Rheology

&
Hydraulics

Introduction
Rheology is the science of fluid flow as
influenced by time, velocity, temperature and
pressure.
Understanding mud rheology leads to better
field performance for hole cleaning, cuttings
transport, hydraulics through the wellbore and
ROP improvements.
Drilling fluids are shear thinning.
Drilling fluids are also thixotrophic - time
needed to establish viscosity equilibrium.

Basic Terms
Shear stress () is stress resulting from
force applied to two moving side-by-side
bodies.
= Force/area
Unit of is Pa (SI) or lb/100ft2 (Imperial).
Shear stress originates from breakage of
intermolecular or interparticulate bonds.
Shear rate () is velocity gradient of
bodies sliding by each other.

Basic Terms
(continued)
is directly related to speed at which
viscometer rotor turns.
= v/d
viscosity () is a measurement of fluid
thickness or resistance to flow.
Shear stress
= =

shear rate

Viscosity Measurements
Marsh Funnel is the simplest mud measuring device.
Standard equipment is direct indicating viscometer.
Designed so that mathematics are simple.
Effective viscosity (e) and apparent viscosity (a) are
expressed in cps.
Common viscometer measures in 5.1 to 1022 s-1 range.
Most labs have Brookfield viscometer with 0.1 to 0.01 s-1
capabilities.

Models
Models used to predict flow
characteristics/viscosity at various shear rates.
Plots are invariably shear stress () vs. shear rate
().
Models used include:

Newtonian.
Bingham Plastic.
Power Law.
Modified Power Law.
Power Law with stress.
Casson Model.
Ellis Model.

Newtonian Fluids
is directly proportional to , .
Know that = / , slope = .
Water is commonly used Newtonian fluid
for mud.
Newtonian fluids have:
No suspending characteristics.
Constant .

Ideally, the should as the .

Bingham Plastic Model

Used extensively to describe mud rheology.
Model has moderate accuracy but simple to
use.
Bingham model is dependant upon drilled
solids concentration and size as well as
particle interactions.
= YP + PV()
Requires two measurements of at
two , commonly 600 and 300 rpm.

Bingham Plastic Model

(continued)
PV = 600 - 300 = mPas
300 PV
YP =

= 300 - PV = lb/100ft2 (Imp.)

PV related directly to solids concentration and particle
size.
YP related to:
Stress required to initiate movement of fluid.
Structure building of particles.

Power Law Model

Closer fit to true drilling fluid rheology.
Drilling fluids are pseudoplastic.
Plotting on log-log paper gives straight line
with n as slope and K as intercept.
Model written as = Kn.
Also calculated with two values at two
rates.

Power Law Model

(continued)
600
= 3.32 log

300
300
K =
* 5.11

511
300
= 511 *1.067

(dimensionless)
(dynes/cm2)
(lb s/100ft2)

is termed shear thinning index.

K is called consistency index.
As , the shear thinning character of fluid .

Hershel-Bulkley Model

Power law model with additional yield

stress term.
= y +Kn
600 3
= 3.32 log

300 3

300 3
K =
* 5.11
n
511

y = 5.1 X 3 (approximation)

Most accurate model available,

difficult to derive hydraulic equations.

Model Recommendations
General
Gel Chemical
Bingham Plastic
Power Law
HerschelBulkley

PV
YP
n
K

10-20
5-10
0.5-0.7
10-15

n 0.65-0.9
K 0.035*y
y.20-30

PV
YP
n
K

Floc Mud

Polymer

7-12
5-15
0.3-0.6
5-10

PV
YP
n
K

n 0.45-0.8
K 0.025*y
y.50-80

PV - mPas
YP - Pa
n &n - dimensionless
K & K - dyne s/cm2
y - dyne/cm2

5-10
4-8
0.4-0.7
variable

n 0.55-0.9
K variable
y.variable

Modified Power Law

Derives Na and Ka in annulus or drillstring
from rheological data at a shear rate
appropriate to that location.
Typically 6 rpm to 200 rpm are used
1273000 * Q
Annular velocity = D D
Annular shear rate = 2n3n 1 * D v D

Hole cleaning and annulas pressure loss

equations are dependant upon wa annular shear rate calculation.
2

Shear Rates & Stresses

wp

133 * v p
3n 1

=
*

4
n

ID p

= s 1

wp = drill pipe shear rate

wa

200 * v a
= K

Dh D p

wa =

2n 1
*

3n

annular shear stress

Shear Rates & Stresses

(continued)
a =

wa
w

= Poise

or
200 * Va
a =
Dh D p

2n 1 0.5K ( Dh Dp)
*
*
=
3n
Va

or
a = 100 K a wa

( na 1 )

mPas

mPas (Moore)

