Drilling Fluids Processing Handbook (eBook)

Front Cover 1
Drilling Fluids Processing Handbook 4
Copyright Page 5
Contents 6
Biographies 18
Preface 24
Chapter 1. Historical Perspective and Introduction 28
1.1 Scope 28
1.2 Purpose 28
1.3 Introduction 29
1.4 Historical Perspective 31
1.5 Comments 38
1.6 Waste Management 40
Chapter 2. Drilling Fluids 42
2.1 Drilling Fluid Systems 42
2.2 Characterization of Solids in Drilling Fluids 52
2.3 Properties of Drilling Fluids 58
2.4 Hole Cleaning 65
2.5 Drilling Fluid Products 81
2.6 Health, Safety, and Environment and Waste Management 85
References 93
Chapter 3: Solids Calculation 96
3.1 Procedure for a More Accurate Low-Gravity Solids Determination 97
3.2 Determination of Volume Percentage of Low-Gravity Solids in Water-Based Drilling Fluid 104
3.3 Rig-Site Determination of Specific Gravity of Drilled Solids 105
Chapter 4. Cut Points 108
4.1 How to Determine Cut Point Curves 112
4.2 Cut Point Data: Shale Shaker Example 117
Chapter 5. Tank Arrangement 120
5.1 Active System 121
5.2 Auxiliary Tank System 131
5.3 Slug Tank 132
5.4 Reserve Tank(S) 132
Chapter 6. Scalping Shakers and Gumbo Removal 134
Chapter 7. Shale Shakers 138
7.1 How A Shale Shaker Screens Fluid 140
7.2 Shaker Description 143
7.3 Shale Shaker Limits 145
7.4 Shaker Development Summary 148
7.5 Shale Shaker Design 149
7.6 Selection of Shale Shakers 170
7.7 Cascade Systems 175
7.8 Dryer Shakers 180
7.9 Shaker User's Guide 181
7.10 Screen Cloths 186
7.11 Factors Affecting Percentage-Separated Curves 201
7.12 Non-Oilfield Drilling Uses of Shale Shakers 208
Chapter 8. Settling Pits 210
8.1 Settling Rates 210
8.2 Comparison of Settling Rates of Barite and Low-Gravity Drilled Solids 213
8.3 Comments 214
8.4 Bypassing the Shale Shaker 215
Chapter 9. Gas Busters, Separators, and Degassers 216
9.1 Introduction: General Comments on Gas Cutting 216
9.2 Shale Shakers and Gas Cutting 219
9.3 Desanders, Desilters, and Gas Cutting 219
9.4 Centrifuges and Gas Cutting 220
9.5 Basic Equipment for Handling Gas-Cut Mud 220
9.6 Gas Busters 223
9.7 Separators 224
9.8 Pressurized Separators 226
9.9 Degassers 229
9.10 Points About Separators and Separation 236
References 237
Chapter 10. Suspension, Agitation, and Mixing of Drilling Fluids 240
10.1 Basic Principles of Agitation Equipment 240
10.2 Mechanical Agitators 241
10.3 Equipment Sizing and Installation 250
10.4 Mud Guns 259
10.5 Pros And Cons of Agitation Equipment 264
10.6 Bernoulli's Principle 266
10.7 Mud Hoppers 271
10.8 Bulk Addition Systems 277
10.9 Tank/Pit Use 280
References 282
Chapter 11. Hydrocyclones 284
11.1 Discharge 288
11.2 Hydrocyclone Capacity 292
11.3 Hydrocyclone Tanks and Arrangements 293
11.4 Median (D50) Cut Points 297
11.5 Hydrocyclone Operating Tips 303
11.6 Installation 305
11.7 Conclusions 306
Chapter 12. Mud Cleaners 310
12.1 History 313
12.2 Uses of Mud Cleaners 315
12.3 Non-Oilfield Use of Mud Cleaners 318
12.4 Location of Mud Cleaners in a Drilling-Fluid System 318
12.5 Operating Mud Cleaners 319
12.6 Estimating The Ratio of Low-Gravity Solids Volume and Barite Volume in Mud Cleaner Screen Discard 320
12.7 Performance 322
12.8 Mud Cleaner Economics 324
12.9 Accuracy Required for Specific Gravity of Solids 327
12.10 Accurate Solids Determination Needed to Properly Identify Mud Cleaner Performance 327
12.11 Heavy Drilling Fluids 328
