Online viscometer measures mud in the oilfield
A
Hydramotion product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Jan 12, 2007
Measuring the viscosity of drilling fluids at the high pressures of the oilfield is all in a day's work for the XL7 online viscometer from Hydramotion.
Measuring the viscosity of drilling fluids at the high pressures of the oilfield is all in a day's work for the XL7 online viscometer from Hydramotion.
Drilling fluid, or "mud", is pumped down a well to remove rock cuttings and to lubricate and cool the drill bit.
The mud is "shear-thinning", meaning that its viscosity falls when it is moved or agitated, so while it is circulating through the borehole its viscosity is relatively low.
If pumping stops, however, the mud forms a thick gel that suspends the cuttings and stops them from sinking to the bottom of the borehole, where they could jam the drill.
When the mud starts moving again it reverts to its thin, liquid form.
It is clearly essential for oilfield engineers to be able to monitor the viscosity of the drilling mud, but any online viscometer must be able to cope with the relatively high pressures of the drill pipe - typically between 345 and 517bar.
While traditional methods of measuring viscosity cannot be used under such conditions, high pressures present no challenge to the Hydramotion XL7 viscometer.
The sensor is a single solid probe whose unique technology imposes no theoretical limit on pressure.
Hydramotion has supplied a number of instruments to leading oilfield services providers for various applications, including the measurement of heavy crude at 345bar and 100C.
A US customer wishing to measure the viscosity of petroleum fractions under simulated field conditions has just taken delivery of XL7 viscometers rated at 1380bar.
Higher ratings are perfectly possible.
The XL7 can measure any viscosity range at temperatures up to 400C in pipes or tanks of any capacity.
Unaffected by bubbles or "slugs" of air or gas, and with no moving parts to wear out or fail in service, a Hydramotion viscometer is fitted in minutes and virtually maintenance-free.
It is easy to use and needs no on-site calibration.
For engineers at the well site, the XL7 has taken the hassle and uncertainty out of viscosity control.
Not what you're looking for? Search the site.
Google Ads
Contact Hydramotion
Related Stories
- Zytek uses Renco R35i encoders to develop gearbox
- Airbus uses Balluff sensors in A380 restrooms
- Thermal imaging camera to scan homes
- Linear position sensors used in ATM bill detector
- OMS fits Scancontrol into internal weld inspector
Articles by product category
- Consultancy and Services (903)
- Machine Building (4,517)
-
Engineering Design Software (6,179)
- Engineering Design Software (12)
- 2D CAD software (200)
- 3D CAD software (1,157)
- FEA and structural analysis software (369)
- Fluid, thermal, noise, vibration software (334)
- Simulation, modelling, validation software (914)
- Rendering, visualisation, styling software (196)
- Materials design and moulding design software (151)
- Process, instrumentation, automation software (258)
- Electrical design software (164)
- Publishing and documentation software (229)
- Maths, charting, statistics, QA software (317)
- Data, document management software (310)
- CAM, CNC, production management software (568)
- File conversion software, data capture (351)
- PLM and collaboration software (649)
-
Drives, Motors and Controls (3,361)
- Drives, Motors and Controls (1)
- Precision Motors and Gears (411)
- Industrial Drives/Controls (1,276)
- Linear Drives and Motors (114)
- Industrial Motors (497)
- Stepper and Servo Drives, Motors, Controls (1,060)
- Small Mechanical Components, Joining, Tools (1,975)
-
Control and Instrumentation (5,028)
- Plantwide control (1,324)
- Plant- and Machine-Wide Communications (1,174)
- Smaller-Sized PLCs (387)
- CNC and Motion Controllers (184)
- Mid-range and Large PLCs (201)
- Power Supplies, Uninterruptible Power (562)
- HMIs/Operator Interfaces (294)
- Logic Controllers, Timers and Relays (96)
- Cabling, Conduit, Signal Conditioning (806)
-
Monitoring, Measurement and Quality (5,459)
- Monitoring, Measurement and Quality (1)
- Data acquisition Software and Communications (494)
- Data Acquisition Hardware and PC I/O Boards (472)
- Electrical and Electronic Testing, PAT Equipment (630)
- Form/co-ordinate, optical, vision instruments (703)
- Gauges, Indicators and Instruments (440)
- Data loggers (422)
- Materials testing equipment (421)
- Telecomms/network test equipment, software etc (154)
- Testing and Calibration Services and Information (500)
- Testing, analysing and monitoring equipment (1,222)
-
Electrical and Electronic Equipment Design (4,160)
- Batteries, chargers and circuit protection (555)
- Connectors, Terminals, Busbars, Slip Rings (679)
- Enclosures and Equipment Cooling Fans (709)
- Knobs, Handles and Enclosure Hardware (420)
- PCs and Embedded Systems (798)
- Electrical and Electronic Subassemblies (369)
- Electrical and Electronic Components (630)
-
Materials and Processing (2,963)
- Materials and Processing (5)
- Materials and components (2,215)
- Rapid Prototyping (458)
- Materials processing and testing (285)
-
Engineering Industry News, Resources (6,093)
- Engineering Industry News, Resources (4)
- Engineering Business News, Views (388)
- Engineering Exhibitions, Events (562)
- Engineering Conferences (425)
- Engineering Seminars (400)
- Engineering Industry Developments, Awards (633)
- Engineering Guides, Newsletters (349)
- Engineering Recruitment, Employment (219)
- Engineering Training Courses (433)
- Engineering Education, Resources, Standards (838)
- Engineering Industry Reports, Surveys (597)
- Electronic Resources for Engineers (278)
- Health and Safety Legislation (402)
- Health and Safety Strategy, Risk Assessment (113)
- Health and Safety Consultancy, Software (175)
- Health and Safety Events, Training, News (277)
-
Powertrain Design (3,598)
- Powertrain Design (2)
- Bearings (939)
- Chains and belts (326)
- Gears, brakes, couplings and engines (1,441)
- Hydraulic Components (471)
- Lubricants (418)
-
Capital Equipment (3,387)
- Capital Equipment (1)
- Manufacturing Machinery and Plant Equipment (468)
- Production line blowers and fans (62)
- Compressors and Air Treatment (510)
- Electronics Manufacturing, Tools, Instruments (192)
- Electrical hardware (131)
- Machinery and Production Equipment (1,093)
- Robotics, Handling and Storage (930)
-
Sensors (7,080)
- Sensors (8)
- Accelerometers and Vibration Sensors (427)
- Loadcells, Force Sensors, Torque Sensors (699)
- Pressure sensors (621)
- Flowmeters and Flow Sensors (618)
- Level Sensors and Leak Detectors (527)
- Linear Position Sensors (399)
- Rotary Position, Tilt and Angular Sensors (546)
- Proximity Sensors (700)
- Gas, Chemical, Radiation, Magnetic Sensors (284)
- Humidity and Environmental Sensors (152)
- Temperature sensors (612)
- Vision and Colour Sensors (1,384)
- Barcode Sensors (103)
- Valves, Pumps, Process Hardware (3,623)
