MONITORING STRUCTURAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF DRILLING MUD

PCT No. PCT/SU79/00076 Sec. 371 Date May 22, 1980 Sec. 102(e) Date Apr. 21, 1980 PCT Filed Aug. 30, 1979 PCT Pub. No. WO80/00726 PCT Pub. Date Apr. 17, 1980.A method of monitoring structural and mechanical properties of drilling mud and a device for realizing this method includes the determination of the viscosity of drilling mud via a viscosimeter and the determination of the shear strength of the mud via a shear strength measuring instrument, both of which have driven sensitive elements immersed in the drilling mud. The signals of the sensitive elements are converted by converters to indications of the parameters being measured and are compared. The sensitive elements are connected to the same pole of a power source. An electrode immersed in the drilling mud is connected to the opposite pole of the power source. The current flowing between the electrode and the sensitive elements is measured and, when the current is stabilized, the converters produce signals proportional to the viscosity and shear strength of the drilling mid. A first ratio of the shear strength and viscosity signals is determined, the signals being produced by a divider connected to the outputs of the converters. Then, the polarity of the power source is reversed and a second ratio of the shear strength and viscosity signals is determined. The arithmetical mean of the first and second ratios is then determined.