Recommended Practice for Field Testing Water-based Drilling Fluids

ANSI/API RECOMMENDED PRACTICE 13B-1 FOURTH EDITION, MARCH 2009

ERRATA 1, AUGUST 2014

REAFFIRMED, MARCH 2016

ISO 10414-1:2008 (Identical), Petroleum and natural gas industries—Field testing of drilling fluids—Part 1: Water-based fluids

Date of Issue: August 2014

Affected Publication: API Recommended Practice 13B-1, Recommended Practice for Field Testing Water-based Drilling Fluids, Fourth Edition, March 2009

ERRATA 1

Page 13, the NOTE associated with Section 6.3.2.6 shall be replaced with:

NOTE The gel strength value reported directly from the dial reading is an approximation of lbf/100•ft2. Dial reading units are degrees of deflection (1⁄360 of 1 full rotation). Each 1 degree of deflection is equal to 0.511 Pa in SI units and to 1.067 lbf/100•ft2 in USC units. These exact units

corrections are often neglected for simplicity in reporting. Common field practice when reporting pascals is to divide dial units by 2 for simplicity.

1 r/min of the rotor equals a shear rate of 1.7023 s-1.

Page 13, the NOTE associated with Section 6.3.2.7 shall be replaced with:

NOTE The gel strength value reported directly from the dial reading is an approximation of lbf/100•ft2. Dial reading units are degrees of deflection (1⁄360 of 1 full rotation). Each 1 degree of deflection is equal to 0.511 Pa in SI units and to 1.067 lbf/100•ft2 in USC units. These exact units corrections are often neglected for simplicity in reporting. Common field practice when reporting pascals is to divide dial units by 2 for simplicity.

1 r/min of the rotor equals a shear rate of 1.7023 s-1.

Page 21, Equation 16 shall be replaced with:

lg 

1

b  lg



f

100 



  

b   f 

 SS  100 df,A

  

f   o 

o



  

Page 21, Equation 17 shall be replaced with:

lg 

1

b  lg



f

100 



  

b   f 

 SS  12 df,B

  

f  o 

o



  

Special Notes

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Neither API nor any of API's employees, subcontractors, consultants, committees, or other assignees make any warranty or representation, either express or implied, with respect to the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of the information contained herein, or assume any liability or responsibility for any use, or the results of such use, of any information or process disclosed in this publication. Neither API nor any of API's employees, subcontractors, consultants, or other assignees represent that use of this publication would not infringe upon privately owned rights.

Users of this recommended practice should not rely exclusively on the information contained in this document. Sound business, scientific, engineering, and safety judgment should be used in employing the information contained herein.

API publications may be used by anyone desiring to do so. Every effort has been made by the Institute to assure the accuracy and reliability of the data contained in them; however, the Institute makes no representation, warranty, or guarantee in connection with this publication and hereby expressly disclaims any liability or responsibility for loss or damage resulting from its use or for the violation of any authorities having jurisdiction with which this publication may conflict.

API publications are published to facilitate the broad availability of proven, sound engineering and operating practices. These publications are not intended to obviate the need for applying sound engineering judgment regarding when and where these publications should be utilized. The formulation and publication of API publications is not intended in any way to inhibit anyone from using any other practices.

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Copyright © 2009 American Petroleum Institute

API Foreword

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Suggested revisions are invited and should be submitted to the Standards Department, API, 1220 L Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20005, standards@api.org.

