Wellbore cleaning efficiency monitoring

Abstract

A system includes a measuring device configured to receive a returned mud mixture from a riser and to direct the returned mud mixture to a mud processing system. The measuring device includes a duct, a first load cell coupled to the duct, and a mud level sensor. The duct has a first end disposed at a first level and a second end disposed at a second level lower than the first level. The first load cell is configured to determine a mass of a quantity of the returned mud mixture within the duct during a drilling operation. The mud level sensor is configured to determine a height of the returned mud mixture in the duct. The mass of the quantity of the returned mud mixture may be used to determine a density of the quantity of the returned mud mixture and a cleaning efficiency ratio of the drilling operation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a measuring device configured to receive a returned mud mixture from a riser and to direct the returned mud mixture to a mud processing system, wherein the measuring device comprises:
 a duct comprising a first end disposed at a first level and a second end disposed at a second level, wherein the first level is higher than the second level along a vertical axis; 
 a first load cell coupled to the duct, wherein the first load cell is configured to determine a mass of a quantity of the returned mud mixture within the duct during a drilling operation; and 
 a mud level sensor configured to determine a height of the returned mud mixture in the duct. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the duct comprises a trough with a length between the first end and the second end, and the first load cell is disposed at a first position from the first end that is greater than or equal to 25 percent of the length. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first load cell is disposed at a first position from the first end, and the mud level sensor is disposed at a second position from the first end, and the first position is different from the second position. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the mud level sensor is configured to determine the height of the returned mud mixture in the duct at the first position based on a second height of the returned mud mixture in the duct at the second position. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the measuring device comprises a second load cell, wherein the first load cell is coupled to the duct near the first end, the second load cell is coupled to the duct near the second end, and the quantity of the returned mud mixture comprises a totality of the returned mud mixture within the duct. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the duct comprises a return line coupled to the riser, wherein the return line comprises a first baffle, a second baffle, and a portion coupled between the first baffle and the second baffle, wherein the first load cell is coupled to the portion, the first load cell is configured to support the portion of the duct along the vertical axis, and the quantity of the returned mud mixture comprises a volume of the returned mud mixture within the portion. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising a controller coupled to the first load cell and to the mud level sensor, wherein the controller is configured to determine, during the drilling operation, a cleaning efficiency ratio of the drilling operation based on a first feedback from the first load cell and a second feedback from the mud level sensor. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the mud level sensor comprises a paddle and a potentiometer. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the mud level sensor comprises one or more non-contact sensors. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising the mud processing system configured to receive the returned mud mixture from the second end of the duct, and the mud processing system comprises a shaker table, mud cleaning equipment, or any combination thereof 
     
     
         11 . A system comprising:
 a measuring device configured to receive a returned mud mixture from a riser and to direct the returned mud mixture to a mud processing system, wherein the measuring device comprises:
 a duct comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is configured to receive a quantity of the returned mud mixture, and the second end is configured to direct the quantity of the returned mud mixture to the mud processing system; and 
 a load cell coupled to the duct, wherein the load cell is configured to determine a mass of the quantity of the returned mud mixture within the duct during a drilling operation. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the measuring device comprises a funnel disposed in a return line, wherein the funnel is configured to divert a portion of the returned mud mixture into a bypass section, wherein the duct comprises the bypass section, and the bypass section is filled with the quantity of the returned mud mixture during the drilling operation. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the measuring device comprises a first baffle and a second baffle, the bypass section is disposed between the first baffle and the second baffle, and the load cell is coupled to the bypass section. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , comprising a controller coupled to the load cell, wherein the controller is configured to determine a density of the quantity of the returned mud mixture in the bypass section based at least in part on a volume of the bypass section and a feedback of the load cell. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to determine, during the drilling operation, a cleaning efficiency ratio of the drilling operation based on the density of the quantity of the returned mud mixture in the bypass section. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , comprising a controller coupled to the measuring device, wherein the measuring device comprises a mud level sensor disposed within the duct, the mud level sensor is configured to determine a height of the returned mud mixture within the duct at a position of the load cell, and the controller is configured to determine, during the drilling operation, a cleaning efficiency ratio of the drilling operation based on first feedback from the load cell and a second feedback from the mud level sensor. 
     
     
         17 . A method comprising:
 determining a mass of a quantity of a returned mud mixture in a duct disposed between a riser and a mud processing system of a drilling platform;   determining a mixture density of the quantity of the returned mud mixture based on the mass of the quantity of the returned mud mixture and a volume of the quantity of the returned mud mixture;   determining, during the drilling operation, a cleaning efficiency ratio of a drilling operation based at least in part on the mixture density of the quantity of the returned mud mixture and a mud density of a drilling mud supplied to a wellbore during the drilling operation; and   controlling one or more parameters of the drilling operation based at least in part on the cleaning efficiency ratio of the drilling operation, wherein the controlled one or more parameters of the drilling operation comprise a flow rate of the drilling mud, a composition of the drilling mud, a weight on a bit of the drilling platform, or any combination thereof   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , comprising determining the volume of the quantity of the returned mud mixture based on feedback from a mud level sensor coupled to the duct. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , comprising:
 decreasing the flow rate of the drilling mud when the cleaning efficiency ratio is greater than 1.0; and   increasing the flow rate of the drilling mud when the cleaning efficiency ratio is less than 1.0.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , comprising determining the mass of the quantity of the returned mud mixture based on feedback from a plurality of load cells coupled to the duct.