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Mud Contamination

This document summarizes various types of drilling mud contamination including calcium, carbonate/bicarbonate, cement, H2S, and salt contamination. It describes the sources and effects of each type of contamination and provides recommendations for diagnosis and treatment. Specifically, it notes that calcium contamination can thicken bentonite muds, carbonate contamination can gradually increase gel strength and yield point, cement contamination raises pH and calcium levels, H2S is highly poisonous but the mud is unaffected, and salt contamination can cause bentonite muds to gel. It provides tables of recommended treatment levels and procedures for accurate diagnosis using tests like the Garret Gas Train.

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319 views6 pages

Mud Contamination

This document summarizes various types of drilling mud contamination including calcium, carbonate/bicarbonate, cement, H2S, and salt contamination. It describes the sources and effects of each type of contamination and provides recommendations for diagnosis and treatment. Specifically, it notes that calcium contamination can thicken bentonite muds, carbonate contamination can gradually increase gel strength and yield point, cement contamination raises pH and calcium levels, H2S is highly poisonous but the mud is unaffected, and salt contamination can cause bentonite muds to gel. It provides tables of recommended treatment levels and procedures for accurate diagnosis using tests like the Garret Gas Train.

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CALCIUM CONTAMINATION

Contamination with Calcium Sulphate (Anhydrite) will result in flocculation of bentonite


muds resulting in an increase in yield point, gel strengths and fluid loss.
Polymer muds are relatively insensitive to this type of contamination, unless significant
quantities of drilled clay solids are present.

Sources of Contamination
This type of contamination can occur whilst drilling Anhydrite.

Diagnosis
Calcium Sulphate (Anhydrite) contamination will result in:

an increase in filtrate calcium.


a decrease in pH
a decrease in Pt.

Treatment

Treat out calcium with soda ash at the rate of 0.116 lbs/bbl per 100 ppm calcium.
Combine treatment with lignosulphonate to regain control of viscosity and fluid loss.

Note: If large amounts of soda ash are added, the soluble sulphate may cause Ash gels
which are high and progressive.

CARBONAT/BICARBONAT CONTAMINATION
One of the most unrecognised types of contamination is that due to Carbonate and
Bicarbonate ions. Usually such contamination is gradual, resulting in increased gel strengths
and yield point. It is often incorrectly diagnosed as increased solids but, in this case,
application of costly thinners have little, or no effect.
Sources of Carbonates

C02 from drilled formations or air ingress.


Thermal degradation of organic additives
Over treatment with soda ash or sodium bicarbonate
Carbonate formations

Diagnosis by Analysis of Mud Alkalinity


Diagnosis of carbonate/bicarbonate contamination is routinely carried out by analysis of the
mud alkalinity, in particular the ratio of Pf to Mf . The following table shows how the results
should be interpreted and the effect of the differing types of alkalinity on the mud.
RATIO
TYPE OF ALKALINITY
EFFECT OF MUD
Pf = 0
Bicarbonate only
Unstable and very difficult to control
Pf = Mf
Hydroxide only
Stable and in good condition
2Pf = Mf
Carbonate only
Unstable but can be controlled
2Pf > Mf
Carbonate and Hydroxide
Stable and in good condition
2Pf < Mf
Carbonate and Bicarbonate
Unstable and difficult to control
Note:
This method is rather unreliable and can be masked when buffers are used in certain mud
systems.
Diagnosis by the Garret Gas Train
This is the most accurate method. However it gives carbonates/bicarbonates in terms of total
carbonates Refer to manufacturer's instructions for details of the test procedure. Results
should be interpreted as follows:
CARBONATE
INTERPRETATION
CONCENTRATION
300 - 500 ppm
Background
600 - 800 ppm
May cause problems
>1000 ppm
Will cause severe problems
Treatment
1. INCREASE pH to 9.5 - 10.0 with caustic.
2. ADD lime at concentration shown in table.
3. If the required quantity of lime exceeds 7 lbs/bbl, TREAT with gypsum at concentration
shown in table.
4. Whilst treating with gypsum CONTINUE to add caustic to maintain pH in 9.5 - 10 range.

