MINUTE)

CLAYS AND XC POLYMER WILL PROVIDE THIXOTROPIC PROPERTIES

CONTAMINANTS AND HIGH TEMPERATURES CAUSE INCREASE IN GEL STRENGTHS. ADDITIONS OF LIME OR
CAUSTIC WILL INCREASE GEL STRENGTHS IN CLAY-WATER SYSTEMS

THINNERS WILL REDUCE THE GEL STRENGTHS MORE THAN WATER ADDITIONS WHEN CONTAMINANTS ARE
PRESENT

EXCESSIVELY HIGH DRILL SOLIDS CONTENT REQUIRE WATER DILUTION BEFORE THINNERS BECOME
EFFECTIVE

HIGH 10 MINUTE GEL STRENGTHS CAN RESULT FROM EITHER CARBONATE CONTAMINATION OR HIGH DRILL
SOLIDS CONTENT AND RESPOND TO DIFFERENT TREATMENTS
Rotational Viscometer
FILTRATION

LOW PRESSURE, LOW TEMPERATURE FLUID LOSS TEST

PERFORMED AT ROOM TEMPERATURE AND 100 PSI

DETERMINE FILTRATE VOLUME AND FILTER CAKE QUALITY

CONTAMINANTS CAUSE HIGH FLUID LOSS AND THICK FILTER CAKE

BENTONITE ADDITIONS REDUCE FILTER CAKE BY FORMING A MORE COMPRESSIBLE CAKE, DRILL SOLIDS
CAUSE THICK FILTER CAKES
FILTRATION

HIGH PRESSURE, HIGH TEMPERATURE FLUID LOSS (HPHT)

CAN BE RUN UP TO 500 F AND 500 PSI DIFFERENTIAL

MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF BOTTOM HOLE CONDITIONS

DETERMINES FILTRATE VOLUME AND FILTER CAKE QUALITY

BENTONITE ADDITIONS REDUCE FILTER CAKE BY FORMING A MORE COMPRESSIBLE CAKE, DRILL SOLIDS
CAUSE THICK FILTER CAKES

FILTER MEDIUM EITHER FILTER PAPER, SYNTHETIC MADE DISKS OR ACTUAL DISKS CUT FROM CORE

UTILIZED FOR WATER AND OIL MUDS

USED TO DETERMINE TEMPERATURE STABILITY OF ALL MUD TYPES

SOLIDS SETTLING IN HPHT CAN LEAD TO HIGH FILTRATE
HPHT Filter Press
RETORT ANALYSIS

DETERMINES VOLUME OF SOLIDS, WATER AND OIL IN MUD.

CORRECTION MADE FOR SALT CONTENT SINCE SALT IS A DISSOLVED SOLID.

AERATED MUD WILL GIVE ERRONEOUS READINGS AND WILL RESULT IN HIGH SOLIDS
CONTENT.

RETORT CHAMBER SHOULD BE CALIBRATED PERIODICALLY.

RETORT READINGS USED TO DETERMINE HIGH AND LOW GRAVITY SOLIDS CONTENT IN
MUD SYSTEM.

GRADUATED CYLINDERS NORMALLY SUPPLIED WITH RETORT ARE INACCURATE.
Retort
SAND CONTENT

DETERMINE SAND CONTENT IN MUD SYSTEM

SAND IS CONSIDERED ANY PARTICLE LARGER THAN 200 MESH -
(74 MICRON)

SAND IS VERY ABRASIVE TO PUMP PARTS AND VALVES
METHYLENE BLUE TEST (MBT)

