Salt contamination and temperature impacts on the rheological and electrical resistivity behaviors of water based drilling mud

ABSTRACT

The impacts of up to 3% salt contamination and temperature in the range of 25°C to 75°C on the bentonite drilling muds were investigated. The rheological and resistivity properties of 2% and 8% bentonite based drilling muds were experimentally measured and modeled. The shear thinning stress-shear strain rate relationship was measured and modeled. Finally, a nonlinear model was used to predict the electrical resistivity (ρ), yield shear stress (τ_o), maximum shear stress (τ_max) and the parameters of the drilling mud model to the bentonite content, temperature and salt content and the predictions agreed well with the experimental results.

KEYWORDS:

• Electrical resistivity
• drilling mud
• rheological properties
• nonlinear model
• temperature
• salt contamination

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Center for Innovative Grouting Materials and Technology (CIGMAT) at the University of Houston, Texas.