Drilling, Fluids and Cement Laboratory

Get familiar with drilling and completion related instruments is a part of Drilling Engineering fundamentals and laboratory unit for students enrolled in the Petroleum Engineering course at Curtin University. Working as a team in the lab, students simulate wellbore conditions in the laboratory and evaluate completion products under actual reservoir conditions. The test supported by the drilling and completion equipment help students to design an effective drilling fluid and completion cement which can optimize well productivity.

Below are the list of equipment generally used in Drilling, Fluids and Cement Lab:

1. Mud Balance, 140, Fann Instrument

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The Model 140 Mud Balance is an instrument that provides a simple, practical method for measuring the density of a fluid sample. It is designed as one of the most sensitive and accurate field instruments for determining the density or weight-per-unit-volume (specific gravity) of drilling fluids.

2. Viscometer, 35SA, Fann Instrument

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The Fann Model 35SA Viscometer is a coaxial cylindrical rotational viscometer, used to determine single or multi-point viscosities. It is has six fixed speeds ranging from 3, 6, 100, 200, 300 and 600 RPM that are switch selectable with the RPM knob and is also designed to determine the Gel strength of a mud sample.

3. Filter Press API, Low Pressure Low Temperature (LPLT), 300, Fann Instrument

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The LPLT Filter Press consists of a mud reservoir mounted in a frame, a pressure source, a filtering medium, a graduated cylinder for receiving and measuring filtrate. This instrument is used to determine the filtration rate through a standard filter paper and the rate at which the mudcake thickness increases on the standard filter paper under 100 psig working pressure and filtering area, 7.1-in2, according to American Petroleum Institute (API) recommended Practice 13B-1 and 13B-2.

4. 50ml Oil and Water Retort, 87140, Fann Instrument

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A Retort Kit is used to separate and measure the volumes of water, oil and solids contained in a water-based drilling fluid. The condensed liquids will be collected in a graduated cylinder and the volumes are determined directly from the reading. The total volume of suspended or dissolved solids are determining by subtracting these from 100 percent sample.

5. Ultrasonic Cement Analyzer (UCA), 304, Fann Instrument

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The Fann Model 304 UCA provides a non-destructive method for determining the relative strength development of a cement sample under down-hole temperature and pressure conditions. The theory of operation is based on the correlation between ultrasonic pulse velocity in the cement sample and its compressive strength. Strength indications are determined by measuring the change in velocity of an ultrasonic signal transmitted through the cement sample as it cures.