Soran University

Faculty of Engineering
Department of Petroleum Engineering

Drilling Engineering I [ PETE 308]

Title: Mud Dilution

Experiment No.: 3
Name: Muhammad Sulaimon Rasul
Group: B2
Date: 30 SEP 2019
Supervisors: Jagar Ali, Fouad Yossifi, Rawezh Najat, Ms. Marriam
Contents
Aim………………………………………………………………………………………….…….1
Theory…………………………………………………………………………………….…….…1
Apparatus…………………………………………………………...…………………………..…2
Calibration………………………………………………………………………...………...……..3
Procedure………………………………………………………………………………………….4
Calculation………………………………………………………………………………...………5
Result and Discussion……………………………………………………………………………..6
Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………...6
References…………………………………………………………………………………………7

List of Figures
Figure 1 Electronic mud mixer ..………………………………………………………………….2
Figure 2 Bentonite …………………..………………………………………...………………….2
Figure 3 Mud Balance ………………………………………………...………………………….2
Figure 4 Electronic balance. …………………………………………..........…………………….2
Figure 5 Cylinder ………………………….….…………………….…………………………….2
Figure 6 Spatula …...…………………………….………………….…………………………….2
Figure 7 Mud balance……………………………………………………………………………..3

List of Tables
Table 1: Experimental and Theorical Results……………………………………………………..6
Aim
This experiment will explain a procedure to create a drilling mud with a range of density, the
objective is creating a drilling mud; then it requires to low the density by 0.1ppg and getting a
drilling mud that has lower density (Decreasing solid concentration).

Theory
Drilling mud is a mixture of water and mud (Clay) addition to some other minerals and special
chemical materials called “additives” (Kate, 1998), that used with water and mixed to maintain
well stability during the process of drilling. Sometimes mud can be non-aqueous regarding to well
condition that can be Oil-Base Mud used (Simon, 2017). A Successful drilling operation is
requiring a good quality of drilling fluid (Darley et al.,1988).

The composition that required for drilling mud is depend upon the formation stability which wells
are drill through formations with a different type of compositions that require different types of
mud composition (Simon, 2017). The liquid-based mud which usually composed of a based fluid
such as (Oil or Water) with some weighting additives such as Bentonite and Barite. (Ofi Testing
Equipment inc.,2003).

The density of drilling mud is one of the important parameters which should be first considered. It
was a definition regarding to American Petroleum Institute is matter measured per unit volume
which expressed in pounds per gallon (ppg) (Simon, 2017).
The density is one of parameters that controls formation pressure to avoid the blowout, and it
should be accurately measured in order to provide a sufficient hydrostatic pressure over the
formation pressure to avoid lost circulation (Geehan et al.,1989; Kruse, 1975).

Mud dilution or lowering mud density sometimes is required which actually considered as a part
of situations of formation damage control. In some cases which may the formation pressure is less
than the hydrostatic pressure, it causes a highly invasion of drilling fluid to the formation; then
mud dilution is used in order to avoid causing formation damage. The concept is adding light
density fluid (usually use fresh water) to drilling mud in order to decrease the weight of drilling
mud. (Annis, 1996; Growcock, 2005).

1
Apparatus and Materials

Apparatus
• Electronic Balance: Is used to measure mass in gm(s). (Figure 4)
• Cylinder: Measures water volume in (ml). (Figure 5)
• Electronic mud mixer: Is a device used to mix liquid with solid particles. (Figure 1)
• Mud Balance is a device used to measure density. (Figure 3)
• Lab Spatula: Used to mix mud and water manually. (Figure 6)

Materials
• Bentonite: Is a martial used to mix with water to create a drilling mud. (Figure 2)
• Water.

Figure 1 Electronic mud Figure 2 Bentonite Figure 3 Mud Balance

mixer

Figure 4 Electronic Figure 5 Cylinder (500ml, Figure 6 Lab Spatula

Balance 25ml and 10ml)

2
Calibration

Calibration should be executed for the mud balance for being sure if the mud balance is working
correctly or not before putting a for the mud balance for being sure if the mud balance is working
correctly or not before putting a mud to measuring. However, there is some procedures for
calibrating mud balance as the following steps:
1. Remove the lid and completely dry and clean the cup leaving no impurities in the cup then
filling it with distillated water.
2. Then replace the lid and clean it till gets dry.
3. Put the balance arm to its place and be sure that you correctly placed knife-edge on fulcrum.
4. Now, by looking the level inside the glass should be centered when the rider put on
8.33ppg. If it doesn’t, this mean that the device is not accurate and should be repaired.

NOTE: An error has accorded about 0.02 more than actual value (8.33 ppg), during the
calibration due to not using fresh water.

