RECOMMENDED PRACTICE FOR FIELD TESTING WATER-BASED DRILLING FLUIDS
American Petroleum Institute
API Foreword
Foreword
Introduction
1 Scope
2 Terms and definitions
3 Symbols and abbreviated terms
3.1 Symbols
3.2 Abbreviations
4 Drilling fluid density (mud weight)
4.1 Principle
4.2 Apparatus
4.3 Procedure
4.4 Calculation
5 Alternative drilling fluid density method
5.1 Principle
5.2 Apparatus
5.3 Procedure
5.4 Calculation
6 Viscosity and gel strength
6.1 Principle
6.2 Determination of viscosity using the Marsh funnel
6.3 Determination of viscosity and/or gel strength using
a direct-indicating viscometer
7 Filtration
7.1 Principle
7.2 Low-temperature/low-pressure test
7.3 High-temperature/high-pressure (HTHP) test
8 Water, oil and solids contents
8.1 Principle
8.2 Apparatus
8.3 Procedure
8.4 Calculation
9 Sand content
9.1 Principle
9.2 Apparatus
9.3 Procedure
10 Methylene blue capacity
10.1 Principle
10.2 Reagents and apparatus
10.3 Procedure
10.4 Calculation
11 pH
11.1 Principle
11.2 Reagents and apparatus
11.3 Procedure for pH measurement
11.4 Care of electrode
12 Alkalinity and lime content
12.1 Principle
12.2 Reagents and apparatus
12.3 Procedure - Phenolphthalein and methyl orange
filtrate alkalinities
12.4 Procedure - Phenolphthalein drilling fluid alkalinity
12.5 Calculation of ion concentrations from P[f] and M[f]
12.6 Estimation of lime content
13 Chloride ion content
13.1 Principle
13.2 Reagents and apparatus
13.3 Procedure
13.4 Calculation
14 Total hardness as calcium
14.1 Principle
14.2 Reagents and apparatus
14.3 Procedure
14.4 Calculation
Annex A (informative) - Chemical analysis of water-based
drilling fluids
Annex B (informative) - Shear strength measurement using
shearometer tube
Annex C (informative) - Resistivity
Annex D (informative) - Removal of air or gas prior to testing
Annex E (informative) - Drill pipe corrosion ring coupon
Annex F (informative) - Sampling, inspection and rejection
Annex G (informative) - Rig-site sampling
Annex H (informative) - Calibration and verification of glassware,
thermometers, viscometers, retort-kit cup and
drilling fluid balances
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
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
Annex K (informative) - Water-based drilling fluids report form
Bibliography
Describes standard procedures for determining the following characteristics of water-based drilling fluids: a) drilling fluid density (mud weight); b) viscosity and gel strength; c) filtration; d) water, oil and solids contents; e) sand content; f) methylene blue capacity; g) pH; h) alkalinity and lime content; i) chloride content; j) total hardness as calcium.
| Document Type | Standard |
| Status | Current |
| Publisher | American Petroleum Institute |
| ProductNote | Reconfirmed 2016 |
