US 10,309,173 B2 · In-line methods and apparatuses for determining the composition of an emulsified drilling fluid

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses that measure thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity of a emulsified drilling fluid may be used to indirectly measure the salinity and the average specific gravity of the solids in the emulsified drilling fluid. For example, a drilling assembly may comprise a drill string extending into a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation; a pump configured to circulate a drilling fluid through the drilling assembly; a first flow line fluidly coupling the wellbore to a retention pit; a second flow line fluidly coupling the retention pit to the pump; a third flow line fluidly coupling the pump to the drill string; and an in-line analysis system fluidly coupled to the retention pit, fluidly coupled to the second flow line, or fluidly coupled to the third flow line, the in-line analysis system comprising a thermal conductivity meter and/or an electrical conductivity meter to a sample container.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

drilling a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation while circulating an emulsified drilling fluid through the wellbore to surface treatment systems and back to the wellbore, the emulsified drilling fluid comprising an oil phase, a water phase, and solids;
measuring a thermal conductivity of the emulsified drilling fluid in at least one location along the surface treatment systems and before circulating back into the wellbore;
calculating an oil phase volume and a water phase volume for the emulsified drilling fluid based on the thermal conductivity and an oil-to-water ratio of the emulsified drilling fluid;
calculating an average specific gravity of the solids based on the oil phase volume, water phase volume, and a density of the emulsified drilling fluid;
and
changing at least one selected from the group consisting of a drilling parameter, a composition of the emulsified drilling fluid, a solids removal treatment, and a combination thereof based on the average specific gravity of the solids.

3 more elements

An in-line analysis system comprising:

an analysis unit selected from the group consisting of a thermal conductivity meter, an electrical conductivity meter, and any combination thereof;
and
a processor communicably coupled to the analysis unit and including a non- transitory, tangible, computer-readable storage medium containing a program of instructions that cause a computer system running the program of instructions to:
receive one selected from the group consisting of a thermal conductivity of an emulsified drilling fluid from the thermal conductivity meter, an electrical conductivity of the emulsified drilling fluid from the electrical conductivity meter, an electrical conductivity of a broken emulsified drilling fluid from the electrical conductivity meter, and any combination thereof;
perform at least one selected from the group consisting of:
(A) calculate an oil phase volume and a water phase volume for the emulsified drilling fluid based on the thermal conductivity and an oil-to-water ratio of the emulsified drilling fluid;
calculate an average specific gravity of the solids based on the oil phase volume, water phase volume, and a density of the emulsified drilling fluid;
(B) calculate a salinity of the water phase of the emulsified drilling fluid based on the thermal conductivity of the emulsified drilling fluid and an oil-to-water ratio of the emulsified drilling fluid;
and
(C) calculating a salinity of the water phase of the emulsified drilling fluid based on the electrical conductivity of the broken emulsified drilling fluid;
change at least one selected from the group consisting of a drilling parameter, a composition of the emulsified drilling fluid, a solids removal treatment, and any combination thereof based on one selected from the group consisting of the average specific gravity of the solids, the salinity of the water phase of the emulsified drilling fluid, and any combination thereof.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

In-line methods and apparatuses for determining the composition of an emulsified drilling fluid

Life of this patent

In-line methods and apparatuses for determining the composition of an emulsified drilling fluid

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10