Figure 7 Mud Balance is a device using for measuring density. It consists of seven parts as
showed above.

3
Procedure

1. First the volume of water must be calculated which it’s (226.142 cc) regarding to the
calculations and filling 500ml cylinder till 200ml and bring another cylinder with volume
of 25 ml to making volume more accurate and fill it till 25ml then bring one more cylinder
with volume of 10ml and fill it until 1.142cc and put both 25ml and 10ml to 500ml cylinder.
2. As the Bentonite has measured before which has mass of 22.142gm. The amount of
22.142gm of Bentonite should measure using an electronic balance.
3. Then take off all water inside the cup of electronic mixer and carefully turn it on.
4. Now while the mixer is working, add the Bentonite a little by little into the water to avoid
stacking of mixture.
5. After putting all Bentonite inside water while its mixing together, wait about 3-4 min till it
fully get mixed.
6. Now remove a cup from the mixer and take it to the mud balance. After that remove the
lid and put the mud inside the cup and replace lid again. Be sure that you cleaned all mud
outside the cup.
7. Move the Rider until the level bubble gets centered and read the weigh on balance arm. It
should be 8.8ppg.
8. After that, remove lid again and pour all mud into the cub of mixer and bring it to mixer
again.
9. Now amount of 63.513 cc of water should be ready to mix it with the mud, and again turn
on the mixer and put all water inside a little by little.
10. After that wait about 2-3 min again till water gets mixed with the mud.
11. Now again remove the cub carefully and bring a mud balance; then remove a lid again and
fill it with mud, then shake it 3-4 times to be sure the cub has filled %100.
12. Replace the lid and put the arm on its place then move the rider till the level bubble gets
centered and read the ppg line on the arm. It must be 8.7 ppg.

4
Calculation

5
Result and Discussion

Table 1: Experimental and Theorical Results

Materials Volume (cc) Density (ib/gal) Mass (gm)

Water 226.142 8.33 -

Bentonite Clay 8.857 20.8 22.142

First-Mud 235 8.7 -

Added Water 63.513 8.33 -

Second-Mud 298.513 8.6 -

The results were something far from the expectations that is due to some errors might happened
during the procedures. By looking the final result there is %1.15 error caused at the first Mud
during filling the cylinders which either filled with more water or it belongs to that particles of
mud which have left from the edge of cup that may totally not been mixed with water. The first
error is more reliable for causing this error which it is exceeding the amount of water more than
that required. At the second mud also, there is %1.15 error which may belongs to the first reason
as mentioned above (caused by first error). Accurate preparing of martials will avoid this kind of
errors.

Conclusion

Performing this kind of experiment’s make students engage more and gain ability to generate
drilling mud as recommended and also decreasing mud weight regarding to the formation
condition using a mud dilution method.

6
References

Annis, M.R. and Smith, M.V. (1996) Drilling Fluids Technology. Texas: Exxon Company.

Darley, H.C.H. and Gray, G.R. (1988): The composition and Properties of Drilling and
Completion Fluids. 5th Ed. Gulf Publishing Company, Houston Texas. pp 110.

Geehan, T. and Mc Kee.A. (1989): Drilling Muds. Monitoring and Managing it. Oilfield
Review 1(2), pp 41-52.

Growcock, F. and Harvey, T. (2005) „Drilling Fluids‟ in ASME, Shale Shaker Committee.
Drilling Fluids Processing Handbook. Oxford: Gulf Professional Publishing, pp. 15-68.

Herzon, S. (2017). LABORATORY PRACTICAL REPORT ON THE FACTORS THAT

AFFECTS THE PROPERTIES OF THE DRILLING MUD DURING DRILLING
PROCESS. [online] academia.edu. Available at:
https://www.academia.edu/35123831/LABORATORY_REPORT_ON_THE_FACTORS
_THAT_AFFECT_THE_PROPERTIES_OF_DRILLING_MUD [Accessed 27 Sep.
2019].

Kate, V.D. (1998): Drilling Fluids, Mud Pumps and Conditioning Equipment.

Kruse, C.F. (1975): Lessons in Rotary Drilling, Unit II-Lesson 2 “Drilling Mud”. 12th
Edition. Published by Petroleum Extension Service Industrial and Business Training
Bureau Division of Extension, The University of Texas. Pp 1-47.

Ofi Testing Equipment, Inc. (2003). Extreme Pressure and Akaranta, O. and Osuji, L.C.
(1997): Carboxylmethylation of orange mesocarp Cellulose and its utilization in Drilling
mud formulation. International Journal for Physics, Chemistry and Technology of
Cellulose and Lignin 31, pp 193-198.Lubricity Tester Instruction Manual.