DETERMINES BENTONITE CONTENT OR EQUIVALENT IN MUD SYSTEM

MEASURE THE AMOUNT OF METHYLENE BLUE ADSORBED BY CLAYS

EXPRESSED AS LB/BBL BENTONITE EQUIVALENT

USED TO DETERMINE THE ACTUAL DRILL SOLIDS CONTENT

AS MUD WEIGHT INCREASES, THE MBT SHOULD BE REDUCED

CERTAIN MUD PRODUCTS CAN INTERFERE WITH RESULTS SUCH AS LIGNITES, LIGNOSULFONATES, CMC

INCREASE IN THE MBT CAN INDICATE REACTIVE CLAYS ARE BEING INCORPORATED IN THE MUD

MBT CAN BE DETERMINED ON CUTTINGS TO DETERMINE THEIR REACTIVITY
pH

RELATIVE ACIDITY OR ALKALINITY OF THE MUD

MEASURED WITH pH PAPER OR pH METER

pH PAPER CHANGE COLOR BASED ON pH OF THE MUD OR FILTRATE

pH PAPER AFFECTED BY CHLORIDES ABOVE 10,000 MG/L

pH METERS MORE RELIABLE THAN pH PAPER FOR MORE ACCURATE DETERMINATION AND ARE FIELD
RELIABLE

INDICATORS PROVIDE pH MEASUREMENT BASED ON COLOR CHANGES OVER A BROAD RANGE

PHENOLPHTHALEIN - NO COLOR pH < 8.3

PHENOLPHTHALEIN - PINK COLOR pH > 8.3

THYMOLPHTAHLEIN - NO COLOR pH > 8.33 AND < 9.3

THYMOLPHTAHLEIN - LIGHT BLUE pH > 9.3 AND < 10.0

THYMOLPHTAHLEIN - DARK BLUE pH > 10.0

MOST MUDS REQUIRE AN ALKALINE OR BASIC CONDITION FOR PRODUCTS TO PERFORM PROPERLY

pH MEASUREMENTS BY ANY OF THE ABOVE DOES NOT INDICATE THE TOTAL ALKALINITY OF THE MUD
SYSTEM
ALKALINITY (Contd.)

WITH THE Pf AND THE Mf, THE TYPE AND AMOUNT OF ALKALINITY CAN BE CALCULATED. THE FOLLOWING
RELATIONSHIPS CAN BE DETERMINED:

Pf = 0 ALKALINITY IS ALL HCO
3
-
Pf = Mf ALKALINITY IS ALL OH-
2 X Pf > Mf ALKALINITY IS MIXTURE OF CO
3
= & OH-
2 X Pf = Mf ALKALINITY IS ALL CO
3
=
2 X Pf < Mf ALKALINITY IS MIXTURE OF CO
3
= & HCO
3
-

THE Pm IS THE AMOUNT OF ACID REQUIRED TO LOWER THE pH OF THE WHOLE MUD TO 8.3 AND IS A MEASURE
OF THE TOTAL SOLUBLE AND INSOLUBLE ALKALINITY IN THE MUD

THE EXCESS LIME IN A MUD CAN BE ESTIMATED BY MEASURING THE Pm AND THE Pf

EXCESS LIME, LB/BBL = 0.26(Pm -(Fw)(Pf))


IMBALANCE IN CARBONATE & BICARBONATE ALKALINITY CAN CAUSE VISCOSITY PROBLEMS THAT WILL NOT
RESPOND TO CHEMICAL THINNERS AND DOES NOT PROVIDE PROPER HYDROXYL ALKALINITY FOR
LIGNOSULFONATES AND LIGNITES TO FUNCTION PROPERLY
CHLORIDE TITRATIONS

MEASURES THE AMOUNT OF CHLORIDES IN THE MUD FILTRATE

TEST METHOD USES A PRECIPITATE METHOD TO MEASURE CHLORIDES

USED TO DETERMINE IF SALT OR SALTWATER HAS BEEN INTRODUCED INTO MUD SYSTEM

ENDPOINT OF REACTION IS WHEN COLOR CHANGES FROM YELLOW TO FIRST PERSISTENT ORANGE COLOR
CHANGE. DO NOT OVER TITRATE!

REACTION IS: AgNO
3
+ Cl- ------> AgCl
2Ag+ + CrO
4
=

-------> Ag
2
CrO
4


AT HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF CHLORIDES, A CORRECTION FACTOR HAS TO BE CALCULATED AND
SUBTRACTED FROM THE SOLIDS CONTENT
HARDNESS


DETERMINES THE AMOUNT OF CALCIUM AND MAGNESIUM IN MUD FILTRATE

VERSENATE TEST MEASURES BOTH CALCIUM AND MAGNESIUM. CALVER TEST MEASURES CALCIUM ONLY

USED TO DETERMINE IF ANHYDRITE, CEMENT, CALCIUM CHLORIDE WATER FLOWS HAVE BEEN
ENCOUNTERED

REACTION IS THE COMBINATION OF THE HARDNESS REACTING WITH THE INDICATOR AND TURNS FROM
BLUE TO WINE RED.

