DAVID OGHENETEGA SHADRACK

ENG1604308
DEPARTMENT OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERING
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITY OF BENIN

PEE 302
GROUP A
LABORATORY REPORT ON DETERMINATION OF MUD DENSITY
SEPTEMBER 3RD,2019

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TABLE OF CONTENT
Title of Experiment 3

Aim 4

Apparatus 4-8

Introduction 9

Theory 10 – 11

Procedures 12

Results 13-16

General discussion 17-18

Precautions 19

Conclusions 20

References 21

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TITLE: DETERMINATION
OF MUD DENSITY

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AIM: To measure the density of different mud samples.

APPARATUS:

1. MUD BALANCE: A mud balance is a device used to measure the density

(weight) of drilling fluids, cement or any type of liquid or slurry. It consists
of a fixed volume mud cup with a lid on one end of a graduated beam and a
counter weight on the other end. A slider weight can be moved along the
beam, and a bubble indicates when the beam is level. Density is read at the
point where the slider weight sits on the beam at level. Accuracy of mud
weight should be within ±0.1 lbm/gal. A mud balance can be calibrated with
water or other liquids of known density by adjusting the counter weight.
Most balances are not pressurized, but the pressurized mud balance
operates in the same manner, addition or removal of lead shots at the end
of the balance are made until bubble is centered while the rider is on
8.33ppg. This construction makes it ideal for both laboratory and field use,
and temperature does not affect the accuracy of readings.

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 2. CHEMICAL BEAM BALANCE: It is also called a triple beam balance and it
is used to measure weight very precisely, it can be used to measure mass
ranging directly from the objects, find mass by difference from liquid and
measure out a substance. The device has reading error of ±0.005 grams. It
consists of three beams including the middle beam which is the largest size,
the front beam which is the medium size, and a far beam which Is the
smallest size. the reading scale can be enumerated that the middle beam
reads in 100gram increments, the front beam can read from 0 to 10grams
increments, and the far beam can read in 10 gram increments, it consists of
a weighting pan, base, beams, riders, pointers and zero adjustment knob.

3. MIXING SPINDLE (AGITATOR): It is a device or mechanism to put

something into motion by shaking or stirring, it consists of an impeller and a
shaft, it helps enhance the pressure in order for the flow of a fluid be done
and maintain better control over the mixing process.

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 4. GRADUATED CYLINDERS: It is a measuring device used to measure the
volume of a liquid in the laboratory. It has a narrow cylindrical shape. Each
marked line on the graduated cylinder represents the amount of liquid that
has been measured.

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 5. SPATULA: A spatula is a hand-held tool that is used for lifting, flipping, or
spreading. Spatulas have a handle that is long enough to keep the holders
hand away from what is being lifted or spread, as well as away from a hot
surface. The blade of the spatula is wide and thin. The blade is usually
somewhat flexible.

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DRILLING CUPS:
This is a cup used to take samples and to measure various of mud for testing at
the rig. A mud cup is used primarily to measure one quart of flow out of the
funnel.

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 INTRODUCTION:
In the oil industry, mud weight is the density of the drilling fluid and is
normally measured in pounds per gallon (lbs/gal) (ppg) or pound cubic feet
(pcf).in the field it is measured using a mud scale or mud balance, the arm
is graduated and permits accurate measurements to within ±0.01 specific
gravity. The mud balance is constructed so that the fixed volume cup at one
end is balanced by a fixed counterweight at the opposite end, with a sliding
weight rider free to move along on the beam indicates when the system is
in balance.
In conventional drilling fluids, barite is used to increase the density.
Although, halite (salt) or calcium carbonate can be used.mud weight can be
decreased by dilution of solids control equipment such as industrial
centrifuge, desilter, desander, degasser etc.
Mud weight is used to control the trapped fluids or gas in the formations by
adding a hydrostatic pressure on them. Increasing the mud weight equals
increasing hydrostatic pressure, If the hydrostatic pressure increased over
the formations pressure that will make a crack in the formation leading to
loss of mud to the formation, so adding loss circulation material like gel
flake that can refill the gap an stop the mud loss. If the mud loss continues,
then the hydrostatic pressure would decrease and flammable fluids and gas
trapped under pressure will start leaking to the surface. This can lead to a
potential blowout.

