CIRCULATING SYSTEM IN DRILLING

NAME OF STUDENT:

SAMAN AHMAD MAHMOD AHMAD

SUPERVISED BY:
MR. KHAIRI OMAR

DRILLING OIL WELLS DEPARTMENT

ARARAT PRIVATE TECHNICAL INSTITUTE
2019 – 2020
 CIRCULATING SYSTEM IN DRILLING

A Report Submitted to the Scientific Committee in Department of Drilling Oil

Wells as Partial Requirements for Final Assessment

NAME OF STUDENT:

Saman ahmad mahmod ahmad

SUPERVISED BY:
Mr. Khairi Omar

2020 A.D. 2720 K. 1441 A.H

Acknowledgments

Thanks, and deepest gratitude to our supervisor Mr. Khairi Omar for the continues
support of our study, for his patience, motivation, immense knowledge.

Great appreciation to head of Drilling Oil Wells department and also great thanks
for the Dean of our Institute for his great job, Report template Guideline was
helpful.

Special thanks for Ararat Private Technical Institute.

Finally, great thanks for our family and friends.

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 ABSTRACT

Background and objectives: - The circulation system the circulation system

consists of mud pumps, distribution lines, and the mud cleaning and accumulation
system. It is the closed hydraulic circuit which allows the mud to flow from the
surface to the bottom of the hole, inside the drill string, and subsequently back to
the surface, in the drill string borehole annulus. The mud from the hole has to have
the cuttings removed before being reinjected to the bottom of the hole and the mud
pumps supply the energy necessary for circulation.

Materials and methods: - The source of the study, which constitutes the structure
of the study, can be classified into two groups: scientific books and research that
were previously conducted on this topic, the source of books Z-lib site and also the
source of research on the site Researchgate.

Conclusion: - The complete, circuitous path that the drilling fluid travels. Starting
at the main rig pumps, major components include surface piping, the standpipe, the
kelly hose (rotary), the kelly, the drillpipe, drill collars, bit nozzles, the various
annular geometries of the openhole and casing strings, the bell nipple, the flowline,
the mud-cleaning equipment, the mud tanks, the centrifugal precharge pumps and,
finally, the positive displacement main rig pumps.

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 Table of contents

Content Page No.

Acknowledgments I

Abstract (Background and objectives, Materials and methods, and II

Conclusion)

Table of contents III

Table of Figure IV

Chapter One Introduction 1

1.1 Background of the study 1

Chapter Two Literature Review 2

2.1 What is the circulation system? 2

2.2 Composition of circulation system 2

2.3 principle of circulation system 4

2.4 Objectives for using a drilling fluid 7

2.5 Options available for drilling fluids 8

2.5.1 The reasons for using an oil-based mud include 9

2.5.2 disadvantages of oil-based muds 10

Chapter Three Research Methodology 11

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3.1 Subjects and Study Design 11

3.2 Data Collection: 11

Chapter Four 12

4.1 Discussion: 12

Chapter Five 13

5.1 Conclusion 13

References: 15

List of Figures

Figure No. Title Page No.

Circulation System
Figure 2.1 3

Figure 2.2 Schematic of the Circulation System 5

Schematic of a Piston-Cylinder in a (A) Single-

Figure 2.3 Action and (B) Double-Action Reciprocating 5
Mud Pump

Figure 5.1 The Circulating System 14

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 Chapter One

Introduction

1.1 Background of the study:

Oil well drilling is a complex operation and the drilling industry engages the
services of personnel and a complicated array of machinery and materials to drill
an oil/gas well to depths greater than 6000 meters, The drilling industry has seen
technological progress, however, these advances have not changed the fact that,
besides the use of complicated machinery, successful drilling is a result of
tremendous team effort. Numerous personnel from the operating company and
several service companies work together to drill and complete an oil/gas well.

A drilling rig is used to drill a hole, and this requires qualified personnel, different
types of equipment the application of a great variety of technology.

When a drilling project is commenced, two goals must be achieved:

• To drill and finish the well in a safe manner (personal injuries, technical
problems) and according to its purpose;

• To complete the project with minimum cost.

