The document details a laboratory experiment on drilling fluid dilution conducted at Koya University, focusing on the principles and techniques for measuring and adjusting drilling fluid density. Key topics include the importance of dilution for controlling solid concentrations, the method for calculating the necessary volume of dilution, and the effects of various factors on drilling fluid properties. Practical instructions for measuring and preparing drilling fluids are outlined, along with common errors that may affect test readings and guidance for adjusting mud weight during drilling operations.

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Koya University
Faculty of Engineering
Petroleum Engineering Department
Third stage
Drilling Lab.
Lab No.: 3
Drilling Fluid
dilution
Prepared by : Sarwar Salam
Group: B
Date of Experiment:- Nov 26th 2015
Supervised by: Mr. Pshtiwan –Mr. Mohammed

2. Drilling Lab. Mud Density
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The four-scale mud balance is used to determine the density or weight
of drilling fluids in two steps. At the beginning primary mud weight is
calculated and then measured by baroid, then fresh water is added to
the previous mud and then measured again and differences will be
obvious.

3. Drilling Lab. Mud Density
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Dilution is one of the primary methods used to control solids in a
drilling mud. When water added to the system Base Oil to make
water/oil ratio as per program, the total weight of the solids remains
the same, while the volume is increased. Dilution results in a lower
percent by volume of total solids.
All of the physical properties in a drilling fluid are affected when the
solid content increases when the increase in solids is due to inactive
solids, the viscosity increase (due to an increased resistance to flow).
Also, an increase in inert solids uses up the available water & brings
whatever active solids are already in the system closer together.
This gives an increase in viscosity, due to the attractive forces
between charged particles. Generally this viscosity rise (PV) will be
rise will be greater than any density increase. When the solids
increase is due to active solids, the available water is unused up again.
This brings the solids already present closer together.
That, plus the reaction of the newly introduced solids, will give a
marked rise in the funnel viscosity. Dilution has a dual effect when
used to control both of these situations. It not only will supply the
water needed to wet these solids, but also will provide the necessary
water to keep these particles dispersed. The further apart the active
solids are kept, the lower the marsh funnel viscosity will be.
Plastic viscosity in an indication of the mechanical friction among
particles in a drilling fluid. It is worthwhile to note that the major

4. Drilling Lab. Mud Density
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Factor affecting plastic viscosity is the amount of surface area. This is
due to not only the amount of solids present, but also to the size &
shape of these solids.
The smaller the particles, the greater the exposed surface area for a
given percent solids by volume. When a dilatant is added, the
percentage of concentration of solids in a given volume is reduced;
hence, the mechanical friction among particles is decreased.

5. Drilling Lab. Mud Density
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Dilution refers to the process of adding a liquid phase to a drilling
fluid to decrease the drilled-solids concentration. Dilution is used in
several ways.
If no solids-control equipment is used or if the equipment is used
ineffectively, dilution may be the principal method of keeping drilled
solids to a reasonably low level. This is an expensive solution to the
problem.
For example, to decrease drilled solids by 50% requires that
50% of the system he discarded and replaced with clean drilling fluid.
Usually dilution is used after processing by solids-removal equipment
to dilute drilled solids remaining in the drilling fluid. Dilution may be
added as a clean drilling fluid or as the liquid phase of a drilling fluid
with the other necessary drilling fluid ingredient, usually through a
chemical barrel and a mud hopper.
In this discussion, dilution will refer specifically
to the clean drilling fluid (i.e. Fresh water) necessary to decrease
drilled-solids concentration. Clean drilling fluid is the liquid phase
with all necessary additives such as barite, polymers, clay. etc.
As an example of dilution, consider a well in which the drilling-fluid
specifications suggest that the volume percentage of (%vol) drilled-
solids concentration should be. And is 6%vol. Assume that 10 bbl of
formation solids are brought to the surface and that no solids-removal
equipment is used. All 10 bbl would be retained in the drilling-fluid
system. These solids would require dilution to maintain the 6%
volume concentration in the new drilling fluid.