Chapter 13. Centrifuges 330
13.1 Decanting Centrifuges 330
13.2 The Effects of Drilled Solids and Colloidal Barite on Drilling Fluids 338
13.3 Centrifugal Solids Separation 340
13.4 Rotary Mud Separator 348
13.5 Solutions to the Questions in Problem 1 351
Chapter 14. Use of the Capture Equation to Evaluate the Performance of Mechanical Separation Equipment Used To Process Drilling Fluids 354
14.1 Procedure 357
14.2 Applying the Capture Calculation 358
14.3 Use of Test Results 359
14.4 Collection and Use of Supplementary Information 361
Chapter 15. Dilution 362
15.1 Effect of Porosity 364
15.2 Removal Efficiency 365
15.3 Reasons for Drilled-Solids Removal 366
15.4 Diluting as a Means for Controlling Drilled Solids 367
15.5 Effect of Solids Removal System Performance 368
15.6 Four Examples of the Effect of Solids Removal Equipment Efficiency 369
15.7 Solids Removal Equipment Efficiency for Minimum Volume of Drilling Fluid to Dilute Drilled Solids 375
15.8 Optimum Solids Removal Equipment Efficiency (SREE) 378
15.9 Solids Removal Equipment Efficiency in an Unweighted Drilling Fluid From Field Data 381
15.10 Estimating Solids Removal Equipment Efficiency for a Weighted Drilling Fluid 384
15.11 Another Method of Calculating the Dilution Quantity 388
15.12 Appendix: American Petroleum Institute Method 388
15.13 A Real-Life Example 389
Chapter 16. Waste Management 394
16.1 Quantifying Drilling Waste 394
16.2 Nature of Drilling Waste 399
16.3 Minimizing Drilling Waste 401
16.4 Offshore Disposal Options 404
16.5 Onshore Disposal Options 409
16.6 Treatment Techniques 418
16.7 Equipment Issues 426
References 439
Chapter 17. The AC Induction Motor 440
17.1 Introduction to Electrical Theory 440
17.2 Introduction to Electromagnetic Theory 448
17.3 Electric Motors 450
17.4 Transformers 454
17.5 Adjustable Speed Drives 456
17.6 Electric Motor Applications on Oil Rigs 459
17.7 Ambient Temperature 462
17.8 Motor Installation and Troubleshooting 465
17.9 Electric Motor Standards 466
17.10 Enclosure and Frame Designations 468
17.11 Hazardous Locations 471
17.12 Motors for Hazardous Duty 476
17.13 European Community Directive 94/9/EC 478
17.14 Electric Motors for Shale Shakers 481
17.15 Electric Motors for Centrifuges 486
17.16 Electric Motors for Centrifugal Pumps 486
17.17 Study Questions 487
Chapter 18. Centrifugal Pumps 492
18.1 Impeller 492
18.2 Casing 494
18.3 Sizing Centrifugal Pumps 497
18.4 Reading Pump Curves 507
18.5 Centrifugal Pumps Accelerate Fluid 511
18.6 Concentric vs Volute Casings 515
18.7 Centrifugal Pumps and Standard Drilling Equipment 518
18.8 Net Positive Suction Head 530
18.9 Recommended Suction Pipe Configurations 535
18.10 Standard Rules for Centrifugal Pumps 541
18.11 Exercises 542
18.12 Appendix 545
Chapter 19. Solids Control in Underbalanced Drilling 548
19.1 Underbalanced Drilling Fundamentals 548
19.2 Air/Gas Drilling 550
19.3 Foam Drilling 556
19.4 Liquid/Gas (Gaseated) Systems 559
19.5 Oil Systems, Nitrogen/Diesel Oil, Natural Gas/Oil 562
19.6 Underbalanced Drilling with Conventional Drilling Fluids or Weighted Drilling Fluids 563
19.7 General Comments 564
19.8 Possible Underbalanced Drilling Solids-Control Problems 566
Suggested Reading 569
Chapter 20. Smooth Operations 574
20.1 Derrickman's Guidelines 575
20.2 Equipment Guidelines 589
20.3 Solids Management Checklist 604
Appendix 610
Glossary 612
Index 678