COVENANT UNIVERSITY

CANAAN LAND, OTA

PETROLEUM ENGINEERING LABORATORY

MUD DENSITY - DETERMINATION OF DRIILING

FLUID

BY

ANTOINE PIUS
 ABSTRACT
The experiment was carried out to measure the density of three different (A, B
and c) mud samples. The density of the drilling mud must be known
throughout most of the drilling operations. Frequent mud density tests aid in
preserving a safety factor by disclosing any changes taking place in the unit
weight of the mud. The instrument used for measuring the density of the mud
is called a mud balance. The mud balance used was a four-scale mud
balance which directly gives the measurement of the mud density in units of
specific gravity, pounds per gallon, pounds per cubic feet and per square
inch/1000feet. It carries weight on one side and a counter weight on the other
side. This lab report will discuss the basic procedure involved in conducting
this experiment. Mud sample B had a higher density than A and C due to the
addition of barite in its composition.

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 Table of content
Introduction.............................................................................................................................................3
Aim of the experiment.........................................................................................................................4
Apparatus of the experiment............................................................................................................5
Procedures.............................................................................................................................................7
Limitations of the experiment...........................................................................................................8
Results of the experiment..................................................................................................................9
Observation…………………………………………………………………………………10
Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………..11
References………………………………………………………………………………….12

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 INTRODUCTION

Density is a measurement that determines the amount of weight an object has

compared to its volume. Mud weight or mud density is the mass per unit
volume of a drilling fluid. Mud density is an important parameter required
when performing a drilling operation in petroleum engineering. Mud density is
determined by using a mud balance or mud scale. There are other equipment
that can be used to measure mud density such as the hydrometer, but the
mud balance is more accurate. This is because the mud balance has a
directly proportional relationship between density and weight therefore gives
directly, the mud weight in pounds per gallon.
The mud density must be known and controlled to ensure that the hydrostatic
pressure is higher than the formation pressure and that the wellbore is stable.
The higher the formation pressure, the higher the mud density that is required
(this is achieved by adding more barite to the mud) and vice versa. Excess
mud density can cause loss circulation or will affect the rate at which drilling is
done and result in damage to formation thereby leading to a well blowout.
The mud balance is constructed so that a fixed- volume mud cup with a lid on
one end of the graduated beam is balanced by a fixed counterweight on the
opposite end.
A sliding weight rider is free to move along on the graduated beam and a level
bubble mounted on the beam indicates when the system is in balance.
Density is read at the point where the slider weight sits on the graduated
beam at a balanced level.

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AIM OF THE EXPERIMENT

To determine the density of the given three different mud samples.

OBJECTIVE OF THE EXPERIMENT

1. To measure the weight of bentonite and barite using a mud balance.

2. To measure the volume of water using a measuring cylinder.
3. To measure the density of the mud.

SCOPE OF THE EXPERIMENT

The bentonite was measured using an electric weighing balance. The water
was measured using a measuring (graduated) cylinder at room temperature.
The mud samples were prepared using a mixer. The mud density was
measured using a mud balance and the type of mud balance used was a
conventional four-scale mud balance. These measurements were carried out
in the laboratory and at room temperature.

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 APPARATUS OF THE EXPERIMENT

The various apparatus used for measuring mud density in the laboratory
include:

1. Mud balance: this device is used for the accurate determination of mud
density. In this experiment, a four-scale metal mud balance is used. The
components of the mud balance include rider, level bubble vial, steel shot,
balance cup with lid, knife-edge, base, Shotwell, arm and a plastic carrying
case.
The density scale ranges of the 4-scale metal mud balance are:
 6.5 – 23.0 lbs/gal (ppg)
 0.79 - -2.72 specific gravity (s.g)
 49 – 179 lbs/ft3
 340 – 1190 psi/1000ft
An advantage of the mud balance is that the temperature of the mud does not
affect the accuracy of readings.

2. Electronic balance: this is a device used to find accurate measurements

of weight in grams. In this experiment, the electronic balance is used to
measure the weight of the bentonite and barite needed to prepare the mud
samples. Electronic balances provide their readings digitally, making them an
easy tool to use.

3. Electric (mud) mixer and steel vessels: a mud mixer is an apparatus

used to mix water and materials like bentonite or barite, to prepare a drilling
mud. The
materials are poured int the steel vessels for mixing.

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4. Measuring cylinder: this is an apparatus used to measure the volume of
liquids. It is graduated and each marked line represents the volume of liquid
that has been measured. In this experiment, the measuring cylinder is used to
measure the required volume of water.

5. Water: this is the solvent in which a solute (e.g. barite and bentonite) is
dissolved to form a solution. The solution being the mud in this experiment.

6. Bentonite: a material composed of clay minerals commonly used in drilling

mud. Bentonite is used to lubricate, cool the cutting tools and help to prevent
corrosion and blowouts when used in drilling mud.