ADDITIVE
Lime
Gypsum

TREATMENT LEVEL
PER 100 ppm CARBONATE
0.04-0.06 lb/bbl
0.1 lb/bbl

Notes:
1. When adding lime or gypsum, the mud will become very viscous if large treatments are
made.
2. Treatments should be made through a chemical barrel and must not exceed
7 lbs/bbl over a six hour treatment period.
3. Concentration of bicarbonate as low as 250 ppm can cause problems.
4. In areas where carbonate contamination is known to be a problem, the pH should be
maintained with caustic and lime in the ratio two cans caustic to one sack lime.

Cement contamination
Cement contamination occurs in every well drilled. It is contamination from calcium hydroxide which can result in increased
pH, severe thickening and increased fluid loss of bentonite based mud systems (flocculation of the bentonite clay).
The severity of the problem will depend on the level of pre-treatment and thinner concentration in the mud.
In a highly treated Lignosulphonate system, the viscosity may actually drop as the clays go to an aggregated/flocculated
state rather than a dispersed in flocculated state on the introduction of cement.
In polymer systems, cement contamination acts to raise both the Calcium and pH which can lead to precipitation of polymers
and loss of control over the mud system. Thickening may also be observed if the mud contains significant quantities of
drilled clay solids.
Sources of Contamination
The main source of this contamination is the drilling of green cement or adoption of poor placement procedures.
Diagnosis
Cement contamination will result in:
increased pH
an increase in Pf and calcium
a large increase in Pm.
Treatment
Prior to drilling cement, pre-treat the mud with 0.5-1.0 lb/bbl of sodium bicarbonate.
If this is insufficient, treat cement contamination at the rate of 0.15 lb/bbl sodium bicarbonate per 100 ppm calcium
(determine calcium using procedure below)
If sodium bicarbonate treatment levels are based on filtrate calcium only, an incorrect treatment level will be obtained. This
is because the majority of the cement will stay in suspension rather than go into solution due to the high pH.
To obtain the total calcium level, the following procedure is recommended:
1. Add 90 cm3 distilled water to 10 cm3 mud.
2. Titrate with 0.1 NH2S04 to a pH of 7.5 - 8.0.
3. Continue mixing for two minutes to ensure no pH rise.
4. Filter the slurry on the standard filter press.
5. Titrate 10 cm3 of filtrate with standard Versenate (001 molar).
Calcium = mls versenate x 4000
Note:
When large quantities of cement are drilled it may not be economical to treat out the contamination due to the large
concentrations of bicarbonate required. In this case, the best course of action may be to change out the contaminated mud
for new mud or drill cement with sea water if available.
When drilling cement, the rig crew shall be aware of the possibility of plugged/blinded screens.
Onshore operations tend to drill cement with well water and or mud and dump the contaminated mud.

H2S CONTAMINATION
H2S will have no adverse effects on the mud. However, the gas is highly poisonous and
corrosive.

Sources of H2S
The gas is sometimes associated with formation fluids. (Add Biocide)

Diagnosis
Gas liberated at surface will be detected by gas sensors.
Soluble sulphides in the mud are detected by use of the Garret Gas Train. The Mud Engineer
must be familiar with its use and make sure that the equipment is called out and maintained in
good working order when H2S presence is expected. Refer to the manufacturers instructions
for detailed test procedures.
Treatment

1. pH must be raised to a level in excess of 10 using caustic.


2. Add a H2S scavenger such as zinc carbonate.

SALT CONTAMINATION
If salt enters a bentonite based mud, the clay platelets will flocculate resulting in gellation and
increasedfluid loss (>10ml).
Polymer systems are tolerant to salt contamination. However, the salt acts to reduce the yield
of most polymers (not Starch), and in practice, high salt concentrations will require a higher
concentration of polymer for the same effect.

Sources of Salt Contamination

Drilling of salt formations


Contamination from salt water aquifers.

Diagnosis
Salt contamination will result in:

an increase in Chlorides
a decrease in pH
a decrease in Pf.

Treatment
In serious cases the only effective treatment for salt contamination is dilution.

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