ATM PETE 320 ATM

Lesson 2

Rheology of Drilling and Completion

Fluids

ATM ATM
ATM PETE 320 ATM

Rheology of Drilling and

Completion Fluids
• Functions of Drilling/Completion Fluids
• Fluid Types,
• Fluid Models
• Introduction to Rotary Viscometer
• Other Testing Equipment
• Objectives of Monitoring Fluids

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Rheology of Drilling and

Completion Fluids
• Read: MI Chapters 1, 2, 3, & 5
• Watch: Multimedia program 3 & 4

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ATM PETE 320 ATM

Functions of Drilling/Completion
Fluids
1. Remove cuttings from the well.
2. Control formation pressures.
3. Suspend and release cuttings.
4. Seal permeable formations.

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Functions of Drilling/Completion
Fluids
5. Maintain wellbore stability.
6. Minimize reservoir damage.
7. Cool, lubricate, and support the bit and
drilling assembly.
8. Transmit hydraulic energy to tools and bit.

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Functions of Drilling/Completion
Fluids
9. Ensure adequate formation evaluation.
10. Control corrosion.
11. Facilitate cementing and completion.
12. Minimize impact on the environment

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Fluid Types,
• Water based
• Oil based
• Air
• Mists
• Foams

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Flow Regimes
• Plug Flow
– Flat flow profile
– Velocity at walls is
almost the same as in
the middle
– Low velocities, and
high viscosities

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ATM PETE 320 ATM

Flow Regimes
• Laminar flow
– Parallel layers of mud
flow
– Bullet shaped flow
profile
– Velocity at the wall is
approximately 0
– Velocity at the middle
is maximum

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ATM PETE 320 ATM

Flow Regimes
Laminar Flow

Drillstring

Annulus

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Flow Regimes
• Turbulent flow
– Flow pattern is eratic

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ATM PETE 320 ATM
Wellbore
Turbulent
Flow Regimes flow
Transition
Summary flow
Complete
Streamline
Incomplete
Streamline

Plug flow
No Flow
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ATM Petroleum Engineering ATM
ATM PETE 320 ATM

Fluid Models
• Newtonian Model
• Bingham Plastic Model
• Power Law Model

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ATM PETE 320 ATM

Rheology
• The study of how matter deforms and
flows.
• Primarily concerned with the relationship of
shear stress and shear rate and the impact
these have on flow characteristics inside
tubulars and annular spaces.

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ATM PETE 320 ATM

Hydraulics
• Describes how fluid flow creates and uses
pressures.

Harold Vance Department of

ATM Petroleum Engineering ATM
ATM PETE 320 ATM

Rheological Models
• In drilling fluids, the flow behavior of the
fluid must be described using rheological
models and equations before hydraulic
equations can be applied.

Harold Vance Department of

ATM Petroleum Engineering ATM
ATM PETE 320 ATM

Viscosity????
• Funnel Viscosity – Marsh Funnel
• Apparent Viscosity
• Effective Viscosity
• Plastic Viscosity
• Yield Point
• Low-shear viscosity and Low-shear-rate viscosity
• Gel Strengths

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ATM PETE 320 ATM

Funnel Viscosity
Measured in
Sec/quart

Marsh Funnel

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Shear Stress & Shear Rate

• Shear Stress – Force required to sustain the
shear rate.
• Shear Rate – Function of the fluid velocity

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Newtonian Model
• Shear Stress, , is
proportional to the 
Shear Rate, 
• Plot intersects at the 
origin
300 rpm
 
  = Viscosity, 
centipoise = 300
reading
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ATM Petroleum Engineering ATM
ATM PETE 320 ATM

Bingham Plastic Model

• Shear Stress, , is
proportional to the
Shear Rate, 
• Plot intersects at the
Yield Point (not 0)
 py
 p = PV
 y = YP
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Power Law Model

• Shear Stress, , is proportional to the Shear Rate, 
• Plot intersects at the origin

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Which is correct?

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Introduction to Rotary
Viscometer
• Viscosity,
PV, YP, n, K
all calculated
from
viscometer
readings

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ATM PETE 320 ATM

Viscometer

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Rotational Viscometer

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ATM PETE 320 ATM

Other Testing Equipment

• Filter Press
– Measures filter
cake thickness
and Fluid Loss

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Other Testing Equipment

• pH meters used to measure pH of whole
mud, filtrate, and filter cake
• Retorts used to determine oil content, etc.
• Test for sand content
• Test for clay content

Harold Vance Department of

ATM Petroleum Engineering ATM
ATM PETE 320 ATM

Objectives of Monitoring Fluids

• Identify potential hole problems and to

identify their causes
– could be poor hole cleaning
– hole erosion
– formation damage
– sensitive formations
– pressure control problems

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ATM Petroleum Engineering ATM