Mud

C
Composition
iti

Composition:
Phases

Phases of a Drilling Fluid

z Water (continuous) phase

z Reactive commercial clay solids

z Reactive formation (drilled) solids

z Inert formation (drilled) solids

z Inert commercial solids

z Soluble chemicals

Composition: Water phase

z Definition: The continuous (liquid)

phase of the drilling fluid (mud)

z Can be fresh water, brackish water, sea

water, saturated salt water, or another
type of brine fluid

z Can be hard water containing a high

concentration of calcium or magnesium

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 Composition: Fresh water

z Usually available only on land locations

z Advantages:
z Commercial clays hydrate more

z Most chemicals are more soluble

z Disadvantages:
z Formation clays hydrate more, which

can result in hole problems and

damage to the producing zone

Composition: Brackish water

z Usually in a marine environment

z Slightly salty

z Higher calcium and magnesium than

fresh water

Composition: Sea water

z Chlorides and hardness varies

z Chlorides in Gulf of Mexico 15,000 -

30,000 mg/l
z In Egypt: 23,000 – 26,000 mg/l

z Calcium in Gulf of Mexico 400 ± mg/l

z Magnesium in Gulf of Mexico 1200±

mg/l
z Hardness in North Sea much higher

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Composition: Saturated salt water

z Used primarily to drill through large salt

formations
z Salt must be added to achieve
saturation
z Prevents hole enlargement due to
leaching or dissolving salt from the
formation
z Leaching could result in hole problems
and expensive mud and cement costs

Composition: Brine water

z Usually used for clay (shale)

inhibition
z Potassium Chloride (KCL)
( )
z Calcium Chloride CaCl2
z Formates (Na+,K+)

Composition: Reactive Solids

z S.G. = 2.6, Density = 21.67 ppg

z Commercial clays
z Sodium Montmorillonite or bentonite

z DFT GEL

z Attapulgite

z SALT GEL

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Clay Platelet
Diameter: < 2 microns
2
1,000,000 m.
Thickness: ~ 10 Angstrom
Diameter: < 2 microns
10 2 m. m.
10,000,000 ,000
1,000 ,000
Thickness: ~ 10 Angstrom
10
10,000,000,000 m.

Clay Aggregates

z Face to face
bundle or “stack”
of clay platelets
z Natural state of
deposition of
platelet type clays
z Number of
platelets per
aggregate varies

Dispersed Clay

z Clay platelets are

randomly
distributed by
surface charges
z Anionic thinners
neutralize positive
charges on platelet
edges, negative
face charges
predominate

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 Flocculated Clay

z Edge to face
agglomerates
z Natural state of
clay platelets in
water
z Increased by
contaminates; salt,
anhydrite, etc.

Composition: Reactive solids

z Formation clays (drilled solids)

z S.G. = 2.6, Density = 21.67 ppg

z Montmorillonite (swelling clay)

z Illite (
(non-swelling
g clay)
y)
z Kaolinite (non-swelling clay)

z Chlorite (non-swelling clay)

z Gumbo Shale (combination of above

clays)

Composition: Reactive Solids

z Clays composed of alternate layers or

platelets of silica and alumina
z Platelet is an anion (negative charge)
surrounded by y a cloud of cations ((Na+
2+
or Ca .
z Clays absorb water (are hydrophilic)
which forces the platelets apart
(hydration).

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Composition: Reactive solids

z Separation of clay platelets is called

dispersion.
z The presence of positive and negative
charges on the clays cause the
particles
ti l to
t attract
tt t or repell each
h other
th
z When clay particles are attracted to
each other, this is called flocculation
z When clay particles repel each other,
this is called de-flocculation

Composition: Inert Solids

z Commercial
z Barite (barium sulfate)

z S.G. = 4.2, Density = 35 ppg

z (DFT BAR)

z Used to increase mud density up to

maximum of 22 ppg±

Composition: Inert solids

z Hematite (iron oxide)

z S.G. = 5.0, Density = 41.67 ppg

z Fer-Ox

z Used to increase mud density up to

maximum of 25 ppg ±

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Composition: Inert solids
z Calcium Carbonate
z S.G. = 2.8, Density = 23.34 ppg

z Acid soluble

z Lo-Wate

z Used to increase fluid density up to

maximum of 14.0 ppg ±

z Used as bridging agent in drill-in,

oil and synthetic fluids

z Used as LCM

Composition: Inert solids

z Lost Circulation Material (LCM)

z Material used to bridge off (seal)

formations where whole mud is being

lost to the formation
z Nut shells (mostly pecan & walnut)

z Mica

z Fiber (wood, paper, plastic, etc.)

