Drilling Engineering-I

Pet-E-211L
Lab Instructor :
Engr. Muhammad Awais Qureshi

Department of Petroleum &

Gas Engineering 06/22/2021
 Experiment # 04
• Objective:
1) Measurement of plastic viscosity of different mud samples by
viscometer.

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 Apparatus
• Rotational viscometer,
• Bentonite,
• Water,
• Graduated Cylinder,
• Stirring Rod,
• Balance,
• Beakers
• PPE’s (Personal Protective Equipments)

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 Related Theory
• Viscosity:
• A property of fluid and slurries that indicates their resistance to flow, defined as the
ratio of shear Stress to shear rate.
• Viscosity is measured as the ratio of the shearing stress to the rate of shearing
strain.
• Viscometer or rheometer is a device used to measure the viscosity and yield point
of mud.

• Units:
1) Poise is the unit for viscosity (dyne-sec/cm2)
2) One poise represents a high viscosity, 1/100poise, or one centipoise (cp) units are
used for mud viscosity measurements.

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 Types of Fluids
• Newtonian Fluids: Many
common fluids are practically
Newtonian fluids; the viscosity of the
fluid does not depend on the shear
forces acting on it. The resistance to
flow is directly proportional to the
motion of the fluid. The viscosity of
Newtonian fluids depends only on
the temperature and pressure of the
fluid. For incompressible liquids,
such as water, the viscosity depends
on temperature only.

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• Non-Newtonian Fluids:
• Non-Newtonian fluids are different to
Newtonian fluids in that the viscosity is
a function of either shear stress or shear
rate.
• There are many types of non-Newtonian
fluids such as;
• those that vary with the duration of
shear stress applied(Rheopectic and
Thixotropic);
• those that vary with shear stress
(Dilatants and Shear Thinning or
Pseudoplastic);
• those that act as a solid up until a certain
level of stress and then begin to acts as a
fluid (Bingham plastic); and others.

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 Rheology
• Rheology refers to the deformation and flow behaviour of all forms
of matter.
• Certain rheological measurements made on fluids, such as viscosity,
gel strength, etc. help determine how this fluid will flow under a
variety of different conditions.
• This information is important in the design of circulating systems
required to accomplish certain desired objectives in drilling
operations
• The ability of drilling mud to suspend drill cuttings and weighting
materials depends entirely on its viscosity.
• Without viscosity, all the weighting material and drill cuttings would
settle to the bottom of the hole as soon as circulation is stopped.

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 Bingham Plastic-Non
Newtonian Fluid
• A Bingham plastic is a viscoplastic material that behaves as a
rigid body at low stresses but flows as a viscous fluid at high
stress. 

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• Figure shows a graph of the behaviour of
an ordinary viscous (or Newtonian) fluid
in red, for example in a pipe.
• If the pressure at one end of a pipe is
increased this produces a stress on the
fluid tending to make it move (called
the shear stress) and the volumetric flow
rate increases proportionally.
• However, for a Bingham Plastic fluid (in
blue), stress can be applied but it will not
flow until a certain value, the yield stress,
is reached. Beyond this point the flow rate
increases steadily with increasing shear
stress.
• This is roughly the way in which Bingham
presented his observation. These properties
allow a Bingham plastic to have a textured
surface with peaks and ridges instead of a
featureless surface like a Newtonian fluid.

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 Plastic Viscosity
• Plastic viscosity (PV) can be defined as the
resistance offered by a fluid to flow freely.
• This resistance is a result of friction between
the liquid undergoing deformation under shear
stress and the solids and liquids present in the
drilling mud. 
• It’s a parameter of the Bingham plastic model.
PV is the slope of the shear stress/shear rate
line above the yield point.

• PV represents the viscosity of a mud when extrapolated to infinite shear rate

on the basis of the mathematics of the Bingham model. (Yield point, YP, is
the other parameter of that model.)
• A low PV indicates that the mud is capable of drilling rapidly because of the
low viscosity of mud exiting at the bit.
• High PV is caused by a viscous base fluid and by excess colloidal solids.
• To lower PV, a reduction in solids content can be achieved by dilution of the
mud.
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 Rotational Viscometer
• Rotational viscometer uses the idea
that the torque required to turn an
object in a liquid is a function of the
viscosity of that liquid.
• It measures the torque required to
rotate a disk or bob in a liquid at a
known speed.
• Rotational viscometers are
commonly used for measuring
viscosity of Non-Newtonian fluids .

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OFITE-8 SPEED
VISCOMETER
• The Model 800 8-Speed Electronic Oilfield Viscometer is
designed and exclusively manufactured by OFI Testing
Equipment, Inc. It is extensively used worldwide in both the
field and laboratory for precisely measuring the rheological
properties of drilling fluids and cement.

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Features
• Speeds are easily changed with a control
knob.
• Shear stress values are displayed on a lighted
magnified dial for ease of reading.
• Suitable for both field and laboratory use and
uses a motor-driven electronic package to
provide drilling fluid engineers with an
extremely accurate and versatile tool.
• Operates anywhere in the world without
flipping switches or re-wiring
• Threaded rotor - mechanically attaches to the
unit the same way every time.
• Available with retractable legs for placement
in kits

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06/22/2021
 Working Principle
1) Mix the sample on the “STIR” setting for 10 seconds while
heating or cooling the fluid.
2) Rotate the knob to one of the speed settings. When the dial
reading stabilizes, record the reading and the temperature.
Repeat this step for any other speeds that your test requires.
3) Always start with the higher RPM and work your way down
to the lowest RPM. For example, if you need readings at 100
RPM, 200 RPM, and 300 RPM, record the measurement at
300 RPM first, then 200 RPM, then 100 RPM, then gel
strengths (if necessary)

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 Measurement Procedure
1) Prepare the required mud and pour into the beaker.
2) Then lower down the rotor into mud until the sleeve is in the
line with the surface of the mud.
3) Tighten up the locking nut on the leg of the instrument.
4) Move the knob to 600 rpm and note down maximum reading
on the dial.
5) Follow the same procedure as for 300 rpm.
6) Then take the difference of the two and we get Plastic
Viscosity as given by following formula.
7) PV = µ(600) - µ(300)

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Demonstration

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 Observation and
Calculations
• (300
  ) = Visocisty at 300 rpm = _____________ cp
• (600 ) = Visocisty at 600 rpm = _____________ cp

• Plastic Viscosity of drilling mud sample :

• PV = µ(600) - µ(300)
• PV = ______________ cp

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 Precautions
1. Sleeve and bob should be washed after each operation.
2. Reading should only be taken once reading on dial stabilizes .
3. The rotor bob assembly should be lowered slowly into the
beakers up to the mark.
4. Wear relevant Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

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 Viva Voce
Q1) What is Plastic Viscosity? What does it characterize?
Q2) Explain the difference between Newtonian and Non-
Newtonian Fluids.
Q3) What is the difference between the Plastic Viscosity and
Apparent Viscosity of a drilling fluid?

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