Lab Procedures
Standard drilling-fluid laboratory test references.
Mud Weight (Density)
Measure drilling-fluid density with a calibrated mud balance.
Marsh Funnel Viscosity
Time the efflux of 946 mL of mud through a Marsh funnel to indicate apparent viscosity.
Rheology (Viscometer)
Measure multi-speed viscometer readings and calculate PV, YP, AV, and gel strengths.
API Filtration
Measure static fluid loss of water-based drilling fluid at ambient temperature and 100 psi differential pressure.
HPHT Filtration
Evaluate fluid loss at simulated downhole temperature and 500 psi differential pressure using an HPHT filter press.
Retort (Oil/Water/Solids)
Determine volume percentages of oil, water, and total solids in drilling fluid by high-temperature distillation.
Emulsion Stability (ES)
Measure the electrical stability voltage of an oil-based mud emulsion to assess emulsifier effectiveness.
pH & Alkalinity
Determine pH, mud alkalinity (Pm), and filtrate alkalinity (Pf, Mf) of water-based drilling fluid.
Cation Exchange (MBT)
Quantify the cation exchange capacity of drill solids and bentonite using the Methylene Blue Test.
Sand Content
Determine the volume percentage of sand-sized particles in drilling fluid using a 200-mesh screen.
Production Screen Test
Screen a mud sample through progressively finer meshes to characterise the particle-size distribution of drill solids.
Permeability Plugging (PPT)
Evaluate a fluid's ability to form a plug in a permeable disc under differential pressure to simulate invasion control.
PPT Slotted Disc
Test a fluid's ability to bridge and seal a slotted disc simulating a natural fracture under pressure.
UltraCap Capsule Test
Verify the integrity and release performance of UltraCap encapsulated-additive capsules in drilling fluid.
UltraHib Inhibition Test
Evaluate shale-inhibition performance of UltraHib-treated fluid using a linear swell-meter or dispersion test.
Dry Sieve Analysis
Characterise particle-size distribution of dried drill solids or weighting material by sieving through a nested screen stack.