6. Drilling Lab. Mud Density
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The new drilling-fluid volume would consist of drilled solids (10 bbl)
and clean drilling fluid (dilution). If the drilled solids (lO bbl) are
6% volume of the new drilling fluid built, the volume of new drilling
fluid built would be 167 bbl (or lO bbl/0.06). The volume of clean
drilling fluid (dilution) required may be calculated from the statement
that the new drilling-fluid volume, 167 bbl, would consist of 10 bbl of
drilled solids plus the clean drilling fluid. Obviously the dilution, or
the clean drilling fluid, needed would be 157 bbl. This dilution would
increase the pit volume by 157 bbl.
When nothing is removed from the system, the pits would overflow if
they were originally full. The only volume available to accept dilution
would be the volume (liquid and solids) removed from the pit system.
The volume removed would include all fluid and solids removed by
the solids-removal equipment and any drilling fluid removed from the
system to be stored or discarded.
This is an important concept and is not trivial. Dilution calculations
are based
on simple material balances—addition and subtraction of volumes
added and removed. Before the dilution (clean drilling fluid) is added,
the pit levels would remain the same as they were before the
formation was drilled.
The solids that were drilled occupy the same volume as they did
before they were pulverized by the drill bit. The new hole volume is
exactly the volume of material added to the drilling fluid
system.(Drilling fluid processing Handbook, (Engineers, 2011)

7. Drilling Lab. Mud Density
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After preparing a desired mud with the aid of the mathematical
equations which relates each of the solid and continuous phase of the
mud and the final mud data is determined. We are about to add a
specific amount of barite as calculated before to get the final mud
requirement.
During the mud sample preparation it will be necessary to use some
extra tools, which they are:
-Weighting balance
- Syringe
Fresh water
- Mixing tube
-Beaker
-Bentonite
- Mixing device

8. Drilling Lab. Mud Density
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Figure 2 Test apparatuses-Lab. (Sarwar Salam 2015)
Every time when before measuring the density of the mud that we
have the pre-main test (i.e. calibration) is done to double check for the
most accurate reading during test in the following points:
 Clean and dry the mud balance before doing a re-calibration.
 Fit the knife edge of the balance arm into the fulcrum.
 Set the rider on 8.3 pounds per gallon or 1.0 specific gravity.
 Fill the cup with fresh water at around 70°F (21°C).

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 Add or remove lead shot from the shotwell until the instrument is
in balance.
The main test procedure:.
1. Place the base (preferably in the carrying case) on a flat level
surface.
2. Fill the balance cup with the sample to be tested to the limit. Put
the lid onto the balance cup by pushing it downward with a slow
rotating motion until it is firmly seated. Make sure that some of the
test sample is forced out through the vent hole in the lid. This action
will also help to rid the sample of any entrained air of gas.
3. Cover the hole in the lid with a finger and wash all mud from the
outside of the cup and arm. Then thoroughly dry the entire balance.
4. Fit the knife edge of the balance arm into the fulcrum and balance
the assembly by moving the rider along the arm. The Mud Balance is

10. Drilling Lab. Mud Density
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horizontal when the level bubble fluctuates an equal distance to either
side of the centre line.
5. Read the sample density from the top of the rider nearest the
balance cup. The measurement reading is equivalent to density of the
sample.
6- Add about 325cm3
of fresh water to the previous mud slowly at
mixing device,
7- Make sure previous mud particles and fresh water are forming a
homogenous mixture.
8- Re-measure the new mud density, which represents the diluted mud
density.
What is the primary objective of diluting drilling fluid?
 You sometimes need to reduce your mud weight in hole.
The method to reduce mud weight is dilution. The concept
of dilution is to add light weight fluid into heavy fluid and
when they mix together whole drilling fluid weight will
decrease. The light weight fluids frequently used are fresh
water, sea water, base oil, diesel, synthetic oil, etc. This is
normally your based fluid.
2- What are the drilling fluid additives?