Example
IF: Dh = 216 mm
600 = 30
then:
Va = 60 m/min
a = 41 cps

Dp = 127 mm
300 = 25

IF: Dh = 216 mm
then:
600 = 26
300 = 23
YP = 10 Pa
a = 44 cps

Dp = 127 mm

YP = 10 Pa

Va = 20 m/min
a = 92 cps

600 = 90
300 = 55
YP = 10 Pa
a = 88 cps

Va = 40 m/min

Inside Drill String

Shear rates higher than annular space.
Normally use power law values from 600
and 300.
p = 100 K p(n-1) = mPas

Thixotropy & Gel Strengths

Bingham Plastic and Power Law models do not address
thixotropy - structure building with time.
Gel strengths used to capture thixotropy.
Drilling fluids will have particle association with time,
especially under no/low shear rates.
Ideal mud will:
Associate or gel quickly and then remain constant.
Break easily with minimal shear (energy).

Typically measure at 3 rpm at 10 sec and

10 min after shear stress has been stopped.

Gel Strengths
(continued)
Excessive gel strengths lead to:
Greater surge/swab pressures
Pump pressures which may damage/fracture wellbore.

Gel Chem muds:

Floc muds:
Oil muds:
Polymer muds:

gi/g10
gi/g10
gi/g10
gi/g10

of
of
of
of

3-6/7-14
5-8/7-11
2-3/3-6
variable, typically
flat

Effects of Temperature &

Pressure
Prediction is often very difficult but change of rheology
under downhole conditions is likely.
Known effects include:

OH- and clays flocculate above 100C.

Solubilities of salts, polymers, etc. change.
Polymers undergo thermal degradation.
External liquid phase viscosity decreases with increasing
temperature.
Oil-based muds are less viscous at hotter temperatures.

High pressures increase viscosity if fluid is

compressible.

Hole Cleaning, Introduction

Goal is simple: remove cuttings from hole.
Optimum method to do this and prediction is
difficult.
Two opposing forces:
1. Fluid movement out of (up) annulus vs. settling tendancy of
drilled solids.
2. Downward force described as slip velocity and
mathematically by Stokes Law.
Dpt = particle diam (mm)

Method A
0.42 D pt pt f

0.667

Vs (m / min) =

0.333

* 0.333

pt

= particle density (kg/m3)

= fluid density (kg/m3)

= viscosity (mPas)

Hole Cleaning
(continued)
Method B:
N rept =

0.01686 * f * Vs * D pt

Nrept = Reynolds # for particle (dimensionless)

If B > 2000, then recalculate Vs using Method
C (since flow is turbulent).

Hole Cleaning
(continued)
Method C:
Vst

D pt pt f
= 6.85
1.5 * f

0.5

m/min

Net particle Velocity (Vpt) = Va - Vs

Retention Time (Rt) =

Transport Ration (TR) =

depth#1 depth#2

etc.
V pt #1
V pt #2
V pt
Va

* 100 = %

Optimizing Hole Cleaning

Non-influencable factors:
Density of particle.

Influencable factors (direct):

Density of fluid.
Viscosity of fluid.
Pump rate.
Drill pipe size.

Influencable factors (indirect):

Hole size.
Particle size.

Hole Cleaning Signals

Problems are usually slow in building.
Problems include:

Fill on trips, connections, surveys.

torque, drag and pump pressure.
Clean shakers.
Back flow on connection.

Predicting Flow Regime

Reynolds #

Use Reynolds number to predict flow regime.

Re < 2000
laminar flow
Re > 3000
fully turbulent flow
Re 2000-3000
transitional flow
N Re a =

Va Dh D p

90000 K

Vca =

60 ea
1

2n

200
*
Dh D p

2n 1
*
3n

2 n

Pressure Losses Introduction

Pump pressure is lost in:

Drillstring
Bit
Annulus
Surface connections

p
n
a
sc

Ideally, want most of loss at bit.

Calculations base on:
Bingham Plastic.
Power Law.
Modified Power Law.

p and n equations are generally accurate.

Pressure Loss Calculations

f a * Va *
a =
Dh D p 1800 =
2

f p *V p *

p =

n1

ID p 1800

Q 2 277778
2

kPa/m

fa = friction factor

kPa/m

fp = friction factor

Dn 2 Dn3 ...
2

kPa

Dn = nozzle diameter (mm)

Equivalent Circulating
Density
Static conditions

= 0.00981 * n

n = hydrostatic pressure
gradient (kPa/m)

Dynamic conditions must include pressure losses in annulus.

TVD = true vertical
depth (m)

ECD =
= kg/m3
0.00981 * TVD