CHAPTER FOURTEEN Glossary Section One Drilling Fluids Absorption: The penetration or apparent disappear- ‘ance of molecules or ions of one or more substances into the interior of a solid or liquid. For example, in hydrated bentonite, the planar water that is held be- ‘ween the mice-like layers is the result of absorption. ‘Acid: Any chemical compound containing hydrogen ‘capable of being replaced by positive elements or radi- cals to form salts, In terms of the dissociation theory, it is @ compoundwhich, on dissociation in solution, yields excess hydrogen ions. Acids lower the pH. Ex- “Amples of acids or acidic substances are: hydrochloric ‘cid, tannie acid, sodium acid pyrophosphate. Acidity: The relative acid strength of liquid as meas- ‘ured by pH. A pHi value below 7. See pH. ‘Adhesion: The force which holds together unlike molecules, ‘Adsorption: A surface phenomenon exhibited by a ‘solid (adsorbent) to hold or concentrate gaves, iquids, fF dissloved substances (adsorptive) upon its surface, tt properry due to adhesion. for example, that water held to the outside surface of hydraved bentonite is adsorbed water. ‘Acration: The technique of injecting air or gas in ‘varying amounts into a drilling fiuid for the purpose of reducing hydrostatic head. Compare Air Cutting. Agglomerate: The larger groups of individual particles ‘usually originating in sieving or drying operations. Randling as powder or a suspe broken by drastic treatment such ae ball milling « powder or by shearing a suspension.Aggregation: Formation of aggregates. In drilling ‘foods, aggregation results in the stacking of the clay platelets face to face. The viscosity and gel strength ‘Gecrease in consequence. ‘Alt Cutting: The inadvertent mechanical incorpora- tion and dispersion of air into a drilling fuid eystem Compare Aeration. ‘Alkall: Any compound having marked basic proper- ‘es. See Base, ‘Phosphates in the water. It is determined by titration ‘With standard acid to certain datum points, See API RP 18B* for specific directions for determination of phenolphthalein (Pp and methyl orange (Mp alkalini- ties of the Strate in drilling uids and the alkalinity of the md itself Psy). Also ave Py, Mand Poy Aluminum Stearate: Ax aluminium slat of stearic ‘acd used as a defoamer. See Stearate. Amorphous: Tae. property of a solid substance ‘which does notcrystalize and is without any definite characteristic chape. : Mud or Drilling-Fruid: Examination and. ‘esting of the drilling fiuid to determine its physical and chemical properties and condition. Anhydrite: See Calcium Sulfate. Anhydrite is often ‘encountered while drilling, It may occur es thin stringers or massive: ss Anhydrous: Without water. Aniline Polnt: The lowest temperature at which equal ‘wolumes of freshly diated snikne and an oll which is being tected are {Ene pit of Gescle or crudes used in driling mud is also ‘and fodcation of the deteriorating effec these materials ‘hay have on nabural or eyathetc rubber. The lower the ‘talline point of an oil the more severe it usually isin ‘damaging robber parts ‘Anion: A negatively charged atom or radical, wach as Ch, OH, 80-4 =, ete, in solution of an electrolyte. ‘Anions move toward the anode (positive electrode) un- er the influence of an electrical potential. Annular Velocity: The velocity of a Suid moving in the annules. Chapter 14 ‘Annulus of Annular Space: The space between. the drill string and the wall ofthe bole or easing. Antitoam: A wibstance used to prevent foam by greatly increasing the surface tension. Compare De- foamer. API Gravity: The gravity (weight per unit volume) of ‘rude oil or other related fluids as measured by a sy®- ‘tem recommended by the American Petroleum Insti- tute, I is related to epeciGe gravity by the following Deg API= 4425-1915 “Apparent Viscosity: The viscosity a fluid appears to have on a given instrament at a stated rate of ‘hear, It is a function of the plastic viscosity and the Yield point, The apparent viscosity in centipoises, as Secermined by the direct indicating viseometer, which is equal to 4 the 600-rpm reading. See also Viseosity, Plastic Viscosity, and Yield Point. In « Newtonian fuid, the apparent viscosity is numerically equal to the plastic visority. ‘Asbestos: Terms applied to many Sbrous silicate minerals, some forms of which are used in certain drilling fuids. Asphalt: A natural or mechanical mixture of solid oF ‘Viswous bitumens found in natural beds or obeained as ‘an element as compared with the weight of atom of the weight of 1 atom of oxygen.Chapter 14 gravity of 4.20. The barite mineral occurs in white, rayish, greenish, and reddish ores or crystalline Barium Suttate: BaSO,. see Barite Barrel: A volumetric unit of measure used in the pe- ‘troleum industry consisting of 42 gal. (U.S) Barre! Equivalent: A laboratory unit used for evalu- ating or testing drilling fluids. One gram of materia Jin 350 ml of fluid is equivalent to 1 Ib of material in barrel of uid. Base: A compound of a metal, or a metal-like group, ‘with hydrogen and axygen in the proportion to form an OH radical, which ionizes in aqueous solution to yield excess hydroxyl jons. Bases are formed when ” metallic ‘Orides react with water. Bases increase the pH. Examples are caustic soda and lime. Base Exchange: The replacement of cations associ- ated with the clay surface by those of another species, eg, the conversion of sodium clay to calcium clay. Basicity: pH value above 7. Ability to neutralize or accept protons from acids. Bentonite: A plastic, colloidal clay, largely made up of the mineral sodium montmorillonite, a hydrated