Ch.

6 Drilling Fluids

DRILLING FLUIDS
1. Functions and Properties of Drilling Fluids
2. Field Tests on Drilling Fluids
3. Water Based Mud
4. Oil Based Muds
5. Solids Control
6. Programming a Drilling Fluid

Air

Types of Fluid

Composition of WBM

Composition of OBM

FUNCTIONS AND PROPERTIES OF

DRLLING FLUIDS
Remove Cuttings :
Plastic Viscosity/Yield Point
Gel Strength
Density
Control Formation Pressures
Density
Maintain Wellbore Stability
Density
Inhibition

FUNCTIONS AND PROPERTIES OF

DRLLING FLUIDS
Cool and Lubricate the Bit :
Fluid Content
Transport HHP :
Viscosity
Yield Point
Density

FIELD TESTS ON DRILLING

FLUIDS

Density
Viscosity
Filtration
Sand Content
Liquid and Solid Content
Ph
Alkalinity
Chloride Content
Activity
CEC

Mud Balance

Mud Balance

Marsh Funnel

Marsh Funnel

Fann Viscometer

PV and YP

Typical Viscosities

Typical Yield Point

Filtration Device

Solids Content
Device

OIL BASED MUDS

Water in oil Emulsion

Wettability Control
Balanced Control
Viscosity Control
Filtration Control

Structure of Oil Based Mud

SOLIDS CONTROL
Introduction :
Screening
Settling
Dilution
Solids Control Equipment :
Vibrating Screens
Hydrocyclones
Decanting Centrifuges
Mud Cleaner
Systems

Solids Size
Distribution

Hydrocyclone
(Lightweight Mud)

Hydrocyclone
(Heavyweight Mud)

Solids Distribution

Centrifuge

Solids Control System

(Lightweight Mud)

Solids Control System

(Heavyweight Mud)

DRILLING FLUID MECHANICS

1. Introduction
2. Flow Patterns and Reynolds Number
3. Rheological Models
4. Frictional Pressure Drop in Pipes and Annuli
5. Frictional Pressure Drop Across a Bit
6. Optimising the Hydraulics of a Circulating
System

Introduction
Primary Function of Drilling Fluid
Remove Cuttings
Optimum Use of Circulating Fluid
Optimise ROP
Circulating Pressure Losses :
Increasing Flow Rate
Decreasing Flow Area
Increasing System Length
Increasing Density and Viscosity of Mud

Circulation System

Optimising HHP at Bit

Value of HHP

Flow Patterns and Reynolds Number

Laminar Flow
Turbulent Flow
Transition :
Newtonian Fluids
Non Newtonian Fluids
Reynolds Number (2100)

Flow
Patterns

Rheological Models
Newtonian
Non Newtonian :
Bingham Plastic
Power Law

Rheological Models

Newtonian Fluids

Non-Newtonian Fluids

Pseudo-plastic Fluids

Bingham Plastic Fluids

Power Law Fluids

Frictional Pressure Drop in Pipes/Annuli

Laminar Flow :
Assumptions
General Equation
Newtonian Fluids
Bingham Plastic Fluids
Power Law Fluids
Turbulent Flow :
Newtonian Fluids
Laminar/Turbulent Transition
Bingham Plastic Fluids
Power Law Fluids

Variables Involved in Calculating

Pressure Drop

Model for Frictional

Pressure Loss

Turbulent Flow

Friction Factors

Friction Factors

Frictional Pressure Drop Across a Bit

Nozzle Sizing

Bit Nozzle