WHEN VERSENATE TITRATING SOLUTION (EDTA) IS ADDED THE HARDNESS COMBINES WITH THE EDTA
AND THE COLOR OF THE SOLUTION CHANGES BACK TO THE BLUE COLOR

THE CALVER TEST USES A STRONG BUFFER SOLUTION TO CAUSE THE MAGNESIUM TO DROP OUT OF
SOLUTION AND THE TITRATION WITH EDTA OCCURS ONLY WITH THE CALCIUM IN THE FILTRATE

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE VERSENATE TEST AND THE CALVER TEST WILL GIVE THE AMOUNT OF
MAGNESIUM IN SOLUTION

EXCESS GYP DETERMINED BY MEASURING THE CALCIUM OF THE WHOLE MUD AND CALCIUM OF THE
FILTRATE:

EXCESS GYP, LB/BBL = (2.38)(V
m
) - (0.48)(V
f
)(F
w
)
GARRETT GAS TRAIN - GGT
MEASURES CARBONATES IN WATER
MUDS
MEASURES SULFIDES IN WATER MUDS
MEASURES SULFIDES IN OIL MUDS
MEASURES CARBONATES IN BARITE
GARRETT GAS TRAIN - GGT
PERMEABILITY PLUGGING
TESTER
HIGH PRESSURE/HIGH TEMPERATURE
FILTRATION
SYNTHETIC FILTERING MEDIUM
MEASURES SPURT LOSS AND FILTER
CAKE DEVELOPMENT
MINIMIZES SETTLING WHICH CAN AFFECT
FILTRATION RATE
PERMEABILITY PLUGGING
TESTER
STATIC AGING TEST
MEASURES STABILITY OF MUD AT HIGH
TEMPERATURES
TEST SIMULATES STATIC WELLBORE
CONDITIONS
DETERMINES THERMAL STABILITY OF
WATER AND OIL MUDS
CAPABILITY OF 20,000 PSI AND 500 F
ELECTRICAL STABILITY
USED TO MEASURE RELATIVE STABILITY
IN OIL/SYNTHETIC MUDS
USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH HPHT TO
DETERMINE EMULSION STABILITY
AFFECTED BY CONDUCTIVE SOLIDS
OR VOLUME OF WATER
ELECTRICAL STABILITY
HPHT FILTRATION
MEASURES FILTRATE IN WATER AND
OIL/SYNTHETIC MUDS
HIGH TEMPERATURE - 400 F AND 500 PSI
DIFFERENTIAL
INDICATES STABILITY OF OIL MUDS
PROBLEMS WITH SETTLING AFFECTING
FILTRATION RATE
POTASSIUM
DETERMINATION
MEASURES POTASSIUM CONTENT OF KCL
DRILLING FLUIDS
USED TO DETERMINE POTASSIUM
CHLORIDE PURITY
DO NOT USE CHLORIDE CONTENT TO
DETERMINE POTASSIUM CONTENT
PROCEDURES FOR LOW AND HIGH
CONCENTRATIONS OF POTASSIUM
PHPA DETERMINATION
DETERMINES PHPA CONTENT OF A
DRILLING FLUID
MEASURED ON FILTRATE OF MUD
ALKALINITY/SALINITY
ANALYSIS
MEASURES ALKALINITY AND SALINITY
CONTENT OF SYNTHETIC/OIL BASED
MUDS
DETERMINES WATER PHASE SALINITY
USED TO CORRECT SOLIDS CONTENT OF
SYNTHETIC/OIL MUDS
ASSESS PROPER ALKALINITY
FANN 70
MEASURES RHEOLOGICAL PROPERTIES
OF OIL AND WATER MUDS
SIMULATES DOWNHOLE CONDITIONS OF
TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE
MEASURE GEL STRENGTH AT
TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE
