ALKALINITY AND PH :

 ALKALINITY IS DEFINED AS THE AVAILABILITY OF H+ IN SOLUTION

 PH IS A FUNCTION OF DISSOCIATION OF WATER

 PH NUMBER ARE A FUNCTION OF H+ IONS CONCENTRATION IN GRAM

IONIC WEIGHT PER LITER OF MUD.
 ALKALINITY PROPORTIONAL WITH 1/H+

PH = 16 PH = 7.0 PH = 814

ACIDIC NEUTRAL ALKALINE

 IN GENERAL ALKALINE MEDIA IS THE BEST ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL CHEMICAL

PRODUCTS TO PERFORM GOOD WHILE DRILLING
 PH EXPRESSED AS LOG SCALE (BASE 10)
Example: PH OF 9.0 indicate an alkalinity ten times as greater as that of PH of 8.0 .
 PH value depending on the concentration of OH group and or CO3 , HCO3 and CO2 in mud As:

IF
 PH =12.0 or higher ======= Mud contaminate with OH group

 PH =10.0 ======= Mud contaminate with OH & CO3

 PH =9.0 – 10.0 ======= Mud contaminate with CO3 group only

 PH =9.3 - 8.3 ======= Mud contaminate with CO3 & HCO3

 PH =8.3 – 6.0 ======= Mud contaminate with HCO3 only

 PH = 6.0 – 4.3 ======= Mud contaminate with HCO3 & CO2

 PH = 4.3 or lower ======= Mud contaminate with CO2 only.

NB: Using PhPh indicator to test PH value

As follows:

 No color ========= PH less than 8.3

 Light pink color ==== PH 7.5==8.5
 Pink color ======= PH 9.0 =10.0
 Violet color ======= PH more than 10.0
NB: PhPh end point is at PH = 8.3
ALKALINITY OF MUD TEST : (Pm )

 Prepare 1 ml of mud + 5 ml distilled water + 3 drop PhPh (red pink color)

 Titrate with H2SO4 acid (N/50)===== end point == colorless indication
 Pm = Volume of H2SO4 used.

ALKALINITY OF FILTRATE : ( Pf & Mf test)

 Prepare 1 ml of filtrate + 2 drop PhPh (red pink color)

 Titrate with H2SO4 acid (N/50)===== end point == colorless indication
 Pf = Volume of H2SO4 used
 Add 2 drops of methyl orange indicator (yellowish orange color)
 Continue titrate with H2SO4 (N/50)===end point ==pale red color
 Mf = total volume of H2SO4 used.

RELATION BETWEEN Pf & Mf:

1. If Mf = Pf or little higher :
 That means mud contaminate with OH ions only
 Expected to got Ca++ ions contaminate in mud , whenever no CO3 group to precipitate Ca++.

2. If Mf less than twice of Pf:

 Most of ions CO3 and OH.

3. If MF = TWICE Pf:
 Most of ions are CO3
 High pH related to CO3 not OH which may causes a problem in lignosulphonate mud Leads no
response for rheological properties.

4. If Mf higher than twice of Pf:

 Most of ions are CO3 and HCO3.

5. If Pf = 0 and Mf very high:

 Most of ions are HCO3 only.

NB:
 Mf is a matter of measuring CO3, HCO3 & CO2
 Pf is a matter of measuring CO3 & OH group.
 Pf end point is at PH = 8.3
 Mf end point is at PH = 4.3
 Example:
If PH = 9.0 Pf = 0.8 Mf = 1.6

That means high consumption of H+ ions of H2SO4 acid, take the same quantity of Pf to utilize the filtrate
to reach PH = 4.3, So all alkalinity in Pf was from CO3 group.

 Total carbonate = 1220 (Mf – Pf )

 Treatment of carbonate contaminate in mud depending on total carbonate value (Mf & Pf ) and type of
carbonate .
 Carbonate contamination treated by adding Lime, or Lime +NaOH or Lime +Gypsum
 Carbonate contamination treated as follows:
- HCO3 value X 0.00021 == PPB of Lime (treatment value)
- CO3 value X 0.00043 == PPB of Lime
- HCO3 value X 0.002 ==== PPB of NaOH
- CO3 value X 0.001==== PPB of Gypsum

Rule of thumb:
 CO2 AND H2S are acidic gases
 At high PH you have free OH ions in mud
 At high PH we minimize bacterial degradation
 Don’t treat carbonate to zero so as to have some carbonate to react w/ excess Ca ions in mud
 Accepted carbonate in mud is between 500 – 2000 mg/l
 A solids problem may look like a CO3 problem.
 In case of CO2 treat with lime C<2O + Ca<2OH =(CaCO3 + H2O
 In lime mud the influx of CO2& H2S, which are acidic gases gives incorrect Pm/Pf ratio
 Solubility of Ca increase with low pH, causing flocculation of mud
 Clay or shale becomes highly sensitive to mud in highly pH over 9.0, causing flocculation of mud as the
attraction forces between ions increases
 Mf value sometimes tend to be higher than actual (false value),this is because some chemicals added to mud
(such as ,lignosulphonates , unical , resinex), buffer the pH of the fluid (fix it) ,so it takes more amount of
H2SO4 to reach pH 4.3.
 High pH more than 11.0 may deactivate some polymers, best media pH is between 8.5(10.0.
 Low pH less than 7.0 causes breakdown (burn) of polymers
 Ligosulphonate becomes less affective and may cause sever foaming at pH below 8.0,so add caustic
 Soda to adjust PH
 In lime mud or excess lime Pm becomes higher than Pf as lime increases.
 To adjust Pm/Pf ratio add lime or caustic soda .