•

CONTAMINATION
 CONTAMINATION

Severity of Chemical Contamination

• Depends on:

– Type of mud system

– Chemistry of the mud
– Amount of solids
– Type of solids
– Concentration of the contaminant
– Temperature
 CONTAMINATION

Contamination - Treatment

• Removal by chemical reaction

• Treatment of the effects of the contaminant

• Reduction of reactive solids

• Replacement of the mud system

 CONTAMINATION

Drilling Fluid Contaminants

• Solids
– Drilled Solids
– Product contamination
– Cement

• Liquids
– Water
– Dissolved ions

• Gases
– Hydrogen Sulphide
– Oxygen
– Carbon Dioxide
– Air
 CONTAMINATION

Drilled Solids

• Drilled Solids and Drilling Fluids are NOT compatible.

• Drilled Solids affect the following :
Density - Induced fractures, lower ROP
Viscosity - Higher Surge/Swab, Increased pressure losses, difficult mud removal

Fluid Loss - Thicker filter cakes, higher fluid losses, stuck pipe, poor cement bond
Inhibition - Greater washouts, poor zonal isolation

Environment - Dead sea-beds

Drilling Curve - Poor performance

Equipment - High equipment cost / down time

Information - Reduced permeability

Reservoir - Damage due to solids / liquids invading pore spaces

 CONTAMINATION

Failure to Control Solids Effectively

• Slower ROP’s and Drilling problems result in :

– Increased daily charges

– Increased dilution and maintenance charges

– Higher transport, storage and disposal costs

– Open hole interval extended - time related shale problems more likely

– More bit runs

– Delay in starting production

– Reduced production
 CONTAMINATION

Solids Classification

• HGS - S.G. > 3

– All HGS are effectively Inert (to the drilling fluid)

• LGS - S.G. < 3

– Reactive - Anionic Polymers, Bentonite, Reactive clays
– Inert - Sandstone, Limestone

• Reactive LGS have an effect because of chemical attractions and their

physical presence (YP)
– They are controlled by maintaining the MBT below preset levels

• Inert LGS have an effect due to their physical presence (PV)

– They are controlled by the volume allowed in the fluid
 CONTAMINATION

Particle Size

• The smaller the particle size, the greater the surface

area
– 3 micron diameter particles have more than 300 times the
surface area of 1000 micron diameter particles for a given
volume.

• Smaller particle sizes cause :

– Greater particle to particle interaction due to particle collision
(PV)
– Greater particle to particle attraction between particles (YP)
– A reduction in the amount of free water

Particle diameters are always measured in microns

 CONTAMINATION

Size Classification

Common Term API Classification Size (microns) Common Article

Sand Course >2000 Gravel

Sand Intermediate 250 - 2000 Beach Sand

Fine Sand Medium 74 - 250 Human Hair

Silt Fine 44 - 74 Pollen

Clay Ultra Fine 2 - 44 Cement

Clay Colloidal <2 Paint Pigments

 CONTAMINATION

Particle Size

• Depends on :
– Size of additives
– Drilling parameters
• Bit Type and Rotary Speed
• Weight on Bit
– Hole Cleaning parameters
• Efficiency
• Flow regime
– Formation Type
– Level of Inhibition
– Residence Time
 CONTAMINATION

Solids Control

• Elimination of Drilled Solids at the first possible

opportunity with a minimum of physical handling and a
minimum of liquid discharge

• Further degradation occurs in :

– The centrifugal pumps
– The mud pumps
– The drill string
– The nozzles
– The hole
 CONTAMINATION

Solids Removal Equipment

• Flo-Line Primer, Scalper, Gumbo Buster (optional)

• Shale Shaker

• Sand Traps
Decreasing
• Desander (optional) Particle sizes
Removed
• Desilter

• Mud Cleaner (optional)

• Centrifuge

• FCU (optional)
 CONTAMINATION

Gumbo Removal - Scalping

A Sticky Situation . . .
 CONTAMINATION

Shale Shaker - Common Features

Vibrators

Angle Weir
Adjustment

Screen
Basket

Skid
CONTAMINATION
 CONTAMINATION

Product / Cement Contamination

• Arises from poor QA/QC procedures

– Phosphate treatments to barite
– Polymer extenders in bentonite
– Poor labeling
– Accidental product addition

– Bulk tank contamination & lines

• Cement contamination
– Pretreat mud with sodium bicarbonate
Ca(OH)2 + NaHCO3 --> CaCO3 + H2O + NaOH