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 THEORY:
Drilling mud, also called drilling fluid, in petroleum engineering, is a heavy,
viscous fluid mixture that is used in oil and gas drilling operations to carry
rock cuttings to the surface and also to lubricate and cool the drill bit.
Density is the weight per given volume. Measuring the density of the
drilling fluid is important to determine the buoyancy force induced when
drilling. A higher density will prevent formation fluid from entering the well
bore. The density of drilling of the drilling fluid must be controlled to
provide adequate hydrostatic head to prevent influx of formation fluids, but
not so high as to cause loss of circulation or adversely affect the drilling rate
and damaging the formation, Normal pressure gradient by water is equal to
(0.433psi/ft) and equal to 433psi/1000ft. Drilling fluid can be classified into
three categories; water-base, non-water base, and gaseous (or pneumatic),
it is composed of the base liquid (continues phase), dispersed solids,
dissolved solids (both discontinuous phase).Most often, bentonite clay is
added to give the drilling fluid (drilling mud) more desirable properties.
The main functions of drilling fluid when drilling are;
.To transport cuttings from subsurface to surface.
.To provide hydrostatic head to avoid influx of formation fluids in the
wellbore.
. To clean, lubricate, cool and assist the bit while cutting.
. To provide mud pulse telemetry for down hole measurement while drilling
(MWD) tools.
. To provide well bore stability.
minor functions includes;
. Support weight of tubular.
. Cool and lubricate the bit and drill string.
. Transmit hydraulic horsepower to bit.
. Provide medium for wire line logging.
Additional benefits of drilling mud/fluids are;
. Minimize formation damage.
. Reduce corrosion.

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 . Minimize lost circulation.
. Reduce stuck pipe.
. Improve safety.
. Improve penetration rates.
. Reduce pressure losses.
The addition of different additives may affect the properties of the
drilling fluid, two cases would be considered; a mixture of mud and barite
in tap water and a mixture of mud and tap water only.

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 PROCEDURES:
1. Mud sample was prepared by adding 30grams of bentonite per
500millitre of tap water which was mixed for about 30 minutes using the
mud mixer, scraping bentonite from sides of can to be sure that there
was full dispersion.
2. Lid of mud balanced cup was removed and stirred mud sample was
poured into the mud balance cup, ensuring that trapped air bubbles
were evacuated by tapping the cup briskly.
3. Lid was firmly placed over the mud balance making sure some mud
squeezed out through the vent hole.
4. Exterior of mud balance was wiped off to clean off mud which had
squeezed out through the vent hole.
5. Placing balance on its base and knife-edge on fulcrum rest, rider was
adjusted until instrument was balanced, as determined by spirit level.
6. After which reading of mud weight was gotten at the edge of the rider
nearest fulcrum.
7. For a different sample, 10grams of barite was added to 30grams per
500ml of mud slurry. After which mixture was stirred for 30 minutes and
a re-test for mud density procedure above was done.

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 RESULTS:
Sample 1 Sample 2 (with 10 grams of
barite)
Density of mud 8.35ppg 8.4ppg
Hydrostatic 62.5 lb/ft3 63 lb/ft3
pressure
Density of mud 450 lb/sq.in/100ft 455 lb/sq.in/100ft
Specific gravity 1.01 sp.gr 1.02 sp.gr

% increase calculation, in lb/gal

8.4−8.35
% increase = 8.35
× 100

=0.60%
In lb/sq. in/1000ft
455−450
% increase = 450
× 100

=1.11%
In lb/cu.ft
63−62.5
% increase = 62.5 ×100
=0.80%
In S.G
1.02−1.01
% increase= 1.01
×100

=0.99%.
Mud weight in psi/ft.
=8.35× 0.052
=0.434 psi/ft
Mud weight with barite in psi/ft
=8.4× 0.052
=0.437 psi/ft.

Theoretical prediction calculation

Mass of Bentonite (BE)= 30g

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Mass of Barite (BR) = 10g
1lb == 453.59g
30g == 0.06611lb
10g == 0.022046lb
Volume of water (W) = 500ml
Volume of Mud VF
1gal == 3785.4ml
Density of Water = 8.33lb/gal
Density of Bentonite = 21.66lb/gal
Density of Barite = 35lb/gal
Density of Mud DF

FOR SAMPLE 1 (fresh mud):

Using material balance equation to determine the mud density;
VBE DBE + VW DW = VF DF
VBE DBE = MBE
MBE= 30g == 0.06611lb
M BE
V BE=
DBE

0.0661
V BE=
21.66
−3
V BE=3.05 ×10 gal

V BE=11.55 ml

V W =500 ml

V F=V BE +V W

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 V F=500+ 11.55=511.55 ml

V F=0.1351 gal

M BE +V W DW
D F=
VF

0.0661+( 0.1321× 8.33)

D F=
0.13514

D F=8.63lb/ gal

Experimental value = 8.35lb/gal

Theoretical value = 8.63lb/gal

FOR SAMPLE 2 (mud with barite):

Using material balance equation to determine the mud density;
VBE DBE + VW DW + VBR DBR= VF DF
VBE DBE = MBE
VBR DBR = MBR
MBE= 30g == 0.06611lb
MBR= 10g == 0.02204lb
VBE from sample 1 above is 11.55ml.
M BR
V BR=
D BR