The overall costs of the well must be optimized and this optimization may
influence where the well is drilled (onshore – extended reach or offshore above
reservoir), the drilling technology applied (conventional or slim-hole drilling) as
well as the evaluation procedures run to gather subsurface information for future
drilling projects.

Circulating system drilling is the most efficient technology applied in the oil and
gas industry.
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It is a drilling technology that rig’s circulation system consists of several
components. Together, they methodically and efficiently deliver drilling fluids into
the wellbore throughout the drilling process. Drilling fluids serve a number of
purposes, as we will describe it in this report.

Chapter Two
Literature Review

2.1 What is the circulation system?

Like the circulation system in the human body, a rig’s circulation system ensures that
the correct fluids reach the correct parts of the “body”.

The rig’s circulation system consists of several components. Together, they

methodically and efficiently deliver drilling fluids into the wellbore throughout the
drilling process. Drilling fluids serve a number of purposes, as we will see.

Drilling fluid, which drillers call “mud”, can be petroleum based, water based,
composed of synthetic oil and even pneumatic, such as foams. Drilling fluids can also
contain additional solids to obtain the desired density, thickness, viscosity and other
properties. Regardless of their chemical composition, however, drilling fluids serve
several functions.

2.2 Composition of circulation system:

The circulation system on the rig is the system that allows for circulation of the
Drilling Fluid or Mud down through the hollow drill string and up through the
annular space between the drill string and wellbore. It is a continuous system of
pumps, distribution lines, storage tanks, storage pits, and cleansing units that

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allows the drilling fluid to fulfill its primary objectives. The mud pumps of the
circulation system and the draw works of the hoisting systems are the two largest
draws on the power from the power system

In the detailed rig schematic (Figure 2.1), the circulation system is comprised of:

The Swivel (Item 6), The Rotary Hose (Item 17), The Mud Return Line (Item 23)
The Shale Shaker (Item 24), The Choke Manifold (Item 25), The Mud Gas
Separator (Item 26), The Degasser (Item 27), The Reserve Pit (Item 28), The Mud
Pits (Item 29), The Desander (Item 30), The Desilter (Item 31), The Mud
Pumps (Item 32), The Mud Discharge Line (Item 33), The Bulk Mud Components
Storage (Item 34), The Mud House (Item 35), The Water Tank (Item 36).
Figure 2.1: Circulation System

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2.3 principle of circulation system:

Drilling fluid is mixed in the mud pits and pumped by the mud pumps through the
swivel, through the blow out preventer (not part of the circulation system) down
the hollow drill pipe, through holes (Jet Nozzles) in the bit, up the annular space
between drill pipe and wellbore (where it lifts the rock cuttings), to the surface,
through the Solids Control Equipment (Shale Shaker, Desander, and Desilter), and
back to the mud pits. A schematic of the circulation system is shown in Figure 2.2.
In this figure, fresh water-based drilling fluid (mud) is mixed with water from
the Water Tank (not shown in Figure 2.2) and components from the Bulk Mud
Components Storage (not shown in Figure 2.2) in the Mud Pit. The Mud
Pumps then pump the mud through the swivel, kelly, kelly bushing, and rotary
table down to the drill string. The mud pumps on a typical drilling rig are either
single-action or double-action Reciprocating (Positive Displacement) Pumps which
may contain two pistons-cylinders (duplex pump) or three pistons-cylinders
(triplex pump). Figure 2.2 shows schematics of a single piston-cylinder in (A) a
single-action and (B) a double-action reciprocating pump.
In these pumps, the positive pressure and negative pressure (suction) in the
cylinder cause the valves to open and close (note: the valves in the schematic are
simple representations of the actual valves). Due to the high viscosity of the
drilling fluid, the inlet side of the pump may require a Charge Pump to keep fluids
moving into the cylinders at high pressures and to prevent Cavitation in the pump.

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 Figure 2.2: Schematic of the Circulation System

Figure 2.3: Schematic of a Piston-Cylinder in a (A) Single-Action and (B)

Double-Action Reciprocating Mud Pump

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From the mud pumps, the drilling fluid goes to the swivel, through the blow out
preventer, and down the hollow drill string and bottom-hole assembly. The drilling
fluid then goes through jet nozzles in the drill bit; at which point, it begins its
return to the surface. The drilling fluid travels up the annular space between the
drill pipe and the wellbore, picking up and carrying the drill cuttings up the hole.

