University of Technology

Petroleum Technology Department

Drilling Fluid Laboratory

Name of students

Hind Nabil Abdel-Aali

Nabaa Ammar Abdul Jabb
Moamel Jabbar mira

Morning stage group(A2)

Hydrogen Ion Concentration (pH)

Experience history:1/11/2023
Experiment delivery date:8/11/2023
Objective
Determine the pH of water – based drilling fluid or completion or work over
fluids using the paper method or the pH meter.

Introduction
pH is a unit of measure which describes the degree of acidity or alkalinity of a
solution. It is measured on a scale of 0 to 14. The term pH is derived from “p,”
the mathematical symbol for negative logarithm, and “H,” the chemical symbol
for Hydrogen. The formal definition of pH is:
the negative logarithm of Hydrogen ion activity.
pH = -log[H+]
pH provides needed quantitative information by expressing the degree of
activity of an acid or base in terms of its hydrogen ion activity.
Field measurement of drilling fluid (or filtrate) pH and adjustments to the p
are fundamental to drilling fluid control. Clay interactions, solubility of various
components and effectiveness of additives are all dependent on pH, as in
control of acidic and sulfide corrosion processes.
The optimum control of some mud systems is based on pH, as is the detection
and treatment of contaminants.
Measurement of pH is routinely made by comparing the color developed on
immersing a paper strip impregnated with certain dyes (indicators) with the
color of reference standards. If the liquid has a high concentration of
dissolved salts, or is deeply colored (such as by tannins and lignite), an
electrometric method employing the glass electrode.
Theory
pH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a water solution. The acidity or
alkalinity of a water solution is determined by the relative number of
hydrogen ions (H+) or hydroxyl ions (OH- ) present.
Acidic solutions have a higher relative number of hydrogen ions, while
alkaline (also called basic) solutions have a higher relative number of hydroxyl
ions. Acids are substances which either dissociates (split apart) to release
hydrogen ions or react with water to form hydrogen ions. Bases are
substances that dissociate to release hydroxyl ions or react with water to form
hydroxyl ions.
In water solutions, the product of the molar concentrations I of hydrogen and
hydroxyl ions is equal to dissociation constant (Kw).
Knowing the value of the constant and the concentration of hydrogen ions
makes it possible to calculate the concentration of hydroxyl ions, and vice
versa. At 25°C, the value of Kw is 10-14(see Figure 1).
The control of many drilling fluid system properties is dependent on pH (the
detection and treatment of contaminants such as cement and soluble
carbonates). pH also affects the solubility of many thinners and divalent metal
ions such as calcium and magnesium, and influences the dispersion or
flocculation of clays. The relative acidity or alkalinity of a liquid is
conveniently expressed as pH. Defined as the negative logarithm (to the base
10) of the hydrogen-ion concentration, pH units decrease with increasing
acidity by a factor of 10.
 Parts of the pH meter
pH meter consists of an electrometer, glass electrodes, reference electrodes, or
combination electrodes as their major component. Previously, pH meters
were designed consisting of the glass electrodes and reference electrodes
separately. Later, more user-friendly pH meters were designed with the glass
electrode, and reference electrode in a single probe called a combined or
combination
calibration
Before we start doing this experiment, we have to test for pure water which it
has a PH of 7.03, the pre-test check will be performed and then check if you
get 7.03 or not if not, if you get any other number you need to add or subtract
the difference from the real value. For example, we got a correction factor as
to be 2.02 in our experiment, so we will subtract 2.02 from the real data of PH
measurement of the mud to be 5.9.
procedure
1-The PH Paper

l-a place an indicator Stick in the mud and a lot it to remain unite the color las
Stabili Zeale sed less than a minute. Rinse the stick off with deionized water
but do not wipe.
2- compare the colors of the stick with the falor standard provided cand
estimate the PH of the mud.
3- Report the pH of the mud to the nearest0.25 plunitse.
2-The PH meter

1- Start the test by doing the pre-test checking using pure water and check for
its value, it is supposed to be a number near 7.03.
2- Prepare a mud of any density, using the previously known calculations.
3- Put the prepared mud inside a simple container (better to be glass not
steel)
4- put the sensor head of the device
inside the mud, but it is crucial to make
sure that not hit the bottom.
5- Wait until you get a stable reading on
the screen of device.
6- record the reading and correct it by
doing necessary calculations with
recorded Correction Factor.
7- Measure the final value and present it
with mentioning of room temperature.
REFERENCES
1-Hydrogen Ion Index (PH)
PDF Advice viewer (2016) Hydrogen Index calculations Online] Available
from: http://pdfadvice.info/how_to_calculate_hydrogen_ion _concentration
2-Fann (2012), PH and its measurements [Online] Available from:
http://www.fann.com/fann/products/industrial-drilling-products/ph-
measurement/idp-ph.page?node-
id=hizOhxqb.[Accessed: April.06th 20161
3-Fann (2014) pH Meters - Digital Pocket
Onlinel Available from:
http://www.fann.com/fann/products/drilling-fluids-testing/ph-testing/ph-
pocket-meter.page?node-id=hlzOhxgb