0.02204
V BR=
35
−4
V BR=6.2989 ×10 gal

V BR=2.38 ml

V W =500 ml

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 V F=V BE +V W +V BR

V F=500+ 11.55+ 2.38=513.93 ml

V F=0.13577 gal

M BE + M BR +V W D W
D F=
VF

0.0661+0.02204+(0.1321 ×8.33)
D F=
0.13577

D F=8.75lb/ gal

Experimental value = 8.4lb/gal

Theoretical value = 8.75lb/gal

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 GENERAL DISCUSSION:
Weighting materials are materials with relatively high specific gravity
which can be added to the drilling fluid (mud) to increase its density,
usually to control formation pressure.Barium sulphate (baso4) otherwise
called “barite” is by far the most common weighting material used in
drilling fluids.Barite has an API defined specific gravity of 4.2,which makes it
possible to increase mud weight up to 21ppg. It is cheap and readily
available.However,suspension of barite requires high gel strength and
viscosity. Barite is chemically inert and insoluble, it is usually colourless or
milky white, but can be almost any colour, depending on the impurities
trapped in the crystals during their formation.
It is usually heavy for non – metallic mineral. Barite is not the only weighing
material to increase the mud density. There are many other materials that
can be use, but the reason for commonly using mainly barite is because of
the advantages it has. It is applicable in deep high – temperature wells.
Also, the environmental protection agency (EPA) does not classify barite
additives as a hazardous waste. Bentonite is an effective fluid loss control
agent because of its particle size and shape and also because it hydrates
and compresses under pressure. The partice size distribution is such that
most particles will be less than 1 micron, care should be taken not to
remove those small particles by using a centrifuge for solids control.

We must clean all the device before our works because if they are dirty,
they will cause error in our experiment. If the water is not clean to prepare
this mud we have some error to equilibrium,the mud balance must be
balanced with water (standard solution) in first stage and after that the
bentonite mud is balanced with respect to density of the water and barite
is added to increase the density of the mud (to control the formation),

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 drilling muds are traditionally based on water either fresh water, seawater,
naturally occuring brines, or prepared brines. Many muds are oil-based,
using direct products of petroleum refining such as diesel oil or mineral oil
as the fluid matrix. In addition, the various so called synthetic based muds
are prepared using highly refined fluid compounds that are made to more
exacting property specificatons than traditional petroleum-based oils. In
general,water-based muds are satisfactory for the less-demanding drilling
of conventional vertical wells at medium depths, whereas oil-based muds
are better for greater depths or in directional or horizontal drilling,which
place greater stress on drilling apparatus. Synnthetic-based muds were
developed in response to environmental concerns over oil based fluids,
though all drilling muds are highly regulated in their composition and in
some cases specific combinations are banned from use in certain
environments.

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 PRECAUTIONS
1.All devices used were clean before the start of experiment to remove
dirts, otherwise it could have been a source of error in the experiment.
2. “Clean” water was used during courde of the experiment,if not, it could
have been a source of error. For this reason, it is always advisable to use
distilled water which has a density of 8.33ppg.
3. It was ensured that there was no air bubble trapped in the sample when
it occurred, cup was tapped briskly until the bubble breaks out.
4. Error due to parrallax was avoided when taking reading on the mud
balance,beam balance and measuring cylinder.
5. When taking reading on the measuring cylinder, meniscus gauge was
considered.
6. When dealing with the bentonite and barite after measurement (in
grams), it was ensured that cooling fans were turned off to avoid loss of
“already measured” samples.
7. Ensure that the rider was slowly moved to set at equilibrium or balance
level.

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 CONCLUSIONS
From the results gotten from the experiment,it is observed that the
density of the mud sample 2 is larger than that of mud sample 1. It
therefore implies that the additive added in sample 2, absent in sample 1 is
a weighting material and can thus be used to increase the density of a
drilling fluid.
Also, it could been be seen that barite, the weightng material,
increases the mud density from sample 1 in sample 2 (with the same
quantity of mud 30grams) by 0.60%, 1.11%, 0.80% and 0.99% in lb/gal,
lb/sq.in/1000ft, lb/cu.ft and S.G respectively.
It can hence be inferred that drilling mud has better maintenance of
the rheological properties at higher pressure and temperature.

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 REFERENCES
1. Mud balance-schlumberger oilfield glossary 2015 mud balance.
2. K.H.Hiller, “Rheological measurements on clay suspensions and drilling
fluids at high temperatures and pressures vol.15.
3. A.G Clenand,R.W. doehler, “industrial application of bentonite, 1963.
4. Katz, D.L, Cornell, D., Kabayashi, R., Poetman, F. vary. J.A., Elenbass, J.R.
and weinaug, C.F, Handbook of natural gas engineering, mcGraw-Hill
book co. Inc New york. (1959).
5. Manual of drilling fluid technology, N.L bariod/ NL industries inc. 1979

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