THE DIFFERANCE BETWEEN WEIGHTED AND UNWEIGHTED MUDS

Water as a drilling fluid does not qualify as a mud. If there are no hole (formation) problems that prevent its being the most economical drilling fluid; if neither the geologist, palentologist, nor production supervisor have valid objections; and if it is available, water is seldom if ever surpassed. When the formation requires, or a supervisor demands , filtrate control and / or viscosity and /or gels in the drilling fluid, a “mud” is built. Or if the fluid density required is too high for salt water alone , mud properties are required to suspend barites.

Continue reading “THE DIFFERANCE BETWEEN WEIGHTED AND UNWEIGHTED MUDS”

DECANTING CENTRIFUGES

The decanting centrifuge is the only liquid-solids separation device used on drilling fluids that can remove (decant) all free liquid from the separated solids particles, leaving only adsorbed liquid or “bound liquid ,” on the surface area. This adsorbed liquid is not prone to contain solubles, such as chlorides, nor colloidal suspended solids, such as bentonite . The dissolved and suspended solids are associated with the continuous free liquid phase from which the decanting centrifuge separates the inert solids, and are removed with that liquid. The adsorbed liquid can only be removed from the separated solids by evaporation, which has been neither desirable nor practical so far in drilling mud work.

Continue reading “DECANTING CENTRIFUGES”

Evaluate The Efficiency Of Solids Control Equipment

The volume and type of solids in a drilling mud system can adversely affect mud properties, reduce penetration rates, cause damage to drilling equipment, and increase total drilling costs. Efficiency controlling the solids content of the mud system is an important phase of an efficient and cost-effective drilling program. The three basic methods of removing solids are dilution and/or displacement of whole mud, settling and mechanical solids-control equipment.

Fig 1. Size capacity and operating of solids control equipment

Continue reading “Evaluate The Efficiency Of Solids Control Equipment”