Method and apparatus for measuring drilling fluid properties

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9513272-B2
Application number	US-201414203854-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 11, 2014
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Dec 6, 2016
Grant date	Dec 6, 2016

Abstract

As system for measuring drilling fluid properties includes a capillary rheometer that is adapted to measure viscosity parameters of drilling fluid. The capillary rheometer includes a feed chamber, the feed chamber having a cavity, at least a first drain port for draining fluid out of the cavity, a double wall defining an annulus that opens to the cavity, and a feed port in an outer portion of the double wall that is in fluid communication with the annulus. The capillary rheometer also includes at least a first capillary tube coupled to at least the first drain port. Additionally, the disclosed system further includes a pump that is adapted to pump fluid to the feed port.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A system for measuring drilling fluid properties, comprising:
a capillary rheometer that is adapted to measure viscosity parameters of drilling fluid,
said capillary rheometer comprising:
a feed chamber, said feed chamber comprising a cavity, at least a first drain port for draining fluid out of said cavity, a double wall defining an annulus that opens to said cavity, and a feed port in an outer portion of said double wall that is in fluid communication with said annulus; and
at least a first capillary tube coupled to said at least said first drain port; and

a pump that is adapted to pump fluid to said feed port.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said feed chamber further comprises a receptacle joined to said double wall, said receptacle having a sloped inner surface that is adapted to facilitate draining of fluid from said cavity into said capillary tube.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein a length-to-diameter ratio of said capillary tube is greater than 10.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein a length-to-diameter ratio of said capillary tube is greater than 100.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein said feed chamber further comprises at least a second drain port, said capillary rheometer further comprising at least a second capillary tube coupled to said at least said second drain port, wherein each of said first and second capillary tubes has a geometry selected for measuring a different range of viscosity parameters.

6. The system of claim 5 , further comprising a flow control device fitted in each of said first and second capillary tubes, wherein each of said flow control devices is adapted control a flow of fluid through a respective capillary tube.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein each flow control device is responsive to an external control signal.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor for measuring at least one of a fluid level and pressure in said feed chamber.

9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a cap for covering said feed chamber, wherein said cap comprises a vent hole formed therein for venting said feed chamber to atmosphere.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein said pump is a positive displacement pump.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein said pump is a peristaltic hose pump.

12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one riser pipe having an inlet end in fluid communication with a discharge port of said pump.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein an outlet end of said at least one riser pipe is in fluid communication with said feed port of said capillary rheometer.

14. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a pair of pressure sensors mounted in fixed relation to said at least one riser pipe, wherein a first one of said pair of pressure sensors is separated from a second one of said pair of pressure by a vertical distance, each of said pair of pressure sensors being adapted to measure pressure of fluid flowing through said at least one riser pipe.

15. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a fluid analysis device coupled to said at least one riser pipe, said fluid analysis device being adapted to measure at least one parameter related to a composition of said fluid flowing through said at least one riser pipe.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein said fluid analysis device comprises an X-ray spectrometer arranged adjacent to an X-ray section of said at least one riser pipe, wherein said X-ray spectrometer is adapted to excite fluid flowing through said X-ray section with an X-ray beam and to receive excited X-rays from said fluid.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein said X-ray section is transparent to X-rays.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein said fluid analysis device comprises at least one of a microwave source arranged adjacent to a microwave transparent section of said at least one riser pipe and an infrared source arranged adjacent to an infrared transparent section of said at least one riser pipe, said microwave source being adapted to heat fluid passing through said microwave transparent section and said infrared source being adapted to heat fluid passing through said infrared transparent section.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein said fluid analysis device further comprises at least two temperature sensors that are adapted to measure a change in fluid temperature of fluid flow through said at least one riser pipe.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein said fluid analysis device comprises a probe that is adapted to measure at least one of a conductivity, a conductance, and a capacitance of fluid flowing through said at least one riser pipe.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein said fluid analysis device comprises a hydrophilic membrane covering a fluid filled chamber, said probe being operatively coupled to said fluid filled chamber.

22. The system of claim 15 , wherein said fluid analysis device comprises a pH probe that is adapted to measure a pH of fluid flowing through said at least one riser pipe.

23. A method of measuring drilling fluid properties, the method comprising:
pumping drilling fluid into a feed chamber of a capillary rheometer, said feed chamber comprising a cavity and a double wall defining an annulus that opens to said cavity;
controlling a delivery rate of said drilling fluid into said feed chamber during said pumping such that a first strain rate is imparted to said drilling fluid flowing through said capillary rheometer;
draining said drilling fluid from said cavity through at least one drain port of said feed chamber and into an inlet of a capillary tube coupled to said at least one drain port;
determining a flow rate and a pressure drop of said drilling fluid flowing through said capillary tube for said first strain rate; and
determining a viscosity of said drilling fluid from said flow rate and said pressure drop.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein determining said viscosity of said drilling fluid comprises calibrating the Hagen-Poiseuille equation to account for non-Newtonian and non-laminar fluid effects and determining said viscosity using said calibrated Hagen-Poiseuille equation.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein said calibrated Hagen-Poiseuille equation has the form:

μ
=

C
1

⁢

γ

a
⁢

⁢
1

⁢

R

a
⁢

⁢
2

⁢

t

a
⁢

⁢
3

h

Assignees

• Nat Oilwell Varco Lp

Inventors

• Larson Thomas Robert

Classifications

• G01N11/08

  by measuring pressure required to produce a known flow · CPC title

• G01N2011/0026

  Investigating specific flow properties of non-Newtonian fluids · CPC title

• G01N33/2823 Primary

  Raw oil, drilling fluid or polyphasic mixtures · CPC title

• E21B2049/085

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic

• E21B49/0875

  determining specific fluid parameters · CPC title