BAKER HUGHES - Drilling Fluids Reference Manual

GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Dissociation - The splitting up of a compound or element into two or more simple molecules, atoms,
or ions. Applied usually to the effect of the action of heat or solvents upon dissolved substances. The
reaction is reversible and not as permanent as decomposition; i.e., when the solvent is removed, the
ions recombine.
Distillation - Process of first vaporizing a liquid and then condensing the vapor into a liquid (the
distillate), leaving behind non-volatile substances, the total solids of a drilling fluid. The distillate is
the water and/or oil content of a fluid.
Dog-Leg - The "elbow" caused by a sharp change of direction in the wellbore.
Drilling In - The operation during the drilling procedure at the point of drilling into the pay
formation.
Drilling Fluid, Fluid, or Drilling Mud - A fluid formulated with chemicals to obtain specific
chemical and physical characteristics for circulating during the rotary drilling process.
Drilling Out - The drilling procedure used when the cement is drilled out of the casing before further
hole is made or completion attempted.
Drill-Stem Test (DST) - A test to determine whether oil and/or gas in commercial quantities have
been located in the reservoir.
Dynamic - The state of being active or in motion; opposed to static.
Electric Logging - Electric logs are run on a wire line to obtain information concerning the porosity,
permeability, fluid content of the formations drilled, and other information. The drilling fluid
characteristics may need to be altered to obtain good logs with interpretable data.
Electrical Stability Test - A test for oil-base and synthetic-base muds that indicates the emulsion
and oil-wetting qualities of the sample. The test is performed by inserting the ES probe into a cup of
120ºF (48.8ºC) mud and pushing a test button. The ES meter automatically applies an increasing
voltage (from 0 to 2000 volts) across an electrode gap in the probe. Maximum voltage that the mud
will sustain across the gap before conducting current is displayed as the ES voltage. The ES readings
have been studied and were found to relate to an oil mud’s oil-wetting of solids and to stability of the
emulsion droplets in a complex fashion not yet completely understood.
Electrolyte - A substance which dissociates into charged positive and negative ions when in solution
or a fused state and which will then conduct an electric current. Acids, bases, and salts are common
electrolytes.
BAKER HUGHES DRILLING FLUIDS
REFERENCE MANUAL
REVISION 2006 15-15