PET 314

PROPERTIES OF DRILLING FLUID

Drilling fluids have four basic properties that determine the behavior of the mud as a drilling fluid –
viscosity, density, gel strength, chemical composition and filtration or fluid loss control. Several other
properties, although of lesser importance, need to be checked, especially if problems are anticipated
or encountered. These properties include sand content, pH (alkalinity or acidity) and calcium content
(hard water). Although tests are available to measure each of these properties, simple field tests for
viscosity and density, coupled with an understanding of drilling and the capabilities of available mud
products, can satisfy the drilling needs for most applications.
The large number of functions performed by the drilling fluid require that some minimum properties
of the fluids be maintained. The measurement of these properties gives the mud engineer a “status
report” of the fluid and how it is reacting with the formation and the subsurface environment. The
most critical of the properties are density, viscosity, fluid loss control, and chemical composition.

Density
The correct drilling fluid density is dependent on the subsurface formation pressures. Strong,
competent formations can be drilled with a density less than 1.0, but overpressured shales and high
pressure formations may require a fluid with specific gravities approaching 2.4. The density can be
adjusted with soluble salts or by addition of solids, termed weight material (for example, barite is
added to the mud to increase the density). Density values can be expressed as one of the following:

ppg = pounds per gallon (United States)

S.G. = specific gravity (dimensionless) (international)
psi/ft = pounds per square inch per foot (uncommon)
pcf = pounds per cubic foot (California)

Viscosity
The flow properties of the mud depend on the depth of the hole and the annular viscosities. In the
upper hole, water may be sufficient, but at greater depths more viscous fluids may be required. Deep
wells, directional wells, high penetration rates, high mud weights, and high temperature gradients
create conditions requiring close attention to the flow properties. The viscosity can be adjusted
upward with polymers or clay material or adjusted downward with chemical thinners or water.

Fluid loss control

The fluid loss gives a relative indication of how the mud is controlling loss of the base fluid into the
formation. This becomes important when porous formations, particularly those containing oil or gas,
are drilled. In porous formations, the drilling fluid may penetrate the rock and cause formation
damage. (However, a low fluid loss does not always ensure minimal formation damage.) There are
many types of fluid loss additives, such as bentonite, that can be used in the mud to help mitigate this
problem.

Chemical composition
Drilling fluids are two-phase compounds: a fluid and solid phase. The character of the fluid phase is
determined by chemically analyzing the concentrations of calcium, chlorides, hydroxols, bicarbonate
and carbonate ions, sodium, potassium, and nitrates. The character of the solid phase is tested to
determine solids concentration, specific densities, and particle sizes. The primary means of controlling
solids are by removal via shale shakers, desanders, desilters, and/or dilution.

Above is the summary of the properties of a drilling fluid but incase more information is needed This
below is an extended explanation of the properties of a drilling fluid.

Flow Resistance or Viscosity

Viscosity is defined as the resistance offered by a fluid (liquid or gas) to flow. The thicker a particular
fluid, the higher its viscosity. Accurate measurement of the viscosity of drilling mud is dependent on a
number of factors and requires special equipment. The basic factors which affect the viscosity of a
mud are the viscosity of the base fluid (water); the size, shape and number of suspended particles;
and the forces existing between particles, as well as between particles and the fluid.

For field applications, a qualitative viscosity measure can be obtained by the Marsh funnel. The funnel
viscosity is the time in seconds for 1 quart of mud to pass through the Marsh funnel, expressed as
seconds per quart. To determine the viscosity using the Marsh funnel, hold the funnel in an upright
position and place a finger over the outlet. Pour the test sample, which has just been taken from near
the pump suction end of the mud pit, through the screen into top of the funnel until the level of
drilling mud just reaches the bottom of the screen. Place a cup under the funnel outlet. Remove the
finger from the outlet and time the number of seconds for one quart of fluid to flow from the funnel
into the cup. The number of seconds is recorded as the funnel viscosity. If available, a stopwatch
should be used for measuring the time. The usual range of Marsh funnel viscosities for good effective
bentonite mud is 32 seconds to 38 seconds per quart; for polymer muds, funnel viscosities of 40
seconds to 80 seconds per quart are reasonable. For comparison, the funnel viscosity of fresh water is
28 seconds per quart at 68 degrees F.

As a general rule, viscosity should be maintained as low as possible to provide the required hole
stability and water loss control. Thin mud does the best job of cleaning the bit and optimizing the
drilling rate, but thick muds are needed to remove coarse gravel from the hole. Marsh funnel viscosity
readings should be taken routinely and recorded on the boring log.

For most drilling operations, acceptable limits can be obtained by adding approximately 50 pounds of
bentonite per 100 gallons of water. Because the characteristics of the additives of polymer muds are
quite different than those of bentonite, the solids content of polymer mud is much lower than the
solids content of bentonite mud of the same viscosity. Natural clay muds, which occur as a result of
drilling with clear water, are inferior to bentonite muds in their ability to increase viscosity. Much
more clay is needed to achieve a given viscosity; the resulting mud will have a higher density and
generally poorer qualities than a bentonite drilling mud has.

