Academic Journal of Science and Technology 
ISSN: 2771-3032 | Vol. 4, No. 3, 2022 

 

101 

Application	Research	of	Borehole	Cleaning	Evaluation	
System	Based	on	Cuttings	Weighing	
Jinyun Li, He Zhang* 

School of mechanical and electrical engineering, Southwest Petroleum University, Sichuan 610000, China 
*Corresponding author: He Zhang 

 

Abstract: Due to complex working conditions and cuttings migration mechanism and other factors, cuttings bed is easy to 
form in deviated well section and extended reach horizontal well section, and too high cuttings bed is easy to cause a series of 
complex downhole accidents, such as bit mud bag, wall collapse, stuck drilling and holding in drilling. The borehole cleaning 
evaluation system based on cuttings weighing can collect the cuttings returned in real time. The system combines the real-time 
cuttings flow rate, theoretical cuttings volume, actual cuttings volume and other data to evaluate the borehole cleaning situation 
and provide guidance for field drilling construction. At the same time, the drilling optimization analysis module is designed in 
the system. The module adopts the combination of comprehensive logging data and geological logging data, combining the 
advantages of comprehensive logging and geological logging, which can realize the real-time drilling time optimization analysis 
to the maximum extent. In this paper, the evaluation system of borehole cleaning based on cuttings weighing is studied and 
corresponding engineering application examples are given. It has high practical application value for borehole cleaning 
monitoring and evaluation, drilling aging optimization analysis and reducing non-productive time. 

Keywords: Borehole cleaning, Cuttings weighing, Drilling optimization. 
 

1. Introduction 
Borehole cleaning monitoring is always a very important 

problem in drilling and logging. In horizontal well drilling 
and logging, the returned cuttings provide the basis for well 
cleaning monitoring [1].Drilling optimization analysis is also 
a very important direction in the drilling process. Therefore, 
it is very important to combine borehole cleaning monitoring 
with drilling optimization analysis to reduce drilling accidents 
and improve drilling efficiency in the process of drilling and 
logging [2.3]. 

According to the literature reviewed, there are mainly the 
following monitoring methods for cuttings return: expert 
experience, downhole engineering sub and surface cuttings 
weighing device [4]. Expert experience is too subjective, so 
this method has limitations on well cleaning and horizontal 
logging. The annulus pressure is measured by the downhole 
engineering nipple, and then the annulus cuttings 
concentration is calculated according to the annulus pressure 
to analyze the borehole cleaning condition. However, this 
method has high cost of downhole tools and is not conducive 
to widespread popularization. The cuttings weighing device 
is installed at the discharge port of the vibrating screen. Real-
time cuttings flow measurement is the most common method 
at present, Xiao Jingtao, Ren Zhonghong, Wang Qiang, Cui 
Zhongfeng, Li Yanfeng, Li Fukai, Hu Fengbo proposed a 
wireless cutting-flow measuring device and its application [5]; 
Zeng Yongwen, Wang Dongsheng, Zhang Jijun, and Zhang 
Liang proposed a cuttings volume balance calculation method 
and analysis process for horizontal well cleaning analysis [6]; 
Jing Wenming, Ni Pengbo, Mao Min and Qin Tianbao 
introduced the latest generation of intelligent comprehensive 

logging system developed by the French Geological Service 
Company, and carried out the application research of the 
system in optimizing drilling engineering [7]. 

At present, the research on directly measuring the cuttings 
flow and then evaluating the wellbore cleaning in China 
remains more in the experimental stage, and the application 
research on the wellbore cleaning evaluation system based on 
the cuttings weighing is less. In this paper, the wellbore 
cleaning evaluation system based on cuttings weighing is 
applied to the field. The results show that the system is of 
great significance for real-time monitoring of borehole 
cleaning, optimization of drilling efficiency and reduction of 
non production time. 

