Patent · US Expired

Method for monitoring potassium chloride concentration in drilling fluids

US4546252A · kind A · utility

4Cited by
4References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJul 25, 1984
Grant dateOct 8, 1985
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 25, 2004

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01V5/06
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The potassium chloride concentration of a drilling fluid is monitored during well drilling operations to identify any depletion in such concentration with time. Initially, the gamma radiation measuring apparatus utilized is calibrated by making gamma radiation measurements on self-shielded drilling fluid samples having successively increasing potassium chloride concentrations. A calibration constant is derived from the measured relationship between the potassium chloride concentrations of the various drilling fluid samples and their respective gamma radiation count rates. This calibration constant is then used along with the measured gamma radiation count rates from drilling fluid taken during well drilling operations to identify drilling fluid potassium chloride concentration.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.