Mud Density
Density is defined as the weight per unit volume of drilling fluid. It is commonly reported as pounds
per gallon or pounds per cubic foot. The desired density, which frequently is incorrectly called weight,
for most drilling situations usually is less than 9 pounds per gallon, and can easily be determined by a
mud balance.

To determine the density of the drilling fluid with the mud balance, fill the cup to capacity with fresh,
screened mud. Place the lid on the cup and rotate the lid until it is firmly seated. Make sure that some
drilling mud is squeezed out the vent hole. Wash or wipe the excess mud from the exterior of the
balance. After the exterior surface of balance has been dried, seat the balance on the stand, and level
by adjusting the rider. Read the mud density from the inside edge of the rider as indicated by the
marker on the rider. Any of the scales on the rider may be used to express the mud density, although
pounds-per-gallon is the most commonly used scales. The calibration of the mud balance easily can be
checked by filling the cup with fresh water. It should read 8.34 pounds per gallon.

An increase in density of the drilling mud is a measure of how much drilled material is being carried in
suspension and recirculated. Excess suspended solids are objectionable for several reasons. First, the
cuttings generally are abrasive, and increase wear on the mud pump, drill string and bit. Regrinding of
the cuttings also tends to decrease the rate of drilling progress. A thicker filter cake will be formed on
the walls of the borehole as a result of the higher concentration of solids. As a result of the greater
hydrostatic pressure caused by the higher concentration of solids, hydraulic fracturing of the
formation is more likely to occur. Lastly, a denser fluid has greater buoyancy; therefore, the cuttings
are less likely to settle out in the mud pit.

The density of the drilling mud should be routinely determined. Although there are situations when
dense drilling fluids are desirable, measures should be taken when the density becomes too high. The
density of a bentonite mud can be decreased by adding water, or increased by adding a finely ground,
high specific gravity additive such as barite (barium sulfate). Polymer muds are not capable of
suspending a weighting agent because they have little or no gel strength. However, since many
polymers are compatible with salt solutions, polymer muds with densities of more than 11.5 pounds
per gallon can be made by mixing the polymer with a saturated calcium chloride solution.

Particle Suspension or gel strength

The measure of the capability of a drilling fluid to hold particles in suspension after flow ceases is
referred to as gel strength (thixotropy). Gel strength results from the electrical charges on the
individual clay platelets. The positively charged edges of a platelet are attracted to the negatively
charged flat surfaces of adjacent platelets. In a bentonite mud in which the particles are completely
dispersed, essentially all the bonds between particles are broken while the mud is flowing. When the
mud pump is shut off and flow ceases, the attraction between clay particles causes the platelets to
bond to each other. This coming together and bonding is termed flocculation. This edge-to-face
flocculation results in an open card-house structure capable of suspending cuttings and sand and
gravel particles. This property also suspends finely ground, high specific-gravity material such as barite
when high-density drilling muds are required. The capability of keeping cuttings in suspension
prevents sandlocking (sticking) the tools in the borehole while drill rods are added to the string, and
minimizes sediment collecting in the bottom of the hole after reaming and before going back in the
hole with a sampler. A drawback to this property is that cuttings do not readily settle out of the
drilling mud in the mud pit and may be recirculated, resulting in grinding of particles by the drill bit,
increased mud density, increased mud pump wear, and lower penetration rate.

Filtration
Filtration refers to the ability of the drilling fluid to limit fluid loss to the formation by deposition of
mud solids on the walls of the hole. During drilling operations, the drilling fluid tends to move from
the borehole into the formation as a result of hydrostatic pressure, which is greater in the hole than in
the formation. As the flow of drilling fluid (water) occurs, the drilling fluid solids are deposited on the
walls of the borehole, and thereby significantly reduce additional fluid loss. The solids deposit is
referred to as a filter cake. The ideal filter cake is thin with minimal intrusion into the formation. The
thickness of the filter cake for a particular mud generally is a function of the permeability of the
formation. For example, the filter cake in a clay interval of the borehole would be thinner than in a
sand interval.

Check out more drilling fluids tips!

Clean, well-conditioned bentonite drilling mud will deposit a thin filter cake with low permeability.
Natural clay muds that result from drilling with clear water have much less desirable filtration
properties than does high-grade sodium montmorillonite (bentonite). The natural clay mud will
deposit a much thicker filter cake than that of bentonite mud. A thick filter cake has a number of
disadvantages, which include the possibility that the cake may be eroded by circulating drilling fluid,
may cause the drill pipe to stick, or may cause reduced hydrostatic pressure and partial collapse of the
walls of the borehole during tool removal. The re-entry of drilling equipment into the borehole lined
with a thick filter cake could result in a pressure surge with an accompanying increased potential for
hydrofracture of the formation. Polymer muds are low-solids muds and do not form a filter cake as
such. However, polymers tend to reduce fluid loss because they have a high affinity for water, and
form swollen gels, which tend to plug the formation pores in the borehole wall.

REFERENCES
Article by Army corps of engineers