2. Wellbore Cleaning Evaluation 
System Based on Cuttings Weighing 

The overall design scheme of wellbore cleaning evaluation 
system based on cuttings weighing is shown in Figure 1. The 
system collects rock cutting flow data through the rock 
cutting weighing device installed at the outlet of the shale 
shaker, and combines the data of the comprehensive logging 
instrument to form a rock cutting flow data record with time, 
depth, rock cutting weight and other records; The system 
calculates the actual cuttings return flow, cuttings volume 
concentration, rock carrying efficiency and other data through 
cuttings flow calculation and correction method for wellbore 
cleaning evaluation; In order to realize real-time optimization 
analysis of drilling, the statistical method while drilling and 
optimization analysis method of drilling efficiency combined 
with comprehensive logging data and geological logging data 
are studied to provide guidance for shortening drilling time 
and improving production efficiency. 

 



 

102 

 
Figure 1. Overall design of wellbore cleaning evaluation system based on cuttings weighing 

 

2.1. Cuttings weighing hardware system 
The hardware system of rock cuttings weighing is divided 

into field equipment layer, control system equipment layer 
and upper equipment layer from bottom to top [8,9], As shown 
in Figure 2. 

 

 

Figure 2. Hierarchical Structure of Rock Cutting Weighing Hardware System 
 

1. Upper equipment layer 
The upper device layer is mainly composed of PC_S (field 

server) and several PC_C (client server). PC_S server is used 
to communicate with the control equipment layer to obtain 
cuttings flow data and comprehensive logging instrument 
data, to display real-time curve of instantaneous, whole meter 
and column cuttings flow [10], and to evaluate borehole 
cleaning status. The main function of PC_C is to process the 
data forwarded by PC_S in real time through user Ethernet. 
By setting proper operation permissions, the PC_C can not 
only read the relevant data of field devices in real time, but 
also operate field devices in real time. 

2. Control equipment layer 
The control equipment layer is mainly composed of 

Siemens PLC and MOXA industrial Ethernet switch. Its main 
function is to collect the real-time data of the field equipment, 
according to the user's program to achieve manual and 
automatic control mode, at the same time, the relevant data 
will be transmitted to the upper server in real time. 

3. Field equipment layer 
The field equipment layer is mainly composed of 

pneumatic system, weighing system and safety system. The 

main function is to complete the collection, measurement, 
dumping, hanging sweep, weighing and other functions of 
returned cuttings [10]. 

The three-dimensional and physical drawings of the 
hardware system for weighing cuttings are shown in Figure 3 
and 4. 

 

 
Figure 3. Three-dimensional diagram of chip weighing 

hardware system 



 

103 

 
Figure 4. Physical picture of hardware system for 

weighing cuttings 

2.2. Cuttings flow correction and calculation 
method 

1. Cuttings flow correction method 
Due to the tipping and hanging sweep of the cuttings 

weighing device, the cuttings receiving is interrupted, and the 
continuous recording of cuttings weight data cannot be 
realized. Polynomial correction method is used to predict the 
flow value during the interrupt period according to the 
historical flow parameters. Due to the lack of depth mark in 
cuttings flow data, the late well depth is extracted by using 
real-time parameters of engineering logging to form cuttings 
flow data records with time, depth and cuttings weight records. 

 

 
Figure 5. Interruption of original cuttings weight data 

 

 
Figure 6. Flow chart of cuttings flow data recording 

 
2. Cuttings flow parameter calculation method 
The actual cuttings volume is calculated as follows: 

0

i i i
actual i i

c

MBT
v =   LGS -

h
i i

i
i h i bi

Q t
Q t

 
 

   
   

 
  

actualv , Volume of dry cuttings returned per meter: m3 

0
h , Calculate the starting well depth: m 

h ,Calculated end well depth: m 
 , Weight of cuttings per meter measured: kg 

c , Cuttings density: kg/m3 

b , Bentonite density: kg/m3  

In order to compare with the actual cuttings volume, the 

Data interruption problem 



 

104 

theoretical cuttings volume is calculated as follows: 

