MUD RHEOLOGY
Rheology
Rheology is the study of
how matter deforms and flows
VISCOSITY
Viscosity
Resistance to flow of a fluid
FUNNEL VISCOSITY
Viscosity
z 100 centipoise (cp) = 1 poise
z Centipoise is the dimension used to
express:
z Plastic viscosity
z Apparent viscosity
z Effective viscosity
Effective Viscosity
300 x Dial Reading
EV =
RPM
EV = Effective Viscosity, centipoise
Viscosity
The dimensions of lb/100 sq ft are used
for expressing:
z Yield point
z Initial gel
z 10-minute gel
Viscosity
Shear Stress
Shear Rate
Viscosity
Force
Velocity
or
Dial Reading
RPM
SHEAR STRESS
z Internal force that resists flow
z System pressure loss (circulating
pressure on the rig)
z Simulated by the dial reading on a V G
meter
SHEAR RATE
The velocity at which one layer of fluid moves past another
Annulus
Drill String
Formation
SHEAR RATE
z The bulk (average) velocity at which a
fluid is moving
z Annular velocity in the circulating
system is an example of bulk velocity
z Velocity is the RPM on a V G meter
Viscosity
Dial reading
RPM
Factors Influenced by Mud
Rheology
z Hole cleaning
z Suspension of solids
z Hole stability
z Solids control
z Equivalent circulating densities
z Surge / swab pressures
Measurement - Rotational
Viscometer
Torsion Spring
Inner Cylinder
Bearing Shaft
Rotor
Bob
Cup
Effect of Temperature &
Pressure
z Temperature reduces viscosity
z Pressure increases viscosity
z High temperature
Î Breakdown of polymers
Î Gelation of solids
Plastic Viscosity
Resistance to flow due to mechanical
friction
Affected by:
z Solids concentration
z Size and shape of the solids
z Viscosity of the fluid phase
Plastic Viscosity Increased
by:
Hydratable Drill Solids
Î Clays, shales
Inert Drill Solids
Î Sand, limestone, etc.
Colloidal Matter
Î Starch, CMC
Plastic Viscosity Increased
by:
z Particles breaking, thus increasing
surface area and more friction
z Weight material to increase density
Area Increase by Breaking
of Solids
6-inch cube
1-inch cube
1-foot cube
VOLUME SURFACE AREA
1 cu ft = 1728 cu in 1 cu ft = 864 sq in
8 6-in cubes = 1728 cu in 8 6-in cubes = 1728 sq in
1728 1-in cubes = 1728 cu in 1728 1-in cubes = 10,368 sq in
10,368 - 864 = 9504 sq in increase
Effect of Particle Size on
Viscosity
Apparent Viscosity, cP
200
160
0-3 Barite
120
Regular Barite
80
40
10 11 12 13 14 15
Mud Weight, ppg
PV, YP vs Mud Wt. ppg
PV & YP v. Mud Wt, lbs/gal
50
45
Plastic Viscosity, Yield Point & MBT
40
Max Recommended PV
35
30
25
20 Max Recommended MBT
15
10
Max Recommended YP
5
0
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Mud Weight, lbs/gal
Plastic Viscosity
Decreased by:
Removal of Solids
z Shale shaker
z Desanders, desilters, and centrifuges
z Lowering of gel strength allows larger
particles to settle out
z Dilution of solids with water
How Solids Affect Mud
Viscosity
Viscosity No Alternative -
Water must be
added because
chemical is not
effective
Add Add More
Chemical Chemical
Low Gravity Solids
Yield Point
Resistance to flow due to dispersion or
attraction between solids
Affected by:
z Type of solids and associated charges
z Concentration of these solids
z Dissolved salts
Yield Point Increased by:
z Hydratable drilled clay and shale
increasing reactive solids content
z Insufficient concentration of
deflocculants
Yield Point Increased by:
z Over-treatment with Soda Ash or Sodium
Bicarbonate results in
carbonate/bicarbonate contamination
z Adding inert solids (like barite) crowds
reactive solids closer together resulting in
an increase of attractive forces
Yield Point Increased by:
z Contaminants
Î Salt, cement, anhydrite, acid gases, etc.
neutralizes charges of clay particles
causing flocculation
z Fracturing clay particles causes residual
forces to be left on particle edges resulting
in flocculation
Yield Point Decreased by:
z Neutralizing broken bond valences on
the edges of clay particles by adsorbing
negative ions from lignite,
lignosulfonate, phosphates, etc.
z Removing the contaminating ion
(calcium or magnesium) causing the
flocculation by precipitating the ion with
soda ash, sodium bicarbonate or
phosphates.