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 There are fundamental aspects that have to be controlled
in order to have an effective, successful, and purposeful
drilling fluid. These aspects can be categorized as:
-Weight Control
-Viscosity Control
-Fluid Loss Control
-Corrosion Control
3- What were the main factors which causes errors on your test
readings?
 The main factors that left impact on the test readings, use of
normal water instead of fresh distillate water in both mud
preparations , weighting balance sensitivity(i.e. we were about to
prepare 25.06gm of Bentonite but the balance was not so
sensitive so Bentonite weight was 25.0gm) When using the mixer
in preparing the mud, there was a lot of powder from the clay that
was not mixed in the mixing cup and even some that blew away
onto the table (first mud preparation).
The actual amount of clay added may be less than prepared. An
alternative way of adding the exact amount of clay is by having
the clay in tabulate forms or pill forms so that the clay cannot be
blown away, also there might be having loss of some fresh water
droplets during weighting on the balance, adding into the
prepared mud as well.

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4- What is the mathematical equation used to determine the
diluting fluid quantity that should be added into previously
prepared mud?
 You can calculate how much light weight fluid in barrel or
any corresponding volume unit is required reducing original
mud weight to new mud weight with this following formula:
Mud weight reduction by diluting with light weight fluid/
V2 = V1 x (W1 – W2) ÷ (W2 – Dw)
Where;
V1 = Intial volume in bbl
V2=Volume of light fluid
W1 = Initial drilling fluid weight in ppg
W2 = Final drilling fluid weight in ppg
Dw = Density of light weight fluid in ppg
5- Solve this example using above equation,
Example_] Determine the number of barrels of base oil
7.0 ppg (Dw) required to reduce 150 bbl (V1) of 12.0
ppg (W1) to 8.68 ppg (W2):
Solution:
Light weight fluid volume in bbl = V1 x (W1 – W2) ÷ (W2 – Dw)
Light weight fluid volume in bbl = 150 x (12 –8.68) ÷ (8.68 – 7.0)
Light weight fluid volume in bbl = 296.43 bblYou need to mix
196.43 bbl of base oil 7.0 ppg into 150 bbl of 12 ppg in order
to achieve final mud weight of 8.68 ppg.

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6- Why do we need to change mud density during drilling
operation?
Ans. As it is known by all, the earth’s crust has been made from
different formations and layers which they are differs in their specific
dependent physical properties, during drilling operation going down
in each formation based on its unique behaviour and formation fluid
content, it’s necessary to change in the drilling fluid properties as
well.
For instance, if we faced a low pressure formation which it’s a
function of pore fluid pressure, or having lost circulation due to high
density of mud, or even if the formation fracture gradient has passed..
It is crucial to decrease mud weight by dilution process.
7- What are the critical dilution factors?
Ans. Critical Dilution Factors Independent from the
previously mentioned list, critical dilution factors are only
those that are part of the math needed to calculate projected
dilution requirements. They are as follows: • Current and
target low gravity solids content • Specific gravity of drilled
solids • Current and target mud weight • Amount and specific
gravity of barite to be used • Amount and specific gravity of
each mud additive scheduled to be used • Rate of penetration •
Hole or bit size • Solids Removal Efficiency • Retained Low
Gravity Solids • Active pit volume • Cycle volume •
Percentage of total dilution from reserve pit or water-recovery
unit • Density and low gravity solids content of reserve pit
water.

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1- Engineers, S. S. (2011). Drilling Fluid Processing
Handbook . Bostun,USA: ASME Shale Shaker
Committee .
2- Drilling Stuff. (2010) Dump, Dilute and Picket Fences
[Online] Avialable from:
http://drillingstuff.com/ExpDumpandDilute.htm.[Accessed:
Dec 12th 2015]
3- VN Drilling Forum. (2008). What is the corrective way to
dilute a mud system while drilling [Online] Available
from:http:// http://vndrilling.com/forum.aspx?g=posts&t=68.
[Accessed: Dec 12th
2015]
4- Drilling Formula. (2009). Reduce mud weight by dilution
[Online] Available from :
http://www.drillingformulas.com/reduce-mud-weight-by-
dilution/. [Accessed: Dec 12th
2015]
5- Elliot, J, Cervantez, R., Estep, J., Sills, B. “New Inhibitive
Water-Based Fluid Provided Drilling Performance Comparable
to Invert Emulsion Systems in Reactive Shale Sections,”
AADE- 05-NTCE-03