Composition: Inert solids

z Formation solids
z S.G. = 2.6 ±, Density = 21.67 ppg ±

z Sand

z Limestone

z Dolomite

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Composition: Soluble chemicals

z Caustic Soda (NaOH)

z pH 13.3

z Used to increase pH

z Increases solubility of organic

thinners
z Sequesters calcium and magnesium

z Reduces corrosion

Composition: Soluble chemicals

z Caustic Potash (KOH)

z pH 13.3

z Used to increase pH

z Increases solubility of organic

thinners
z Sequesters calcium and magnesium

z Reduces corrosion

z Provides potassium (K )
+

Composition: Soluble chemicals

z Lime (CaOH)2
z pH 12.4

z Used to increase pH

z Used to buffer pH

z Sequesters magnesium

z Reduces corrosion

z Source of Ca
2+ to precipitate out

carbonates

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Composition: Soluble chemicals
z Gypsum (CaSO4 + H20)
z pH 6.0
z Exists as Anhydrite (CaSO4) in the
Formation
z S
Source Ca2+ to
off C t precipitate
i it t outt
carbonates and provide Ca2+ inhibition
through base exchange with Na+
z Gyp/Spersene mud to provide
inhibition while drilling Anhydrite

Composition: Soluble chemicals

z Soda Ash (Na2CO3)

z pH 11.0 - 11.5

z Used to precipitate out Ca

2+ from

Anhydrite
z Used to precipitate out Ca
2+ and Mg2+

from hard water

Composition: Soluble chemicals

z Bicarbonate of Soda (NaHCO3)

z pH 8.4

z Used for precipitating out Ca

2+ from

cement contamination
z Used for lowering the PH in mud

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Composition: Soluble chemicals

z SAPP (Na2H2P2O7)
z pH 4.8
z Used for precipitating out Ca2+ from
cement contamination
z Used as a de-flocculant (mud thinner)
at less than 1500F

Composition: Soluble chemicals

z Salt (NaCl2)
z pH 7.0 ±
z Increase density of brine fluid
z Bridging agent in sized salt drill-in fluid
z I
Increase chlorides
hl id in i salt-saturated
lt t t d
mud to drill rock salt formations
z Increase chlorides to prevent formation
of gas hydrates in deep-water
operations

Composition: Soluble chemicals

z Potassium Chloride (KCl)

z pH 7.0 ±
z Hydration suppressant,
suppressant used to
stabilize water-sensitive formation
shales

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Composition: Soluble chemicals

z Zinc Oxide (ZnO)

z Zinc Carbonate (ZnCo3)
z Used to precipitate out hydrogen
sulfide (H2S)
z * Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) must be
converted to S= by raising the pH
before it will react with ZnO to form ZnS

Composition: Soluble chemicals

z Lignosulfonate (organic acid)

z CL (chrome lignosulfonate)
z FCL (chrome-free lignosulfonate)
z Chemical de
de-flocculant
flocculant (mud thinner)
adds anionic (negative) charges to the
mud.

Composition: Soluble chemicals

z Lignosulfonate (continued)
z Neutralizes positive sites on the clays
causing them to repel each other.
z Needs alkaline environment to become
soluble.
z Is soluble in all types of water
z Temperature limitation is 3150F±

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Composition: Soluble chemicals

z Lignite (organic acid)

z Chrome lignite
z Chemical de-flocculant (mud thinner)
adds anionic ((negative)
g ) charges
g to the
mud.
z Neutralizes positive sites on the clays
causing them to repel each other.
z Stabilize polymers against Temperature

Composition: Soluble chemicals

z Lignite (continued)
z Needs alkaline environment to become
soluble.
z Solubility
y decreases as the chlorides of
the water-phase is increased above
15,000 mg/l
z Temperature limitation is 400-5000F±

Questions?

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