Petroleum Engineering - Drilling lab Title : Mud Weight Balancing Prepared by : Muhammad S. RaniYah

1. Soran University
Faculty of Engineering
Department of Petroleum Engineering
Drilling Engineering I [ PETE 308]
Title: Mud Weight Balancing
Experiment No.: 1
Name: Muhammad Sulaimon Rasul
Group: B2
Date: 17 SEP 2019
Supervisors: Dr. Jagar Ali, Mr. Fouad, Mr. Rawezh, Ms. Marriam

2. Contents:
Aim………………………………………………………………………………………….……1
Theory…………………………………………………………………………………….………1
Apparatus…………………………………………………………………………………………1
Calibration………………………………………………………………………..………...……..2
Procedure………………………………………………………………………………………….3
Calculation………………………………………………………………………………...………4
Result and Discussion……………………………………………………………………………..5
Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………...5
References…………………………………………………………………………………………6

3. Aim
This experiment will explain a procedure to get drilling mud with a range of density that requires
for maintain the borehole pressure, the objective is generating a drilling mud with an exact value
of density which its 8.78 PPG using some devices and techniques.
Theory
Drilling mud or mud density is a weight of mud per unit volume. It’s one of the drilling fluids that
important because it controls formation pressure and maintaining it, also helps well stability. The
concept is that it works such as the removed area which kept as a trap against the hydrocarbon
from flushing out. Coleman, S. (2018)
The drilling mud has many advantages except that mentioned, such as:
• Remove cuttings from well
• Control formation pressures
• Seal permeable formations
• Minimizing formation damage
• Cool and lubricate the drilling bit
• Control corrosion.
• Minimize impact on environment.
Mud density is measured in pounds per gallon (PPG), pounds per cubic feet (lb/ft3), or grams per
milliliter (b/ml).
Mud density is basically measured by a typical device named mud balance; however, the mud
density should not exceed a range that the formation can not hold cause loss of circulation or
prevent highly invasion to the formation. The recommended material for drilling mud and wildly
uses is Bentonite clay. Crumpton, H. (2010)
Apparatus and Materials
Materials: Bentonite Clay (20.8 Ib/gal), Water (8.33 Ib/gal)
Apparatus and Equipment’s: Electronic Balance, Mud Balance, Electronic Mixer, 500ml
Cylinder, 25ml Cylinder.
Electronic Balance Electronic mud mixer 500ml Cylinder 25ml Cylinder
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4. Calibration
Calibration should be executed for the mud balance for being sure if the mud balance is working
correctly or not before putting a mud to measuring. However, there is some procedures for
calibrating mud balance as the following steps:
1. Remove the lid and completely dry and clean the cup leaving no impurities in the cup then
filling it with distillated water.
2. Then Replace the lid and clean it till gets dry.
3. Put the balance arm to its place and be sure that you correctly placed knife-edge on fulcrum.
4. Now, by looking the level inside the glass should be centered when the rider put on 8.33.
If it doesn’t, this mean that the device is not accurate and should be repaired. (Jagar A,
2019)
Bentonite Lab Spatula Mud Balance
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5. Procedure
1. First the volume of water must be calculated which it’s (226.519 cc) regarding to the
calculations and filling 500ml cylinder till 200ml and bring another cylinder with volume
of 25 ml to making volume more accurate and fill it till 25ml then putting it to 500ml
cylinder.
2. As the Bentonite has measured before which has mass of 21.202g. The amount of
21.202g of Bentonite should measure using electronic balance.
3. Then take off all water inside the electronic mixer and carefully turn it on.
4. Now while the mixer is working, slightly a little by little of Bentonite to the water to
avoid stacking of mixture.
5. After putting all Bentonite inside water while its mixing together, wait about 3-4 min till
it fully get mixed.
6. Now remove a cup from the mixer and take it to the mud balance. After that remove the
lid and put the mud inside the cup and replace lid again. Be sure that you cleaned all mud
outside the cup.
7. Move the Rider until the level bubble gets centered and read the weigh on balance arm. It
should be 8.78ppg.
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6. Calculation
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7. Result and Discussion
Materials Volume (cc) Density (ib/gal) Mass (g)
Water 226.502 8.33 -
Bentonite Clay 8.481 20.8 21.202
Mud 235 8.68 -
The Results was something far from the expectations that is due to some errors might happened
during the procedures. By looking the final result there is 0.1 error caused during filling the
cylinders which either filled with more water or it belongs it that particles of mud which has left
from the edge of cup which totally not been mixed with water. the first error is more reliable for
causing this error which it is exceeding the amount of water more than that required. Another thing
that should be mentioned is that the supervisors told wrong information by saying that the mud
balance has error while we did calibration and it does not showed 8.33 exactly, actually the mud
balance had no errors if we calibrated it with distillated water!, and even this has not mentioned in
lecture note!.
Conclusion
Mud weight balance is one of the most important applications that uses in drilling sites and has a
lot advantages as mentioned previously. The aim in this experiment was balancing a weigh of mud
that might be used to maintain the formation pressure. By doing some procedures and some
calculations students should be able to do mud balance weight and be able to calibrate and use all
the instruments that uses for mud weight balancing, and also becoming more careful during mixing
and preparing the materials to avoid any errors might happen to the final result.
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8. References
1. Coleman, S. (2018). Well Control Quiz Online. [online] Well Control Quiz Online – Test
Your Well Control Knowledge for Free. Available at: http://wellcontrolquiz.com/
[Accessed 21 SEP 2019].
2. Crumpton, H. (2010). Well Control for Completions and Interventions. 1st ed. Texas: Gulf
Publishing.
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