Real-time downhole drilling mud viscosity and density estimations

Abstract

Methods and systems for enhancing workflow performance in the oil and gas industry may estimate the properties of drilling muds (e.g., density and/or viscosity) located downhole with methods that utilize real-time data, estimated drilling mud properties, and mathematical models. Further, the methods described herein may optionally account for the uncertainties induced by sensor readings and dynamic modeling. For example, a method may include circulating a drilling mud through a mud circulation system; performing a plurality of measurements from various sensors in a mud circulation system; modeling in real-time drilling mud flow dynamics in the drilling mud using a mathematical dynamics model; predicting physical states of the drilling mud with the mathematical dynamics model, thereby producing model physical state predictions; inputting the measurements into the mathematical dynamics model; and adjusting discrepancies between the model physical state predictions and the measurements using the mathematical dynamics model.