Functions of the Mud

The mud has several functions:

1. To cool and lubricate the bit and drill string.
2. To flush drilled cuttings from the bottom of the hole
3. To carry the cuttings out of the well
4. To support the well bore wall
5. To hold back formation fluids
6. To prevent lost circulation
7. To transmit data to the surface. (MWD, mud logging, etc.)

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Mud system

The active surface system is used to

treat the mud and to provide enough
volume to fill the hole when the drill
string is removed.

One of the key functions of the active

system is solids removal.

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 Why solids control
The drilled solids influence:
Drilling performance

Down hole problems

Drilling mud cost and performance

Equipment wear

The quality of the logging

The quality of the cementing

Production
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Drillability

Drillability is influenced by rock strength. As a tooth penetrates the formation the rock must move
out of its way. To move the rock must compress, just as our core sample in the laboratory. Just
like our core sample the rock will break once the rock strength is exceeded.
Overbalance is a confining pressure that raises the apparent rock strength. With higher mud
weight we will need more bit weight to get the same tooth penetration, or we suffer lower
penetration rates.
This is why an increase in penetration rate is an indicator that we have less overbalance.
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 Drilling performance

Solids provide a filtercake that allows a differential pressure to exist across the bottom of
the well. This acts as a confining pressure which increases the apparent rock strength.

Hydraulic horsepower at the bit is reduced by excessive viscosity.

Affects static and dynamic chip hold down.

Increases bit balling

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Drilling performance
Drilling rate
Drilling rate

Torque and drag

Bit life and trip frequency

Solids content
Surge and swab pressures

Down time due to equipment repair or hole trouble

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 Viscosity
Solids have a negative impact on rheology. They increase viscosity and thixotropy

Negative impact of viscosity:

Increased pressure losses in drill pipe and annulus.
Less hydraulic horsepower to the bit
Higher ECD
Higher surge and swab pressures
Reduced solids removal efficiency
Loss of mud at surface
Coarser screens, ineffective hydro cyclones - More solids in mud
Reduced degasser efficiency
Increased channeling while cementing
Pump cavitation and difficulty in priming.
Chemical addition becomes less efficient.
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Fluid loss
Drilled solids lead to thicker more permeable filter cakes

Negative impact of thick filter cake:

Increased torque and drag
Higher surge and swab
Potentially stuck pipe
Difficulty logging and running casing
Poor cement bond between casing and formation

Negative impact of fluid loss:

Formation damage from solids and fluids
Emulsion block
Interstitial clay swelling
Reduced log interpretation
Misinterpretation of hydrocarbon/ water zones
Distorted porosity/ density logs
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 Equipment wear

Pumps
Valves, liners, valve seats, and impellers
Lines, fittings and valves
Swivel and drill string
Solids control equipment
Bits, and bit nozzles
Turbines, motors, MWD’s, LWD’s etc..
Casing

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Cutting Size and Classification

API Classification of Solids

API Classification Size range (micron) Description

Coarse > 2000
Intermediate 250 - 2000 Sand

Medium 74 - 250
Fine 44 - 74
Silt
Ultra-Fine 2 - 44
Colloidal (clay) 0 - 2 Clay

}
Beach sand 80 > 2000

Human hair 30 - 200 Examples

Cement dust 3 - 100

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 Specific Area

1”

1/
4” 1/
8”
1”
½”

1”

The specific area of a cutting increases as its size decreases. Specific area is
the total surface area divided by the weight of the cutting. The specific area
doubles each time the diameter of the cutting is halved.

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Mud system

Degasser
Mixing Shale
Hopper Centrifuge Desilter Desander shaker
Agitator

Suction Mixing Centrifuge Desilter Desander Degasser Sand

pit pit pit pit pit pit Trap

Note the direction of flow through each The treatment pits must be kept full to operate
treatment pit.. properly. The last treatment pit will have an
125% of the flow rate should pass through overflow or swing arm equalizer to keep these
the hydro cyclones pits full.
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 Shale shakers
Wire size Opening
Mesh (inches) (microns) circular
10 x 10 .025 1905
20 x 20 .017 838
40 x 40 .010 381
60 x 60 .0075 234 linear

80 x 80 .0055 178
100 x 100 .0045 140
120 x 120 .0037 117
First 2/3 of screen bed should
150 x 150 .0026 105 be covered with mud.
200 x 200 .0021 75
The goal is to remove cuttings
250 x 250 .0016 63 before they degrade. Not retain
325 x 325 .0014 44 mud!
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Degasser

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 Degasser (Swaco)

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Swaco vacuum valve

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Degasser Drilco

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Degasser Pit
If the degasser and its pit are not plumbed
correctly it will not work correctly.

The desander pump should never be used

as a degasser pump!

Overflow not underflow!

If there is an underflow into the

degasser pit then the degasser will
only see heavy mud, not the light
gassy mud that needs to be treated.

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 Hydro cyclones

Cone Size Capacity Cut point Solids

(inches) (gpm) (micron) (tons/day)

10 - 12 500 74 150
8–6 100 40 40
4–3 50 15 10
2 20 8

Hydro cyclone efficiency decreases as viscosity, weight, and solids content

increases.

Optimum performance occurs with 75 feet of head, or roughly 4 x mud wt. in psi.
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De-sanders

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 De-Silters

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Mud Cleaners

% by
volume

Particle size
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 Centrifuge

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Centrifuge arrangement

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 Agitator

Agitators mix the mud to keep it

homogeneous.
They also serve to keep drilled solids in
suspension so they can be treated out
of the system.

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Agitators

Radial agitators drive the flow Axial agitators drive flow

outward. This type of downward to scour the bottom
agitator must be placed close of the tank. This type of
to the bottom and is normally agitator is more efficient than
only used in slug pits. radial flow agitators.
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 Mud Mixing

Mixing
Hopper Chemicals should be added upstream of the
Agitator suction pit to give the mud time to mix
before reaching the suction line.
The hopper outlet should also be far away
from any suction lines to prevent air
entrapment.

The solids treatment system is kept full of

mud by the use of an overflow out of the
Suction Mixing last treatment pit. The main active system
pit pit can be drawn down without affecting
hydro cyclone performance.

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Mud system (un-weighted)

With un-weighted mud all of the solids removed by the hydro-cyclones

and centrifuge are discarded.

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 Mud system (weighted)

With weighted mud the solids removed by the hydro-cyclones are passed over
a screen to salvage the smaller barite particles. The centrifuge may also be
used to recover this barite if the waste from the cones is directed into a
collection pit instead.
The centrifuge will still be used to recover barite, (and undesirable drilled
solids), while colloidal size particles and fluid is discarded.
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Swing arm equalizer

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 Active volume

Useable volume
18 in

We need 18 inches of mud above suction inlet to avoid cavitation and air
entrainment.
We also never fill the pit completely unless it has a closed top.
The useable volume is much smaller than the total volume. The total volume of
mud must be treated.
Solids that accumulate on the bottom of the tank may tie up treatment chemicals.
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Notes:
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