aluminium sibeate. For use in drilling fads, bentonite hhas a yield in excess of 85 bhVton. The generic term ben- tonite is neither an exact mineralogical name, nor is the mineralogical clay of definite mineralogical composition. Bicarb: See Sodium Bicarbonate. Bloole Line: Flow line for air or gas driling. Blowout: An uncontrolled escape of: drilling Muid, ganpil, or water from the well caused by the forma: ‘Son pressure being greater than the hydrostatic head of the fluid in the hole. Bollerhouse: To make up a report on a condition as fact without knowledge ofits accuracy. Sometimes re- ferred to as doghouse. Brackish Water: Water containing low concentra- ‘Hons of any soluble salts. Break Circulation: To sart movement of the drill. ‘ng fluid after it has been quiescent in the hole. Breakout, Olt: Oil that has risen to the surface of the mud which previously had been combined in the mud as emulsion. ‘Bridge: An cbetraction in « well formed by the intru- ‘sion of sub-surface formations. Drilling Fluids 239 Brine: Water saturated with or containing a high concentration of common salt (sodium chloride), hhence, any strong saline solution containing such other salts as calcium chloride, calcium bromide, zine bromide, ete. Bromine Value: The umber of centigrams of bro- mine which are absorbed by 1g of oil under certain conditions. This a test for the degree of unsaturation ofa given oil. Brownian Movement: Coatinuous, irregular mo- tion exhibited by particles suspended in a liquid or gaseous medium, usually as a colloidal dispersion. BS or BS & W: Base sediment, or base sediment ‘and water. Buffer: Any substance or combination of substances which, when dissolved in water, produces a solution which resists a change in its hydrogen ion concentra- ‘on upon the addition of acid or base. Cable-Too! Drilling: A method of driling a well by allowing a weighted bit at the bottom of a cable ofall fine the maton being penetrated. Ser Ratary Cake Consistency: According to API RP 13B, such notions as hard, soft, tough, rubbery, firm, ete, may 'be used to convey some idea of cake consistency. Cake Thickness: A measurement of the thickness ofthe Silter cake deposited by a drilling uid against a porous medium, most often following the standard Apr ilotton wee Cake Gacknes a ually in 2nd of an inch. See Filter Cake and Wall Cake. Calcium: One of the alkaline earth elements with valencey of 2 and an atomic weight of about 40. Cal cium com ‘are a common cause of the hardness fof water. It is also a component of lime, gypeum, lime- ‘mone, ete. sone, oyster shell, tc.) in specialized drilling fluids. It is also used as a unit and/or standard to report Calcium Chloride: CaCiy. A very soluble calcium salt sometimes added to ding ids to impart spe Gal properties, but primarily to increase the density of the fluid phase. Calclum Contamination: Dissolved calcium ions in «sufficient concentration to impart undesirable properties ja driling fluid, such as Docrulatin, reduction in yield of bentonite, inerease in fuid los, ete. See also Calcium Sulfate, Gyp, Anbydrite, Lime, Calcium Carbonate.240 Glossary Chapter 14 Calcium Hydroxide: CalOFy. The active ingredi- Chemical Barrel: A container in which various cher car of caked Eme. It is also the main constituent in cals are mixed prior to addition to the drilling uid, Calcium Suttate: (Anhydsite: CaS0,, plaster of Chrome Lignite: Mined lignite, osually leonardite, farts 50,12 HzO, aod gypsum: aS, 21120).Cal- to which chromate has been. added and/or reacted” Peri ts occurcin mods a contaminant or may be The lignite can also be causticized with either sodium ‘tdded to certain muds to impart special properties. oo potassium hydroxide. Cation: The positively charged particle in the solu- Circulation: The movement of drilling fui from the reer iececlyte which, under the influence of an suction pit through pump, dill pipe, bit, annular SRELaT potentish, moves toward the cathode (nega- space in the hole, and beck again to the suction pit rc cict ede) Examples arecrH,NH*,, Ca’, Me™, The time involved is usually referred to as circulation an. time. Caustic or Caustic Sods: See Sum hydroxide. Circulation, Loss of (or Lost): The reesl of whole Cave-in: See Sloughing. Cave-in is a severe form of crevices or porous media. sloughing. Cavernous Formation: A formation baving volumi- ing iid urualy expressed in gallons or barrels per mine, ‘nous voids, usually the result of diseolusion by forma- {Soa waters which or may pot be still present. CC or Cuble Centimeter: A metric system unit for moderate to severe flocculation of mud due to various fie earare ofyotume. Iris essentially equal to the contaminants; also called gelled up: milliliter and commonly used interchangeably. One milliliter sod Zero-Zoro Gol: A consition wherein the driting dencting te munbes fa cea eionafthe ui also frm mesvarable ela ring eieent ‘lay. Based on the yield, clays are daneified as bentonite, time interval (usually 10 min). highyield, Iewield eso dae Ng ed 0 ‘yield value below. Set APL ‘15 for procedures. Zeta Potential: ‘The electrokinetic potential of @ S Jericle as determined by its electrophoretic mobility. Yield Point: tn tachaclogy, yidd- point “This electric potential cases ore Ineane they eld value, Ofte two tern, el point Peleachaber say in muspension. ‘Yield Value, Zine Bromide: ZaBr2. A very soluble salt used t fncrease the density of fluid to more than dovble that Yield Value: ‘The yield value’ (commonly called cof water. Normally added to calcium ehlori “Yield point) is the resistance to initial flow, or the ‘bromide mixed brines.