Abstract
Critical decision making occurs daily in the drilling operations and operators depend on accurate drilling fluid data to determine the hat can appropriate course of action for the success of their drilling program. Typical downhole decisions made by Operators are based on drilling fluid date that could be up to 24 hours old and may not accurately reflect the current fluid conditions in the wellbore. Then the application of automated measurement of mud properties in deep-water wells is introduced in this paper. This document outlines a method for real-time monitoring of inlet and outlet drilling fluid properties using the modular and compact design units. These two units are installed at the rig site, near the mud tanks and are ATEX Zone 1 certificated. Equipped with connection of mud supply and return line, self-cleaning tank, air supply and WLAN connections. Transmit density, temperature data every minute, and rheology, PH, Chloride measurements are performed at an average frequency of every 30 minutes, rheology data is provided in Herschel-Bulkley parameters. The continuous comparation of inlet data and outlet data is performed to see if significant deviation is observed for further analysis on potential downhole problems, also the trend of every single measurement is monitored to provide early warning and take proactive adjustment on drilling program. The deployment of these units on a deep-water platform in a constrained space environment highlights its modular and small footprint design. Easy for rig up and maintain by limited human resource, during operations across three deep-water wells, the units consistently provided stable parameter measurements over extended periods. In particular, it accurately captured pH and chloride ion values when drilling through salt-water formation, confirming changes in downhole conditions. These insights offered critical decision-making support for operators planning of their drilling activities. The device's ability to automatically monitor under high-temperature, high-humidity, and high-salinity conditions proved more timely, objective, and accurate result compared to traditional manual measurement method. This reliability ensured that operators received dependable data support crucial for operational success.
Besides, the units free mud engineers from repetitive tasks, contributing a precise, accurate measurement on varies critical parameters for different types drilling fluids, such as oil-based mud, water-based mud and synthetic-based mud. Communicating through WITS (wellsite information transmit system) enables both local and offsite stakeholders to immediately view the data provided by onsite units. Furthermore, the collected data can be integrated into hydraulic simulation and other software used by operators for further engineering modeling and simulation use. The Unit of automated measurement of drilling fluids properties offers continuous, high-frequency, objective, and accurate data measurement, significantly reducing manual repetitive labor and related human cost. It automatically records and transmits data, creating a historical database that facilitates comprehensive well history analysis. Its compact design allows for quick installation and deployment in constrained space environments, and modular design maximizes economic efficiency for users by enabling flexible adaptation to various operational needs. This combination of features ensures enhanced operational effectiveness and reduces NPT (Non-Productive Time) related to drilling fluids quality or mud engineer's safety.