   
2

theory 0

1
V

4

d
h h

 
    

theoryV , The theoretical volume of cuttings produced: m3 

d , Hole diameter: m 
 , Hole expansion rate: % 

0h , Initial depth: m 

h ,Drill the depth of the well: m 

2.3. Drilling optimization analysis method 
1. Statistical method of drilling time while drilling 
Comprehensive logging data can automatically identify 

drilling, reaming, tripping and other dynamic drilling 
conditions in real time. Geological logging data (mainly 
referring to drilling conditions logs) can record both dynamic 
and static drilling conditions. Integrated logging instrument 
and geological data acquisition instrument are connected on 
site to realize automatic statistics and accurate calculation of 
drilling aging, and real-time quantitative display of aging 
analysis results is helpful to reduce non-productive time and 
improve drilling construction efficiency. 

 

 
Figure 7. Statistical data flow chart of drilling aging while drilling 

 

 
Figure 8. Automatic analysis module of rig status 

 

 
Figure 9. Drilling aging automatic statistics module 

 
2. Drilling time optimization analysis method 
According to the actual and theoretical cuttings volume 

relationship, the cuttings bed and the stability of the shaft wall 
are judged. Combined with the cuttings return situation of the 



 

105 

column, the operation of pulling times, cycle time, tripping and thickening plug are decided. 
 

 
Figure 10. Flow chart of application of cuttings return evaluation data 

 
 

 
Figure 11. Cuttings volume tracking while drilling 



 

106 

 
Figure 12. Relationship between borehole cleaning aging and cuttings return 

 

3. Application Case of Wellbore 
Cleaning Evaluation System Based 
on Cuttings Weighing 

The designed well depth of YX well is 6186.00m (vertical 
depth 3976.00m), which belongs to horizontal well. The well 
cleaning evaluation system based on cuttings weighing 
started trial operation at the well depth of 3910.00m, and was 
officially put into operation at the well depth of 4030.00m. 

Online monitoring technical services began, and data 
collection was completed at the well depth of 6230.00m 
(completion of drilling). One warning occurred. Figure 13 
shows the correction and comprehensive calculation diagram 
of cuttings volume flow parameters, including the theoretical 
cuttings return volume, actual cuttings return volume, 
cuttings return rate, cuttings volume density, mud adsorption 
coefficient and other parameters of the whole monitoring 
section. 

 

 
Figure 13. Cuttings volume flow parameter correction and comprehensive calculation diagram 

 
Monitoring report: When drilling to 4537.00 m, due to the 

faster drilling time (1.2min/m-3.3min), there was a trend of 
cuttings retention, as shown in the red mark in Figure 14. 
When drilling to the depth of 4648.00m, the cuttings retention 
rate of single column rose to 42%, as shown in the red column 
in Figure 15 below. It was preliminatively determined that 
there was more sand settling in the bottom hole. 

Recommended measures: Increase the drilling frequency, 

control the drilling time, adjust mud performance, lengthen 
the cycle time, and improve the well cleaning capacity. 

Implementation effect: The mud performance was adjusted 
to improve the rock-carrying ability. When drilling to 
4727.00m, the cuttings return rate gradually returned to the 
normal range (as shown in FIG. 16 below), effectively 
avoiding potential sticking risks. 

 



 

107 

 
Figure 14. Whole-meter cuttings return in well interval 3910m ~ 4617m 

 

 
Figure 15. Cuttings return diagram of column in 4630m ~ 4660m well section 

 
Figure 16. Cuttings return of well column 4660m ~ 4720m 

 



 

108 

 

4. Conclusion 
The cuttings weight-based borehole cleaning evaluation 

system can detect poor borehole cleaning in a timely manner, 
optimize and analyze drilling timeliness in real time, and help 
reduce risks and non-productive time in deviated Wells and 
extended reach horizontal Wells. This kind of equipment has 
been widely applied in foreign countries and achieved good 
economic benefits, with high application value. It is suggested 
to strengthen the research on the software and hardware of 
borehole cleaning evaluation system in China so as to provide 
better technical support and service for the market. 

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