ii

Contents Page

API Foreword ii

Foreword v

Introduction vi

1. Scope 1

2. Terms and definitions 2

3. Symbols and abbreviated terms 2

   1. Symbols 2

   2. Abbreviations 6

4. Drilling fluid density (mud weight) 7

   1. Principle 7

   2. Apparatus 7

   3. Procedure 7

   4. Calculation 8

5. Alternative drilling fluid density method 9

   1. Principle 9

   2. Apparatus 10

   3. Procedure 10

   4. Calculation 10

6. Viscosity and gel strength 11

   1. Principle 11

   2. Determination of viscosity using the Marsh funnel 11

   3. Determination of viscosity and/or gel strength using a direct-indicating viscometer 11

7. Filtration 14

   1. Principle 14

   2. Low-temperature/low-pressure test 14

   3. High-temperature/high-pressure (HTHP) test 15

8. Water, oil and solids contents 18

   1. Principle 18

   2. Apparatus 18

   3. Procedure 19

   4. Calculation 20

9. Sand content 22

   1. Principle 22

   2. Apparatus 22

   3. Procedure 22

10. Methylene blue capacity 23

    1. Principle 23

    2. Reagents and apparatus 23

    3. Procedure 24

    4. Calculation 26

11 pH 26

1. Principle 26

2. Reagents and apparatus 27

3. Procedure for pH measurement 28

   iii

4. Care of electrode 29

1. Alkalinity and lime content 29

   1. Principle 29

   2. Reagents and apparatus 30

   3. Procedure — Phenolphthalein and methyl orange filtrate alkalinities 30

   4. Procedure — Phenolphthalein drilling fluid alkalinity 31

   5. Calculation of ion concentrations from Pf and Mf 31

   6. Estimation of lime content 31

2. Chloride ion content 32

   1. Principle 32

   2. Reagents and apparatus 32

   3. Procedure 32

   4. Calculation 32

3. Total hardness as calcium 33

   1. Principle 33

   2. Reagents and apparatus 33

   3. Procedure 34

   4. Calculation 35

Annex A (informative) Chemical analysis of water-based drilling fluids 36

Annex B (informative) Shear strength measurement using shearometer tube 52

Annex C (informative) Resistivity 54

Annex D (informative) Removal of air or gas prior to testing 56

Annex E (informative) Drill pipe corrosion ring coupon 57

Annex F (informative) Sampling, inspection and rejection 61

Annex G (informative) Rig-site sampling 63

Annex H (informative) Calibration and verification of glassware, thermometers, viscometers, retort-kit cup and drilling fluid balances 66

Annex I (normative) High-temperature/high-pressure filtration testing of water-based drilling fluids using the permeability-plugging apparatus and cells equipped with set-screw-secured end caps 71

Annex J (normative) High-temperature/high-pressure filtration testing of water-based drilling fluids using the permeability-plugging apparatus and cells equipped with threaded end caps 81

Annex K (informative) Water-based drilling fluids report form 90

Bibliography 91

iv

Foreword

ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.

International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.

The main task of technical committees is to prepare International Standards. Draft International Standards adopted by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting. Publication as an International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.

Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.

ISO 10414-1 was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 67, Materials, equipment and offshore structures for petroleum, petrochemical and natural gas industries, Subcommittee SC 3, Drilling and completion fluids, and well cements.

This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO 10414-1:2001), to which Annexes I, J and K have been added and other minor changes made to the sentence structure, grammar and other non-technical editing.

ISO 10414 consists of the following parts, under the general title Petroleum and natural gas industries — Field testing of drilling fluids:

Part 1: Water-based fluids Part 2: Oil-based fluids

v

Introduction

This part of ISO 10414 is based on API RP 13B-1, third edition, December 2003[2] and ISO 10414 (all parts)[6]. Annexes A to H and K of this part of ISO 10414 are for information only. Annexes I and J are normative.

In this part of ISO 10414, where practical, U.S. Customary (USC) units are included in brackets for information.

vi

API Recommended Practice 13B-1/ISO 10414-1

Petroleum and natural gas industries — Field testing of drilling fluids

Part 1:

Water-based fluids

DANGER — As with any laboratory procedure requiring the use of potentially hazardous chemicals, the user is expected to have proper knowledge and to have received training in the use and disposal of these chemicals. The user is responsible for compliance with all applicable local, regional and national requirements for worker and local health, safety and environmental liability.

1 Scope

This part of ISO 10414 provides standard procedures for determining the following characteristics of water-based drilling fluids:

1. drilling fluid density (mud weight);

   
   

2. viscosity and gel strength;

   
   

3. filtration;

   
   

4. water, oil and solids contents;

   
   

5. sand content;

   
   

6. methylene blue capacity;

   
   

7. pH;

   
   

8. alkalinity and lime content;

   
   

9. chloride content;

   
   

10. total hardness as calcium.

Annexes A through K provide additional test methods which may be used for

chemical analysis for calcium, magnesium, calcium sulfate, sulfide, carbonate and potassium; determination of shear strength;

determination of resistivity; removal of air;

drill-pipe corrosion monitoring; sampling, inspection and rejection;

1

2 RECOMMENDED PRACTICE FOR FIELD TESTING WATER-BASED DRILLING FLUIDS

rig-site sampling;

calibration and verification of glassware, thermometers, viscometers, retort-kit cup and drilling-fluid balances; permeability-plugging testing at high temperature and high pressure for two types of equipment;

example of a report form for water-based drilling fluid.

1. Terms and definitions

   
   

   For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.

   
   

   2.1

   ACS reagent grade

   chemical meeting the purity standards specified by the American Chemical Society (ACS)

   
   

   2.2

   darcy

   permeability of a porous medium, where one darcy is the flow of a single-phase fluid of 1 cP viscosity that completely fills the voids of the porous medium, flowing through the medium under conditions of viscous flow at a rate of 1 ml s 1 cm 2 cross-sectional area and under a pressure or equivalent hydraulic gradient of 1 atm cm 1

   
   

   NOTE 1 cP 1 mPa s.

   
   

   2.3

   quarter

   verb mix and divide into four specimens to ensure homogeneity of specimens

   
   

   2.4

   spurt loss

   volume of fluid that passes through the filtration medium before a filter cake is formed

   
   

   2.5

   tube sampling

   sampling method consisting of the withdrawal of powdered sample from bag or bulk via a cylindrical device pushed into the sample, locked shut and withdrawn

   
   

2. Symbols and abbreviated terms

3.1 Symbols

NOTE Subscript “A” to symbol denotes metric units. Subscript “B” to symbol denotes U.S. customary units.

AA area, in square centimetres

AB area, in square inches

cb,A concentration of weighting material, in kilograms per cubic metre

cb,B concentration of weighting material, in pounds per barrel

cCa concentration of calcium ion, in milligrams per litre

cCa+Mg concentration of calcium and magnesium ion (total hardness), in milligrams per litre