Once the drilling fluid reaches the surface, it goes through the mud return line to
the gas-mud separator and the solids control equipment. The shale shaker is where
the large cuttings from the returning drilling fluid are removed. The shale shaker is
a set of vibrating mesh screens that allow the mud to pass through while filtering
out cuttings of different size at screen screen mesh sizes. A Mudlogger or a Well-
Site Geologist may be stationed at the shale shaker to analyze the cuttings to
determine the lithology of the rock and the depth within the Stratigraphic
Column at which the well is currently being drilled.
The drilling fluid then passes through the Desander and Desilter. These are
hydrocyclones which use centrifugal forces to separate the smaller solids from the
drilling fluid. The desander typically removes solids with a diameter in the range
of 45 – 74 μm, while the desilter removes solids with a diameter in the range of 15
– 44 μm. The drilling fluid is then sent through a degasser to remove any gas
bubbles that have been picked up during the circulation. These gasses may include
natural gas from the subsurface or air acquired during the solids control. Typically,
the degasser is a piece of equipment that subjects the drilling fluid to slight vacuum
to cause the gas to expand for extraction. The drilling fluid is then returned to the
mud pit to start the circulation process over again.
We have discussed the mechanics of how the drilling fluid is circulated during the
drilling process, but we have not discussed the role of the drilling fluid. The term
“mud” is often used in oil and gas well drilling because historically the most
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common water-based drilling fluids were mixtures of water and finely ground,
bentonite clays which, in fact, are muds.

2.4 Objectives for using a drilling fluid:

There are many objectives for using a drilling fluid. These include:

• Lift drill cuttings from the bottom of the wellbore to the surface;

• Suspend cuttings to prevent them from falling downhole if circulation is

temporarily ceased;

• Release the cuttings when they are brought to the surface;

• Stabilize the borehole during drilling operations (exert hydrostatic or

hydrodynamic pressure on the borehole to prevent rock caving into the
wellbore);

• Control formation pore pressures to assure desired well control (apply

hydrostatic and hydrodynamic pressures in excess of the formation pore
pressures to prevent fluids from entering the wellbore);

• Deposit an impermeable filter cake onto the wellbore walls to further

prevent fluids from permeable formations from entering the wellbore;

• Minimize reservoir damage (assure low skin values) when drilling through
the reservoir section of the well;

• Cool the drill bit during drilling operations;

• Lubricate the drill bit during drilling operations;

• Allow for pressure signals from logging while drilling (lwd) or measurement
while drilling (mwd) tools to be transmitted to the surface (lwd and mwd
data are transmitted to the surface using pressure pulses in the drilling fluid);
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 • Allow for pressure signals to be sent to the bottom of the well to pressure
actuate certain downhole equipment;

• Minimize environmental impact on subsurface natural aquifers.

2.5 Options available for drilling fluids:

Historically drilling fluids were mixtures of bentonite clay, water, and certain
additives to manipulate the properties of the mud (density, viscosity, fluid loss
properties, gelling qualities, etc.). Today, there are several different options
available for drilling fluids. These include:

• Water-based muds (WBM)

• Oil-based muds (OBM)

• Foams

• Air
Of the listed drilling fluids, the water-based muds and the oil-based muds are the
most common; foam drilling and air drilling can only be used under specialized
conditions. Of the two liquid based mud systems (water-based muds and oil-based
muds), water-based muds are the most common mud system. They are more
environmentally friendly and are used almost exclusively to drill the shallow
portions of the well where fresh water aquifers exist to minimize any
contamination to those aquifers. As this implies, drilling fluids can be – and often
are – switched during the course of drilling operations in single well.
In addition, water-based muds are cheaper than oil-based muds, so they are used to
reduce drilling costs and commonly represent the “default” selection for a drilling

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fluid. In other words, water-based muds are often used unless there is a specific
reason to switch to an oil-based mud.
Oil-based muds are formulated with diesel oil, mineral oil, or synthetic oils as a
continuous phase and water as a dispersed phase in an emulsion. In addition,
additives such as emulsifiers and gelling agents are also used.

