Sulaimani Polytechnic University

Petroleum & Energy Engineering Department / 3rd stage

Drilling lab
Lab report #2
( Hydrogen Ion concentration PH )

Prepared by: Supervised by:

Soran Sarbast Mr. Muhamad

Miss. Awezan
Aim :
To determine the pH of the mud to know the acidity and alkalinity

of the mud by using pH meter.

Theory :
pH is a measure of the hydrogen ion concentration of the water as
ranked on a scale of 1.0 to 14.0. The lower the pH of water, the
more acidic it is. The higher the pH of water, the more basic, or
alkaline, it is. pH affects many chemical and biological processes in
the water and different organisms have different ranges of pH within
which they flourish. The largest variety of aquatic animals prefer a
pH range of 6.5 - 8.0. pH outside of this range reduces the diversity
in the stream because it stresses the physiological systems of most
organisms and can reduce reproduction. Low pH can also allow
toxic elements and compounds such as heavy metals to become
mobile and "available" for uptake by aquatic plants and animals.
Again, this can produce conditions that are toxic to aquatic life,
particularly to sensitive species like trout.

Changes in acidity can be caused by atmospheric deposition (acid

rain or acid shock from snowmelt), surrounding rock, and
wastewater discharges. Technically, the pH scale measures the
logarithmic concentration of hydrogen (H+) and hydroxide (OH-)
ions, which make up water (H+ + OH- = H20). When both types of
ions are in equal concentration, the pH is 7.0 or neutral. Below 7.0,

2
the water is acidic (there are more hydrogen ions than hydroxide
ions). When the pH is above 7.0, the water is alkaline, or basic (there
are more hydroxide ions than hydrogen ions). Since the scale is
logarithmic, a drop in the pH by 1.0 unit is a 10-fold increase in
acidity. So, a water sample with a pH of 5.0 is ten times as acidic as
one with a pH of 6.0. pH 4.0 is 100 times as acidic as pH 6.0.

Alkalinity is a measure of a river's "buffering capacity," or its ability

to neutralize acids. Alkaline compounds in the water such as
bicarbonates (baking soda is one type), carbonates, and hydroxides
remove H+ ions and lower the acidity of the water (which means
increased pH). They do this usually by combining with the H+ ions
to make new compounds. Without this acid neutralizing capacity,
any acid added to a river would cause an immediate change in the
pH. Measuring alkalinity is important to determining a river's ability
to neutralize acidic pollution (as measured by pH) from rainfall or
snowmelt. It's one of the best measures of the sensitivity of the river
to acid inputs. Alkalinity comes from rocks and soils, salts, certain
plant activities, and certain industrial wastewater discharges. Total
alkalinity is measured by collecting a water sample, and measuring
the amount of acid needed to bring the sample to a pH of 4.2. At
this pH all the alkaline compounds in the sample are "used up." The
result is reported as milligrams per liter (mg/l) of calcium
carbonate.

The acidity and the alkalinity of the drilling fluid can be measured

by the concentration of the (H+) ion in the fluid.

3
-If (H+) is large (1 x 10-1), then the (OH-) hydroxyl concentration

is very low (1 x 10-13), the solution is strongly acidic.

-If the (OH-) concentration is (1 x 10-1) very high then (H+)

concentration is very low then the solution is strongly alkaline.

PH Ranges:

- In most cases pH between (7 to 9.5).

- If PH above 9.5, viscosity will increase that are out of proportion for

good drilling properties. Some times for minimizing shale problems use

PH above 9.5.

-Problems of acidic mud:

1) Corrosive pipes.

2) When drilling in high H2S,should be increase the pH of fluids(above 10) and

using sulfide scavenging chemical (zinc carbonate or zinc chromate).

But H2S is not corrosive, but in the presence of moisture, O2 and CO2, it becomes
corrosive.

Tools :

The Model 900 Viscometer is a coaxial cylinder rotational viscometer.

It measures the shear stress, shear rate and rheological properties of a fluid sample
which may be mud or cement

4
Calibration :
1) Put 170 ml of Calibration fluid to the steel cup, while this

calibration fluid has a chart that contain RPM readings.

2) Switch on the device.

5
3) Press button “ENTER” and wait till rotating bob in air twice.

4) Rising the steel cup till the bob immersing in the calibration fluid.

5) Press button “CAL”

6) Entering the chart number .

Test Procedure :
1) Prepare a mud by mixing bentonite and water.

2) Put 170 ml of the mud to the steel cup.

3) Switch on the device.

4) Press button “ENTER” and wait till rotating bob in air twice.

5) Rising the steel cup till the bob immersing in the mud.

6) Press button “MUD”.

7) After 10 min read (PV, YP and Gel strength 10sec and 10 min ).

Calculation :
PV = 11.6 cp

YP = 15.2 Pa = 15.2 * 2.09 = 31.77 Ib/100 ft^2

6
Gel Strength (10 sec) = 10.4 Pa = 10.4 * 2.09 = 21.74 Ib/100 ft^2

Gel Strength (10 min) = 15.7 Pa = 15.7 * 2.09 = 32.81 Ib/100 ft^2

Discussion :
1) Draw Non-Newtonian line (Bingham Model) for previous data?

Ans: this graph that I was draw in the next page .

2) Discuss this line?

Ans : this line is Non-Newtonian ( plastic force ) because the yield point doesn’t
start from zero and the viscosity is not constant .

3) Which type of gel strength is greater than another type in value? why?

Ans:

10 min , because have a longer time to make a good drilling mud .

4) Have another type of Gel strength except (10 sec and 10 min) ?

Ans :

yes we have 30 min , and 16 hrs. .

5) What is the difference between YP & Gel strength?

Ans:

Gel strength is the ability of the fluid to develop gel structure and retain it when
at rest. Because of gel structure fluid behaves as semi-solid and resists changes in
its shape.
yield point  is the point at which the semi solid structure starts to break and the
fluid starts to flow.

6) What is the difference between Newtonian fluid & Non-Newtonian fluid?

Ans :

7
Newtonian fluids have a constant viscosity that doesn’t change, no matter the
pressure being applied to the fluid. This also means they don’t compress.

Non-Newtonian fluids are just the opposite if enough force is applied to these
fluids, their viscosity will change. These fluids are broken up into two categories
dilatants, which get thicker when force is applied, and pseudo plastics, which get
thinner under the same circumstances

7) Do you have any idea about apparent viscosity and effective viscosity?

Ans:

Apparent viscosity: Apparent, or shear, viscosity refers to the

relationship between viscosity and shear rate. In Newtonian
fluids, this value doesn’t change, but with non-Newtonian
fluids, apparent viscosity is directly affected by the shear rate.
It can be calculated by dividing shear stress by shear rate.

the effective viscosity means the viscosity of Newtonian fluid that gives the
same shear stress at the same shear rate.

8
Reference :
1. https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=ms-android-
samsung&source=android-browser&q=method
2. https://www.google.com/url?
sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.sigmaquadrant.com/gel-
strength/&ved=2ahUKEwiIsJbEvKfhAhXQUlAKHc7uAogQFjAKegQIAx
AB&usg=AOvVaw1bqA9vTEEOUhsnfzUM3l18
3. https://www.google.com/url?
sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://nordicrheologysociety.org/Content/Tra
nsactions/2003/Richard%2520Jachnik%2520Low%2520Shear%2520Rate
%2520Rheology%2520of%2520Drilling
%2520Fluids.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjfqve6vqfhAhUIPFAKHUcOCNk4ChA
WMAh6BAgDEAE&usg=AOvVaw3-5eFufLqi7XH7zDbpVn4s