Yield Point Decreased by:
z The addition of water will minimize
flocculation, but is not the solution.
z Flocculation is a chemistry problem and
must be treated with a chemical.
z Large additions of water also reduces the
mud weight. This may require large
additions of weight material, which
could be very expensive.
Interpretation of
VG Values
Increasing YP with little or no change in
PV indicates a chemistry problem, which
can be reduced by adding chemical
deflocculants only
Increasing PV with little or no change in
the YP indicated a solids problem, which
can be reduced by the adding water or
proper use of solids control equipment
Interpretation of
VG Values
Simultaneous Large Increases in Both YP and
PV usually indicates an increase in the
reactive clay content of the mud.
This should be treated with additions of both
water and chemical de-flocculants.
Gel Strength
Gel structure develops when the mud is static as
reactive clay particles slowly slowly move about
(Browning Motion), seeking out other reactive
clay particles and linking up with each other in a
positive-to-negative manner with respect to each
other to form a gel structure.
Gel strength is a function of time, temperature,
concentration and strength of attractive particles.
Gel Strength
Gel Strengths decrease the settling rate of
cuttings when circulation is interrupted
PROGRESSIVE
Gels
FRAGILE
Time
Problems Attributed to High
Viscosity and Gel Strengths
z More pump pressure to break circulation
z Lost circulation by pressure surges
z Swabbing of shale and formation fluids
into wellbore
z Abrasive sand being carried in mud
Thixotropy
zThixotropy:
Shear Stress
z Due to the clay platelets
arranging themselves in Increasing
positions of free energy. Shear Rate
Gel Strength
Decreasing
z With time a greater force Shear Rate
than the YP is required to Yield Point
get the fluid moving
again Shear Rate
z Gel Strength (lbs/100ft2)
z Yield Point (lbs/100 ft2)
Shear Stress
Rapid increase in shear rate C
EQUILIBRIUM CURVE
B A
Slow increase
in shear rate
Rapid decrease in shear rate
0 100 200 300 400 500 600
Shear Rate
Types of Fluids
Newtonian
Non-Newtonian
Newtonian Fluids
Shear stress is directly proportional to
shear rate,
i.e., viscosity (shear stress/shear rate) is
constant regardless of shear rate.
Yield Point = 0
Newtonian Fluids
If the 600 dial reading is twice the 300 dial
reading, the fluid is Newtonian
NEWTONIAN
600 DR = 80
300 DR = 40
Newtonian Fluid Fluids
SHEAR STRESS
SHEAR RATE
Non-Newtonian Fluids
z Viscosity depends on the rate of shear
z Does not exhibit a linear relationship
z Shear thinning (as the shear rate is increased,
the shear stress increases at a lower rate than
that of the shear rate, making it less than a
proportional increase)
zWhen in laminar flow they are thinner at high
shear rates than at low shear rates
Non-Newtonian Fluids
If the 600 dial reading is less than twice the
300 dial reading, the fluid is shear
thinning or Non-Newtonian
NON-NEWTONIAN
600 DR = 68
300 DR = 40
Non-Newtonian Fluids
SHEAR STRESS
SHEAR RATE
Rheological Models
Bingham Plastic
Power Law
Bingham Plastic Model
FANN DIAL READING
40
600 = 40
25 300 = 25
PV = 15
YP = 10
10
0
300 600
RPM
Bingham Plastic Equation
R
F = YP + PV
300
PV = Plastic Viscosity
YP = Yield Point
R = RPM Rotary Speed
F = Dial Reading at Speed R
Power Law Model
SHEAR STRESS
.25
0
= 5
n 0.