2.5.1 The reasons for using an oil-based mud include:

It was specially developed to tackle some of the drilling problems that I
encountered with water slurry. The reasons for using oil mud include:
❖ drilling through shales that are susceptible to swelling (in particular, highly
smectite-rich shales). Shales contain a large amount of clay material and
when these clays come in contact with the water in a water-based mud
system, the clays may swell causing the shales to collapse into the hole.
Smectite-rich shale formations are often referred to as “Gumbo” or “Gumbo
Clays” in the drilling industry;
❖ reducing torque and drag problems in deviated wells. Since oil, a lubricant,
is the continuous phase in the mud system, the torque and drag between the
drill pipe and the wellbore is reduced with oil-based muds;
❖ achieving greater thermal stability at greater depths. Oil-based muds have
been found to retain their stability (retain their desired properties) at greater
down hole temperatures;
❖ achieving greater resistance to chemical contamination. Many substances
found down-hole (salt, CO2, H2S, etc.) are soluble in water. The introduction
of these substances into the water-based mud system may have a deleterious
impact on different mud properties (density, viscosity, fluid loss properties,
gelling properties, etc.). These substances are not soluble in oil and,
therefore, have will not impact oil-based mud properties.
The first three bullet points in this list are becoming more common problems in the
oil and gas industry. The shale boom in the U.S. has made long horizontal sections

9
in shale reservoirs targets for drilling. In addition, deviated wells and deeper wells
are also becoming more common. For these reasons, the use of oil-based muds is
also becoming more common.

2.5.2 disadvantages of oil-based muds:

There are also several disadvantages with oil-based muds. These include:

▪ high initial costs. Often in an active drilling campaign, if certain depth

intervals require an oil-based mud, the mud is stored and reused in different
wells;
▪ slow rates of penetration. Historically, the rate of penetration has been
statistically slower for oil-based muds than it is for water-based muds. The
rate of penetration is the speed at which the drilling process progresses
(depth versus time) and is a function of many factors other than mud type,
including: weight on bit, RPM, lithologies being drilled through, bit type, bit
wear, etc.;
▪ environmental concerns:
❖ oil contamination of subsurface fresh water aquifers,
❖ cleaning and disposal of oil contaminated rock cuttings;
▪ kick detection. If gas enters the wellbore (a Kick), it may go into solution in
the oil in deeper, higher pressure sections of the well and come out of
solution closer to the surface;
▪ formation evaluation. Some readings from well logs or core analysis may be
sensitive to oil entering the formation of interest (for example, if oil from the
oil-based mud enters the reservoir in the near-well vicinity, then tools used
to detect oil saturation may read artificially high).

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Other drilling fluids currently in use that were listed earlier are foams and air. In
the context of drilling fluids, foams have the consistency of shaving cream. Both
foam and air drilling are used in hard rock regions, such as in the Rocky
Mountains, where drill bits render the drill cuttings to dust. Thus, the foam or air
only needs to lift this dust to the surface. Air drilling is always an environmentally
friendly option if it is applicable because environmental contamination by air is
never an issue.

Chapter Three

Research Methodology

3.1 Subjects and Study Design

This study carried out at Ararat Private Technical Institute from June 2020. The
study was approved by the Scientific Committee in Department of Drilling Oil
Wells as Partial Requirements for Final Assessment.
3.2 Data Collection:
The source of the study, which constitutes the structure of the study, can be
classified into two groups: scientific books and research that were previously
conducted on this topic, the source of books was on the Z-lib site and also the
source of research on the site Researchgate The required information was collected
and organized in this report.

