Rapid, Well-Side Mud Logging of Hydrocarbons, Using the Syft Mudlogger Solution

Importance of the topic

Real-time monitoring of hydrocarbons in drilling mud is essential for efficient formation evaluation and rapid decision making in high-penetration rate drilling operations. Conventional methods such as gas chromatography can introduce delays and require extensive sample preparation, while photometric or electrochemical sensors may not cover the full range of relevant compounds.

Study objectives and overview

This application note presents the evaluation of a field-deployable mudlogger solution based on selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS). The main goals were to demonstrate simultaneous quantitation of C1 to C14 hydrocarbons, including linear, branched, cyclic, and aromatic species, with high time resolution (<15 s) directly at the well site, and to compare results with traditional gas chromatography data.

Methodology and instrumentation

The Syft Mudlogger system employs SIFT-MS to sample the headspace above drilling mud without the need for a cold trap or elaborate pretreatment. Nitrogen serves as both carrier and diluent gas. Reagent ions H3O+, NO+ and O2+ facilitate real-time ionization of volatile organic compounds. A sample flow of 25 sccm is analyzed in selected ion mode, delivering data via WITS, XML or CSV formats.

Key results and discussion

Field tests demonstrated a 12-second analysis cycle, yielding more than one data point per foot of penetration. Total gas concentration profiles closely matched gas chromatography benchmarks. Separate depth-resolved profiles were obtained for:

• C1–C5 hydrocarbons
• Linear C6–C11 alkanes
• Branched C6–C11 alkanes
• Cyclic hydrocarbons
• Aromatic compounds

The high selectivity of SIFT-MS enabled clear differentiation among isomers and trace aromatics down to mid part-per-billion levels.

Benefits and practical applications

• Instantaneous quantitation across a broad hydrocarbon range
• Minimal sample pretreatment and calibration needs
• Robust performance under remote and automatic operation
• High resolution in both depth and time for enhanced formation evaluation
• Live data streaming for integration into wellsite monitoring systems

Future trends and potential applications

Advancements may include expansion of compound libraries to cover siloxanes and sulfur-containing species, integration with machine learning for pattern recognition of formation signatures, and automation of sampling manifolds for unattended operation. Coupling SIFT-MS data with drilling parameters and geosteering models could further optimize drilling efficiency and reduce nonproductive time.

Conclusion

The SIFT-MS based Syft Mudlogger provides rapid, sensitive, and comprehensive analysis of drilling mud gases at the well side. It overcomes traditional limitations by delivering high-frequency, multicomponent hydrocarbon data with minimal field maintenance, supporting timely operational decisions in aggressive drilling environments.

Reference

• Prince BJ, Milligan DB, McEwan MJ. Application of selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry to real-time atmospheric monitoring. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry. 2010;24(12):1763.
• Francis GJ, Wilson PF, Milligan DB, Langford VS, McEwan MJ. GeoVOC: A SIFT-MS method for small linear hydrocarbons analysis in oil exploration. International Journal of Mass Spectrometry. 2007;268(1):38-46.
• Syft Technologies Ltd. Application Note Mud Logging of Hydrocarbons. APN-018-01.0. 2014.
• Syft Technologies Ltd. Syft Mudlogger Datasheet. 2014.