Lecture# 13
Basic
Mud Logging
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Mud Logging
Unit
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Importance
o Collection of the rock cuttings
o Hydrocarbon gas monitoring while drilling
o Detection of the Hydrogen sulfide (H2S)
o Monitoring of the drill fluid volume
o Monitoring of the drilling parameters
o Detection and evaluation of the formation pressure
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Importance
o Monitoring the drilling fluid properties
o Report on time any up normal drilling conditions
o Detailed core samples description and preparation
of core log preparation
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Mud Logging
Crew
o Pressure engineer
o Data engineer
o Mud logger
o Sample catcher
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Pressure Engineer
o Predict and interpret pore pressure, which is used for
drilling safely and casing seat selection
o Need to have knowledge of abnormal formation
pressure competence in formation pressure
evaluation
o Advise on a real time estimated formation pore
pressures and mud weights for safe drilling of
exploration /appraisal wells
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Data engineer
o Analyzes drilling and logging data to make
recommendations on drilling parameters.
o Document probable hydrocarbon rich pay zones
o Carried out advanced mud logging, hydrocarbon
evaluation, hole hydraulics & well controls courses
o Have competence in analysis of drilling operations
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Mud logger
o Representative of logging company at well site
o Responsible for maintenance and correct operation
of equipment
o Responsible for collation and presentation of
monitored data to ensure a high quality service
o Need to pass basic mud logging and logging
instrumentation courses
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Sample Catcher
o Entry level training position for mud loggers.
o Retrieve sample from rig mud system
o Assist mud loggers, data engineers and pressure
engineers
o Ensure correct evaluation of data - accurately
caught geologic samples
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Lag Application
o A drilled sample is delivered to shale shaker that bit
has penetrated some distance deeper into hole
from the time when that sample was cut loose from
formation
o Sample at the surface will be from a depth shallower
than that at which bit is currently drilling
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Example:
Lag Application
o If it takes an hour for a sample to reach surface from
bottom of a 6,000 foot hole
o bit is drilling at a rate of 100 feet per hour
o Well depth will 6,100 feet when the samples from
depth of 6,000 feet are just reaching surface
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Running Lag
o Lag determined by injecting a TRACER in mud in drill
pipe at surface when is broken off
o Then counting number of strokes that mud pumps
have to make in interval between injection and
recovery at shale shakers
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Types of Tracer
o Lost Circulation Material (LCM)
o Calcium carbide
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Calcium Carbide
Place in drill pipe
React with water in mud
Form acetylene gas
Picked up by gas detector and gas chromatograph
Attention: Calcium carbide only react with water, so
cannot be used with an oil based mud
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Calculating
Bottoms Up Lag
o It is an alternate to tracer method
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Ex# 02
Bottoms Up lag
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Solution:
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Solution:
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Solution:
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Collecting
Cuttings Samples
o First and most important step in evaluation of any
formation is collection of drilled cuttings
o Cuttings are physical, tangible pieces of rock
o Good cuttings and mud sample collection require an
accurate lag
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Wet Sample
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Wet Sample
o Unwashed cuttings sample taken for paleontological
and petrological examination in oil company’s
laboratories
o Put sample into a fine mesh cloth bag, labeled, and
left out in sun to dry before tying it up into bundles
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Wet Sample Bags
Examples
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Problems in
Interpreting Drill Cuttings
o Cavings
o Re-circulation
o Lost circulation materials
o Cement
o Drilling mud
o Oil contamination, pipe dope, etc.
o Pipe scale, bit shavings, and casing shavings
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caving
o Recognize as material identical to what has already
been seen from much higher in the hole.
o It is suppressed by good mud control, but most
samples will contain caved material.
o Soft shales, thinly bedded brittle shales, and
bentonites cave readily and may be found in
samples
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Re-circulation
o Refer to sand grains and microfossils from previously
drilled rocks
o Re-enter hole with mud stream and contaminate
rising sample
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Lost Circulation
Materials
o A large variety of substances may be introduced
into hole to combat lost circulation difficulties.
o Sudden appearance of a flood of fresh-looking
material which occupies greater part of a sample
o As a check, consult well record for lost circulation
troubles, and kinds of materials introduced into hole
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Cement
o Cement fragments in cuttings are easily mistaken for
sandy, silty, or chalky carbonate
o Most cements are of an unusual texture or color,
frequently have a glazed surface
o Tend to turn yellow or brown when immersed in
dilute HCl
o Full of fine black specks which are sometimes
magnetic and can be removed by magnet
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Drilling Mud
o It is often important to be able to recognize drilling
muds which were used
o Inexperienced logger may confuse drilling mud with
soft clay, bentonite, or gypsum or carbonate
o Thorough washing and rinsing in a pan of water will
generally remove most mud contamination
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Oil Contamination
(Pipe Dope/Grease)
o Foreign substances, such as pipe dope or grease,
from rig operations sometimes enter mud stream
o Normally appear in cuttings after a trip out of and
into hole has been made
o Will disappear after one or two complete circulations
are made
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Pipe scale, Bit Shavings, & Casing Shavings
o Remove pipe scale readily with a small magnet
which is rusty and rarely present a logging problem
o Bit shavings are shiny as opposed to pipe scale
o Casing shaving will also be very shiny and the shape
will usually be curved or spiral.
o Notify drilling foremen immediately when bit or
casing shavings are found in a sample
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Mud Logging
Equipment & Sensors
o Data Acquisition System
o Gas system
o Rig sensors ❖ Pump Stroke
❖ Drawwork ❖ Pit Level
❖Hookload ❖ Mud flow
❖Pressure ❖ Mud weight
❖Rotary Speed ❖ Mud temperature
❖Rotary Torque ❖ Mud conductivity
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Thank You
Any Question?