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 Chapter Four

4.1 Discussion:
A major function of the circulating system is to remove the rock cuttings from the
hole as drilling progresses. A schematic diagram illustrating a typical rig
circulating system. The drilling fluid is most commonly a suspension of clay and
other materials in water and is called drilling mud. The drilling mud travels (1)
from the steel tanks to the mud pump, (2) from the pump through the high-pressure
surface connections to the drill string, (3) through the drill string to the bit, (4)
through the nozzles of the bit and up the annular space between the drill string and
hole to the surface, and (5) through the contaminant-removal equipment back to
the suction tank. The principal components of the rig circulating system include (1)
mud pumps, (2) mud pits, (3) mud-mixing equipment, and (4) contaminant-
removal equipment. With the exception of several experimental types, mud pumps
always have used reciprocating positive-displacement pistons. Both two-cylinder
(duplex) and three-cylinder (triplex) pumps are common. The duplex pumps
generally are double-acting pumps that pump on both forward and backward piston
strokes. The triplex pumps generally are single-acting pumps that pump only on
forward piston strokes. Triplex pumps are lighter and more compact than duplex
pumps, their output pressure pulsations are not as great, and they are cheaper to
operate. For these reasons, the majority of new pumps being placed into operation
are of the triplex design. The advantages of the reciprocating positive-displacement
pump are the (1) ability to move high-solids-content fluids laden with abrasives,
(2) ability to pump large particles, (3) ease of operation and maintenance, (4)
reliability, and (5) ability to operate over a wide range of pressures and flow rates
by changing the diameters of the pump liners (compression cylinders) and pistons.

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Example duplex and triplex mud pumps. The overall efficiency of a mud-
circulating pump is the product of the mechanical efficiency and the volumetric
efficiency. Mechanical efficiency usually is assumed to be 90% and is related to
the efficiency of the. prime mover itself and the linkage to the pump drive shaft.
Volumetric efficiency of a pump whose suction is adequately charged can be as
high as 100%. Most manufacturers' tables rate pumps using a mechanical
efficiency, Em, of 90% and a volumetric efficiency, Ev, of 100%.

Chapter Five
5.1 Conclusion:

• The circulation system is The circulation system consists of mud pumps,

distribution lines, and the mud cleaning and accumulation system; It is the
closed hydraulic circuit which allows the mud to flow from the surface to the
bottom of the hole, inside the drill string, and subsequently back to the
surface, in the drill string borehole annulus; The mud from the hole has to
have the cuttings removed before being reinjected to the bottom of the hole
and the mud pumps supply the energy necessary for circulation; The choice
of drilling fluid is dictated mainly by the characteristics of the formations to
be drilled, by their drill ability and reactivity to water, and by problems of
disposing of the spent fluid;
o Drilling fluids have many functions to perform including:
▪ The removal and transport to the surface of the cuttings
produced by the bit;
▪ The control of the formation pressure;
▪ The prevention of caving and collapse of the borehole walls;
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 ▪ The slowing down of the sedimentation of the cuttings when
circulation stops;
▪ The cooling and lubrication of the drilling equipment;
▪ The sources of geological and stratigraphic information.
o Drilling fluids are subdivided into three major classes:
▪ Water based muds;
▪ Oil based muds;
▪ Air -based muds (used to reduce bottom hole pressure, to avoid
circulation losses in surface layers, or to limit damage to
productive formations).

Figure 5.1: The Circulating System

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REFERENCES:

❖ Moore, P. L., Drilling Practices Manual, Petroleum Publishing Co., 1974.

❖ Randall, B. V., and D. B. Anderson, “Flow of Mud During Drilling Operations,” S.P.E.
Paper 9444, 1980.

❖ History of the Oil Industry www.sjvgeology.org.

❖ Emam, Eman A. (December 2015). GAS FLARING IN INDUSTRY: AN OVERVIEW

(PDF). http://large.stanford.edu/courses/2016/ph240/miller1/docs/emam.pdf

❖ Australian Institute of Petroleum. "Offshore Oil Drilling." Earth Science Australia. (June
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❖ Diamond Offshore. "Offshore Drilling Basics." (June 22, 2010)

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❖ Ritzholtz, Barry. "Deepwater Horizon." The Big Picture. May 25, 2010. (June 21, 2010)
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❖ U.S. Energy Information Administration. "Petroleum Basic Statistics." July 2009. (July 6,
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❖ Dr. Kasem Ajram (1992). The Miracle of Islam Science (2nd ed.). Knowledge House
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❖ Zayn Bilkadi (University of California, Berkeley), "The Oil Weapons", Saudi Aramco
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❖ The Cost of Oil & Gas Wells OilScams.org. Oil Scams. 2018. Retrieved 4
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