7. Barite: this material is an additive that serves as a weighting agent when

added to the mud. This helps to add density to the mud sample.

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 PROCEDURES
PREPARING THE MUD:
1. Place a clean and dry paper on the electronic balance and set to zero.
Then
measure the quantity (in grams) of bentonite required to prepare the mud
sample.
2. Using the measuring cylinder, measure the volume of water required to
prepare the mud sample.
3. Pour the water into the steel (cup) vessels of the mud mixer. Then plugin
and switch on the mud mixer after the steel cup has been properly attached.
4. As the mixer spins the water in the steel vessel, begin to add the weighed
bentonite in small quantities. This is to ensure that the mixing is done
thoroughly.
5. The mixer is left to mix for about 2-3 minutes after which the steel cup is
detached from the mud mixer.
6. Place the steel cup containing the recently mixed mud sample on the table
and use a spatula to check if there are any lumps in the mud.
7. Attach the steel cups back to the mixer if there are any lumps found, to mix
thoroughly. Then after another 2-3 minutes, check using the spatula to see if
there are no lumps in the mud sample.
8. If there are no lumps found in the mud, then pour the mud into the mud
balance.
9. Carry out the above procedures when preparing the other two samples.

MEASURING THE MUD DENSITY:

1. The mud balance base was placed (preferably in the carrying case) on a
flat level surface.
2. The clean, dry cup was filled to the top with the test fluid (mud).
3. The lid was placed on the cup and set with a gentle twisting motion. Some
mud was expelled through the hole in the cup lid to ensure that the cup is full
also to free any trapped air or gas.
4. The hole in the lid was covered with a finger and all mud was washed from
the outside of the cup and arm. The entire balance was then thoroughly dried.
5. The balance was placed on the knife-edge and the rider was moved along
the outside of the arm until the cup and arm were balanced as indicated by
the
bubble.
6. The mud weight was then read at the edge of the rider towards the mud
cup.

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 LIMITATIONS OF THE EXPERIMENT

Mud density is usually measured using a conventional mud balance, however,

if you have some air bubbles trapped inside the mud, readings from the
conventional mudbalance will be incorrect or inaccurate. Therefore, a
pressurized mud balance should be used to give more accurate
measurements. The pressurized mud balance looks the same as the
conventional ones, but only that it has a pressurized sample cup.
When you press a mud sample into the cup, any gas in the mud sample will
be
compressed to a very small volume so that the measurement of the mud
weight is more accurate.

MAINTENANCE
The mud balance should be clean and dry before putting in the mud sample
and wipe after getting mud in the cup and close the lid. This is to prevent air
bubbles from getting trapped in the solution and to ensure accuracy of results.

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 RESULT OF THE EXPERIMENT
In this experiment, three different mud samples were prepared and the
density of each sample was measured. The following are the three mud
samples to be
prepared and measured:

Sample A: 25g of bentonite + 400ml of water

Sample B: sample A + 10g of barite

Sample C: sample B + 5g of salt

The table below shows the density (in sp.gr, ppg, lb/ft 3, psi/1000ft) obtained
for each of the mud samples prepared:
Table4.1: Showing the measured density results of the mud samples A, B and
C
SAMPLES (sp.gr) (ppg) (lb/ft3) (psi/1000ft)

A 1.025 8.550 64.5 44.5

B 1.035 8.650 65.0 45.1
C 0.870 7.025 54.7 35.3

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 OBSERVATION

The results obtained from the experiment shows that sample B has the
highest mud density following the addition of 10g of barite. During the the
experiment I observed that the mud became thicker after adding 5g of
potassium chloride and the density became less.

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 CONCLUSION

The purpose of this experiment was to prepare and measure the density of
three different mud samples. In doing this, the mud balance, mud mixer and
weighing balance are used. For maintenance of the mud balance, fill the cup
with fresh water then replace the lid and wipe dry.
The results obtained from the experiment showed that sample b had the
highest density ( of 1.035 sp.gr, 8.650 ppg, 45.1 psi/1000ft, 65.0 lb/ft 3
This experiment should be carried out under room temperature because
temperature affects the density which will also affect the accuracy and
reliability of results.

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 REFERENCES
1. Caenn, R., Darley, H. C. H. & Gray, G. R., 2011. Composition and
Properties of Drilling and Completion Fluids. s.I.: Gulf Professional Publishing.
2. Mud balance – Schlumberger Oilfield Glossary, 2015, mud balance.
3. Mud Weight Marsh Funnel Viscosity and pH – Drilling Engineering, 2015.
4. Muhammed Faisal and Mr Pshitiwan Jal – Koya University, 2015, mud
weighting experiment.
5. Mr Pshitiwan Jal and Kamal Abdulraham – Koya University, Faculty of
Engineering, mud balance experiment.

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