Overcoming Measurement Challenges in Drilling Fluids to Support Automation

Abstract This paper will discuss the drive towards automation in the drilling industry and the benefits this will bring to operations. Before this goal can be met, there still remains real-time measurement challenges that must be overcome to provide accurate data used in the automation. This paper will detail those challenges and show test work of a new hybrid system measuring flowrate, density and viscosity of the drilling fluids in real-time. A differential pressure based flow and physical property measurement system has been calibrated in synthetic oil and tested in a purpose built flow rig for drilling fluids at a UK laboratory. The flow rig used a spud mud mixture which was circulated through a test loop consisting of the meter under test and Coriolis meter located downstream. The flowrate was controlled by adjusting pump speed and through manual flow control valves located downstream of the flow instruments. The flowrates of the two instruments and desk top fluid physical property analysis have been compared. The drivers behind automation of drilling operations will be discussed which help frame the need for more accurate real-time measurements of this very challenging fluid. The test results show that the differential pressure system matches very well to the measurements of the Coriolis meter and in some instances show an improved performance. For example, when cavitation was apparent in the test fluid, the differential pressure system was more repeatable than the Coriolis indicating better two phase flow performance. The full measurement system did not work fully as intended with the ultrasonic sensors overcome with fluid attenuation. This has allowed adaptations to be made which will also be discussed and implemented in the future and also further highlights the challenges with this type of fluid. This paper provides new information to the wider community as it provides an overview of measurement challenges for a very important operation in oil and gas. Additionally, it provides the first look at test data from a new measurement system working to overcome these challenges to deliver accurate data to help promote automation in the industry.