– Or pretreat mud with S.A.P.P

Na2H2P2O7 + 3Ca(OH)2 --> Ca3(PO4)2 + 2NaOH + 3H2O

• Citric acid or any acidic product can be used to reduce pH

 CONTAMINATION

Cement - Severity

Cured Cement Green Cement

Gelled Mud

Cement

moderate pH's Higher pH's

Less Severe Flocculation More Severe Flocculation
 CONTAMINATION

Cement - Sources

• Drilling out of Casing

• Plugging Back for Side Tracks

• Squeeze Operations

• Barite Contamination

• Sack Material
 CONTAMINATION

Calcium - Sources

• Formation – gypsum, anhydrite

• Drill water

• Product Contamination

• Accidental addition of chemicals

 CONTAMINATION

Carbonates - Sources

• Carbonate formations
– Generally carbonate formations are considered insoluble, but a
small increase in carbonates may occur due to grinding action of bit
plus high jet velocity
• Overtreatment
– Soda Ash or Sodium Bicarbonate used to treat out calcium could
become a contaminant
• Carbon Dioxide
– Can enter the mud from the formation drilled, and also from the
atmosphere, will dissolve into the mud
• Make up water
– Drill water and seawater can both be high in carbonates
 CONTAMINATION

Chloride - Sources

• Drill water

• Formation – salt section

• Seawater
 CONTAMINATION

Liquid Contamination

• Water
– Reduces density and viscosity
– Product concentrations change
– Oil / Water ratio changes in OBM

• Brines
– Salts will flocculate clays
– May reduce polymer performance
– Flocculation will increase the fluid loss
 CONTAMINATION

Gases
• Gases observed :
– Oxygen
– Carbon Dioxide
– Hydrogen Sulphide
– Air

• Problems caused :
– Increases corrosion
– Increases viscosity
– Reduces density
– Changes pH
– Changes Carbonate / Bicarbonate alkalinity

• Sources :
– Formation
– Atmosphere
– Entrained while mixing
– Product degradation
 CONTAMINATION

Contamination – Items of Interest

• Chemical composition

• Source

• Effects on mud properties

• Recognition of the contaminant

• Treatment choices
 CONTAMINATION

Effects of Contamination of Mud Properties

Property Base Cement Gyp/Anhy. Carbonate Bicarb Salt Solids High Temp

M.W. 1.52 1.52 1.53 1.52 1.52 1.54 1.62 1.52

FV 49 63 63 73 73 63 58 73
PV 20 24 24 21 21 24 31 24
YP 18 38 38 38 24 38 24 31
GELS 4/10 8/42 8/42 8/72 8/72 8/42 8/42 8/72
F.L. 6.6 15.8 15.8 8.2 8.2 15.8 7.9 9.2
CAKE 1 5 5 2 2 5 2 3
HPHT 16 n/c n/c 25 25 n/c 25 44
SAND 0.25 0.25 0.25 0.25 0.25 0.25 0.25 0.25
SOLIDS 20 21 21 20 20 24 28 20
MBT 18 18 18 18 18 18 24 18
pH 9.8 11.2 8.7 9.5 7.8 8.7 9.6 9.4
Pm .25 2.75 0.1 3.5 0 0.08 0.24 0.15
Pf/Mf .3/.6 1.5/2.1 .1/.5 4/9 0/8 .1/.5 .2/.6 .2/.4
TH 240 420 540 40 40 280 250 240
Cl- 18 18 18 18 18 32 18 18
 CONTAMINATION

Effects of Contamination of Mud Properties

 CONTAMINATION

Treatment of Chemical Contaminants

• Contaminant: Cement
– Treatment: Sodium Bicarbonate, SAPP
• Contaminant: Calcium
– Treatment: Soda Ash (Sodium Carbonate)
• Contaminant: Carbonate
– Treatment: Lime
• Contaminant: Chloride
– Treatment: Dilution, convert mud system
 CONTAMINATION

Carbonates - Property Changes

Mud Weight N/C

Plastic Viscosity N/C
Yield Point +
Gels +
Fluid Loss +
Cake Thickness +
pH - or N/C
Pm - or N/C
Pf +/- or N/C
Mf +
Calcium - or N/C
Chlorides N/C
Water N/C
Solids N/C
Oil N/C
Sand N/C
MBT N/C
 CONTAMINATION

Carbonates - Effect on Ten Minute Gels

Ten Minute Gel Strength

40
Hydroxyl

Bicarbonate
30
Carbonate

20

10

0
0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000
Concentration in mg/L
20 ppb Bentonite Suspension