University of zawia

Faculty of Oil & Gas Engineering

Drilling Fluid Lab

Sand content

Prepared by
Introduction
Measurement of the sand content of mud should be made regularly because excessive
sand makes a thick filter cake, causes abrasive wear of pump parts, bit and pipe, may
settle when circulation is stopped and interfere with pipe movement or setting of
casing. Sand content (API method) is defined as the percentage by volume of solids in
the mud that are retained on a 200-mesh sieve. Abrasiveness is not dependent on size
alone, however, but upon the hardness and shape of the particles and may be severe
with particles even smaller than 200-mesh (74 microns).

The Objective of experiment

This simple test is used to determine the volume percent sand-sized particles in a
mud. The information is used to make adjustments in solids control equipment. Sand
causes excessive wear on mixing equipment, drill string, and on pump parts.

The Theory
The sand sized particles in drilling fluid defined as particles larger than
74 μm in size. The sand volume addition to void spaces between grains
usually measured as volume percentage. Because of reliability and test
simplicity of equipment's the sieve analysis is preferred method for
determining the sand content.
Large amount of sand may result in the thick wall filter cake deposition,
or settle down at the bottom of hole while circulation is stopped. Also,
high sand content may cause high abrasion of pump parts and pipe line
connections. The Sand Content Equipment has a developed sieve consist
of a special mesh size 0.08 mm (200-Mesh), proper plastic funnel, and a
special developed measuring tube. The measuring tube has some marks
that indicate the amount of filled drilling fluid and water. Since the
percentage of sand can be read directly from the measuring tube from 0 –
20 %

equipment's
1. Electronic Mud Mixer: Is a device used to mix
liquid with solid particles
2. Lab Spatula: Used to mix mud and water manually.
3. Beaker.
4. Graduated Cylinder: Is a cylindrical container used
to measure volume of a liquid.

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 5. Sand Content Equipment: Is a device used to
measure Sand-Sized particles in drilling fluid.
6. Mud Balance: Is a device used to measure fluid
density.

Figure (1) Figure (2) Figure (3)

Figure (4) Figure (5)

Figure (6)

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 Materials
 Water
 Bentonite: Is a weighting material used to create a WBM
 Mud: Is a mixture of weighting material and water
 Barite: Is a weighting material used to rise a density of mud

Procedure
1. A drilling mud has been prepared as discussed before in Lab 2.
2. Pour mud into the glass measuring tube until it fills up to the mark
labeled” mud to here” then add 100 ml of water until the mark
labeled “water to here” and close mouth of the tube with thumb
and shake it strongly.
3. Pour the mixture through the mesh screen, being careful to wash
everything out of the tube with clear water through the same
screen. Wash sand retained on screen with a stream of water to
remove all mud and shape particles.
4. Fit the funnel down over top of the screen, slowly invert it, turning
tip of funnel into mouth of tube, and wash sand back into tube with
a fine spray of clear water on the back side of the screen. Allow the
sand to settle.
5. Read the volume percentage of sand using the scale on graduated
tube.
6. Record the sand content volume by percentage.

conclusions
This experiment can conclude that, a drilling mud may contain some sand
sized particles which they should remove if exceeded a specified range.
However, the volume percentage of sand content measure with a device
named Sand Content Equipment.
References
Kate, V.D. (1998): Drilling Fluids, Mud Pumps and Conditioning
Equipment.
Kruse, C.F. (1975): Lessons in Rotary Drilling, Unit II-Lesson 2 “Drilling
Mud”.
12th Edition. Published by Petroleum Extension Service Industrial and
Business Training Bureau Division of Extension, The University of
Texas.

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M.J. Pitt. (2000): The Marsh Funnel and Drilling Fluid Viscosity: A New
Equation for Field Use.
15th ed. Leeds: Society of Petroleum Engineers. PDSco Drilling Fluids
& Additives. (2019). Testing Equipment | PDSco Drilling Fluids &
Additives. [online] Available at: https://pdscoinc.com/field-testing-
equipment/ [Accessed 17 Nov. 2019]. 6