Test temperature > 150F 150F 250F 300F 375F
Test Pressure > 0 psi 1000 psi 6000 psi 12000 psi 16000 psi
Dial readings @:
600 RPM 98 107 68 64 88
300 RPM 55 58 38 38 48
200 RPM 40 43 28 29 37
100 RPM 27 28 19 18 25
6 RPM 7 8 5 5 5
3 RPM 6 7 4 4 4
Plastic Viscosity 43 49 30 26 40
Yield Point 12 9 8 12 8
10 second gel 6 7 4 3 3
10 minutes gel 7 8 5 5 7
RHEOLGICAL PROPERTIES OF OIL MUD
PARTICLE SIZE
DISTRIBUTION
DETERMINES SIZE DISTRIBUTION OF
SOLIDS
USED FOR SOLIDS CONTROL EFFICIENCY
DETERMINES % BY VOLUME, NOT % BY
WEIGHT
DETERMINES SIZE OF BRIDGING SOLIDS
P a r t i c l e S i z e D i s t r i b u t i o n
M e a s u r e m e n t T a b l e
M i c r o t r a c A n a l y s i s
D a t e : 2 3 - F e b - 9 8
P r o j e c t N o . : S 9 7 0 0 1
S a m p l e : S . P a s s 7 8 C - 2 1 M u d
S u s p e n s i o n F l u i d : W a t e r
D i a m e t e r C u m u l a t i v e
I n t e r v a l l e s s D i f f
< m i c r o n % %
0 . 9 7 1 . 7 4 1 . 7 4
1 . 3 8 5 . 9 4 4 . 2 0
1 . 9 4 1 1 . 7 7 5 . 8 3
2 . 7 5 2 1 . 6 0 9 . 8 3
3 . 8 9 3 0 . 2 0 8 . 6 0
5 . 5 0 3 8 . 4 7 8 . 2 7
7 . 7 8 4 6 . 7 8 8 . 3 1
1 1 . 0 0 5 5 . 6 2 8 . 8 4
1 5 . 5 6 6 5 . 8 0 1 0 . 1 8
2 2 . 0 0 7 4 . 6 7 8 . 8 7
3 1 . 1 1 8 3 . 2 9 8 . 6 2
4 4 . 0 0 9 1 . 3 2 8 . 0 3
6 2 . 2 3 9 6 . 7 5 5 . 4 3
8 8 . 0 0 9 9 . 4 3 2 . 6 8
1 2 4 . 4 5 9 9 . 8 5 0 . 4 2
1 7 6 . 0 0 1 0 0 . 0 0 0 . 1 5
2 4 8 . 9 0 1 0 0 . 0 0 0 . 0 0
3 5 2 . 0 0 1 0 0 . 0 0 0 . 0 0
4 9 7 . 8 0 1 0 0 . 0 0 0 . 0 0
7 0 4 . 0 0 1 0 0 . 0 0 0 . 0 0
F u r t h e r V a l u e s
D i a m e t e r C u m u l a t i v e
m i c r o n s l e s s %
6 4 0 . 6
4 4 9 1 . 3
7 4 9 8 . 1
D i a m e t e r < 2 5 % = 3 . 2
D i a m e t e r < 5 0 % = 9 . 0
D i a m e t e r < 7 5 % = 2 2 . 4
P a r t i c l e S i z e D i s t r i b u t i o n
M i c r o t r a c A n a l y s i s
S . P a s s 7 8 C - 2 1 M u d
C u m u l a t i v e V o l u m e U n d e r s i z e P l o t
0 . 0 0
2 5 . 0 0
5 0 . 0 0
7 5 . 0 0
1 0 0 . 0 0
0 . 1 0 1 . 0 0 1 0 . 0 0 1 0 0 . 0 0 1 0 0 0 . 0 0
P a r t i c l e S i z e , m i c r o n
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P a r t i c l e S i z e H i s t o g r a m P l o t
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6 . 0
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1 0 . 0
1 2 . 0
1 . 0 1 . 9 3 . 9 7 . 8 1 5 . 6 3 1 . 1 6 2 . 2 1 2 4 . 5 2 4 8 . 9 4 9 7 . 8
P a r t i c l e S i z e , m i c r o n
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