=
n
1
=
n
SHEAR RATE
Power Law Equation
F = K (RPM)n
F = Shear Stress, dial units
RPM = Shear Rate, pump speed
K = Consistency Index
n = Power Law Index
n Value
z Power law index
z Indicates the shear thinning ability of a
fluid
z As “n” decreases, the fluid becomes more
shear thinning
n Value for Drill Pipe
np = 3.32 log (R600/R300)
n Value for Annulus
na = .657 log (R100/R3)
What Causes n to Increase
z Removal of reactive solids
z Addition of chemical thinners
z (i.e., anything that will reduce the Yield
Point)
What Causes n to
Decrease
z Addition of reactive solids
z Chemical contamination
z (I.e., anything that will increase the Yield
Point)
K Value
z Consistency Index
z Indicates a system’s viscosity at low shear
rates (1 reciprocal second)
z Influenced by viscosifier and solids
concentration
K Value for Drill Pipe
5.11 R300
Kp = np
511
K Value for Annulus
5.11 R3
Ka = na
5.11
What Causes K to Increase
z Addition of both reactive and non-
reactive solids
z Chemical contamination
z (i.e., anything that will result in an
increase in viscosity)
What Causes K to
Decrease
z Removal of reactive and non-reactive
solids
z Addition of chemical deflocculants
z (i.e., anything that will result in a
reduction in viscosity)
Rheological Models
VG Meter Dial Readings
80
Bingham Plastic
60
Typical Drlg. Fluid
40
Power Law
20
Newtonian
0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600
RPM
RHEOLOGICAL
FLOW REGIMES
Flow Regime
Determination
z Reynold’s number
z Wellbore geometry
z Fluid properties
Reynold’s Number
Function of:
z Mud weight
z Hole geometry
z Flow rate
z Fluid viscosity
928 DV (MW)
RN =
µ
D = Hydraulic diameter, in
V = Velocity, ft/sec
MW = Mud weight, lb/gal
µ = Viscosity, cp
Stage 1: No Flow
Annulus
Drill String
Formation
Stage 2: Plug Flow
Annulus
Drill String
Formation
Stage 3: Transition
(Plug to Laminar)
Annulus
Drill String
Formation
Stage 4: Laminar
(Streamline) Flow
Annulus
Formation
Drill String
Stage 5: Transition (Laminar
to Turbulent)
Annulus
Drill String
Formation
Stage 6: Turbulent Flow
Fully developed eddy currents
Annulus
Drill String
Formation
Reynold’s Number
< 2100 Laminar
2100 - 4100 Transitional
> 4100 Turbulent
Normally we assume turbulent flow
when the Reynolds Number > 2100
Type of Flow
Dye Laminar Flow
Water
Dye Turbulent Flow
Water
Circulating System Shear
Rates
Shear Rates in the Circulating System
Section Shear Rate s-1 Pressure Drop Equivalent
of Section Rheometer rpm
Drill String 170 -10,000 20 - 45 100 and above
Bit 10,000 -100,000 40 - 75 None
Annulus 5 - 170 2-5 3 - 100
Pits 0-3 n/a 0-3
SCE* 170 - 1000 n/a 100 - 600
*Solids Control Equipment
z This demonstrates the importance of low
end rheologies in cleaning the annulus.
Annular Geometry
Surface Annular Geometry
Surface Casin g
D. P.& Ca sin g
Drill Pipe
Interm ediate Casin g
Liner } D . P.& Liner
}
} D. P.& Open Hole
Drill Collars
O pen H ole D rillC ollars & O . H ole
Drill Bit
Sequence of Pipe and
Annular Calculations
Mud Prop
Geometries
Flow Rate
Calculate Calculate Calculate Calculate Calculate
n K Bulk Effective Reynolds
value value Velocity Viscosity Number
Calculate If Rnum ≤ 2100 If Rnum> 2100 Calculate
Laminar Turbulent
Fric Factor Fric Factor
Calculate ∆P for next interval until last interval calculated
Calculate Save
Interval Interval Total Annular:
After ∆P Calculated for all intervals
∆P ∆P Interval Calculate End
∆Ps ECD