SPE 4974

The Effect of Temperature and Pressure on the Viscosity of

Oil-Base Muds

Introduction
The viscosity of oil-base muds can be determined over a termined experimentally to be 8.1 dynesfcm 2fscale part
wide range of temperature and pressure using the BHC (1.6Ibfl00 ft2fscale part).
Viscometer. This instrument consists of two concentric
cylinders mounted in a 20,OOO-psig autoclave that has an Discussion
upper operating-temperature limit of 650o P. The inner The best mathematical description of the viscosity of an
cylinder, or rotor, is connected by a magnetic couple to a oil-base mud at constant temperature and pressure is the
Haake Rotovisko. A detailed description of the instru- power-law model. The linear form of this model is
ment has been published previously. I InT = InK + n lny (1)
In operating the BHC Viscometer, the autoclave is 2
completely filled with mud and sealed. The rotor is ro- However, two sets of constants are required, one set for
tated at a constant rate and the sample is allowed to reach use at shear rates below ...... 200 sec- I and the other set for
an equilibrium temperature. The pressure is then adjusted the higher shear rates.
with an auxiliary pump and the shear stress is recorded for The analysis of the pressure and temperature effects
each shear rate. shows that the logarithm of the shear stress is directly
The instrument was calibrated by first calculating the proportional to the pressure and inversely proportional to
shear rates from the viscometer dimensions. This method the tempera.ture. These relationships can be expressed by
gave shear rates ofll, 21, 32,64,96,191,286,573, and the following equations:
860 sec-I. The mean shear-stress constant was then de- In T 00 p, (2)
884 JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY
 TABLE l-CALCULATED VISCOSITIES OF 14-LB/GAL OIL-BASE MUDS 100

Asphaltic Asphaltic Oleophilic

Formula 1 Formula 2 Inorganic ~ ACTUAL

500
Viscosity at 500 sec-I, cp
150°F, o psig 75 56 37
200°F, 3,633 psig 51 44 34
250°F, 7,266 psig 38 36 32
300°F, 10,899 psig 31 31 32 200

350°F, 14,532 psig 28 39 33

Average Viscosity
Viscosity at 50 sec-I, cp
45 39 34
~ 'o
150°F, o psig
200°F, 3,633 psig
170
124
118
99
110
110
i
250°F, 7,266 psig 96 87 112 ~ 50
300°F, 10,899 psig 79 80 115
350°F, 14,532 psig 67 75 120
Average Viscosity 107 92 113

and
I<.L---J.:-_ _- - J_ _---.l._ _- - ' - --J.,-_ _ ~_

In T 00 liT (3) 10 20 50 100

I
SHEAR RATE (SEC· )
200 500 1000

For a given mud, the linear form ofthe power-law model
can be modified to describe the effect of temperature and
pressure on the flow properties by the equation
In T = In K' + n In 'Y + Ap + BIT (4)
Using a computer program supplied by ruM, a linear
regression analysis was run on the flow properties of
oil-base muds measured on the BHC Viscometer. For
each mud, two sets of regression coefficients were estab-
lished, one for shear rates greater than 191 sec- l and one
for shear rates less than 191 sec- l . Examples of the calcu-
lated vs observed data of an asphaltic oil-base mud are
shown in Fig. 1. The regression coefficients vary widely,
which indicates that the temperature and pressure con-
stants must be established for each mud.
Applications
Although surface viscosities of oil-base mud do indicate
changes in the condition of a drilling fluid, theycannot be
used for accurate hydraulic calculations. To show the
effect of temperature and pressure, viscosities of three
14-lb/gal oil-base muds were calculated at 500 sec- l and
50 sec- l under simulated down-hole conditions of to
20,000 ft and a linear temperature gradient of 150 to
° by a modified power-law model.
350°F. Shear rates of 500 sec- l and 50 sec- l approximate
those developed in the drillpipe and annulus, respec-
tively. These data show (Table 1) that the mud with the
lower viscosity at surface conditions does not necessarily
have the lowest viscosity at the bottom of the wellbore.
Since pressure losses are directly proportional to mud
Fig. l-Comparison of actual with calculated flow properties of a
16-lb/gal asphaltic oil-base mud.
viscosity, the equivalent circulating densities are less
with those muds having a lower average viscosity at the
annular shear rates.
Pressure losses in a circulating well can be estimated
provided the viscosity is known. In this investigation, the
viscosity of the actual mud was determined under tem-
perature and pressure and reduced to power-law functions
such as those shown in Eq. 4. A computer program,
similar to those described by Schuh 3 and Fontenot and
Clark,4 was used to calculate pressure losses in the drill-
pipe and annulus. Table 2 shows equivalent circulating
densities and a comparison of calculated pressure losses
to standpipe pressures for three wells.
Summary
1. The effect of temperature and pressure on the vis-
cosity of oil-base muds can be described mathematically
2. The power-law constants for each mud must be
determined experimentally.
3. This model can be used to obtain improved esti-
mates of pressure losses in a circulating well.
Nomenclature
A = pressure constant
B = temperature constant

TABLE 2-PRESSURE LOSS AND EQUIVALENT CIRCULATING DENSITY

North Louisiana Well South Louisiana Well Alabama Well
Calculated Standpipe Calculated Standpipe Calculated Standpipe
Pressure Loss, psi
Pipe 1,820 1,765 2,030
Bit* 850 700 500
Annulus 306 492 289
Total 2,976 3,000 2,957 2,900 2,819 2,800
Depth, ft 17,660 16,100 19,800
Density, Ib/gal 14.9 16.0 17.0
Equivalent circulating
density, Ib/ga I 15.2 16.6 17.3
• Pressure drop in bit determined experimentally on location.

JULY, 1975 885

 K = fluid-consistency index in the References
power-law model 1. McMordie, W. C., Jr.: "Viscometer Tests Mud to 650°F," Oil and
K' = fluid-consistency index in the GasJ. (May 19,1969) 81-84.
power-law model at T = 00 and p = 0 2. Forbes, G.: "Easier, More Exact Method Speeds Annul us
Pressure-Loss Calculations," Oil and Gas J. (July 31, 1975)
n = shear-rate exponent in the power-law 110-111.
model, dimensionless 3. Schuh, F. J.: "Computer Makes Surge-Pressure Calculations Use-
p = pressure, psig ful," Oil and Gas J. (Aug. 3, 1964) 96.
T = absolute temperature, oR 4. Fontenot, 1. E. and Clark, R. K.: "An Improved Method for
Calculating Swab/Surge and Circulating Pressures in a Drilling
'Y = shear rate, sec- 1 Well," Soc. Pet. Eng. J. (Oct. 1974) 451-462.
T = shear stress, dynes/cm
2
W. C. McMordie, Jr., SPE-AIME
Acknowledgment R. B. Bennett, SPE-AIME
We thank Oil Base, Inc., for permission to publish this R. G. Bland
work. Oil Base, Inc.
Houston, Tex.

886 JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY