Degaussing ferrous material within drilling fluids

1. An apparatus for demagnetizing a well fluid, said apparatus comprising:

a) a demagnetization unit;

b) a coupling for installing said demagnetization unit adjacent a pipe on a drilling rig between a stand pipe for inflow of a well fluid and a kelly, wherein said demagnetization unit is configured to neutralize residual magnetism in said well fluid before said well fluid is pumped into a drill string;

c) a processor and a magnetometer configured to measure a magnetic flux of said well fluid and said processor configured to initiate said demagnetization unit to demagnetize said well fluid if a measured magnetic flux is above a threshold value.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said demagnetization unit is an electromagnetic demagnetizer, a degausser, or a pulse degausser.

3. An apparatus for degaussing a drilling fluid, said apparatus comprising:

a) a degausser unit and a magnetometer operatively coupled to a processor;

b) said degausser unit configured to surround a pipe and demagnetize an inflowing drilling fluid being conveyed through said pipe to a drill bit;

c) said magnetometer configured to measure a magnetic flux of said inflowing drilling fluid;

d) said processor configured to initiate said degaussing unit to degauss said inflowing drilling fluid if a measured magnetic flux is above a threshold value and thereby neutralize residual magnetism in said inflowing drilling fluid.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein said apparatus is installed at a location selected from the group comprising: between a bell nipple and a shaker tank, between a mud pit and a suction tank, between said shaker tank and said suction tank, between said suction tank and a mud pump, between said mud pump and a stand pipe, between said stand pipe and a kelly, between said kelly and a top drive, within sections of a drill pipe, above a bottom hole assembly, and any combination thereof.

5. A process for obtaining one or more measurements in a well bore, comprising:

a) identifying in advance a magnetically sensitive measurement location and a measurement time;

b) calculating a time prior to said measurement time that is required for a volume of well fluid to reach from a demagnetizing unit to said measurement location; and

c) installing said demagnetization unit on a pipe at a location identified in step a), said location selected from between a bell nipple and a shaker tank, between a mud pit and a suction tank, between the shaker tank and the suction tank, between the suction tank and a mud pump, between the mud pump and a stand pipe, between the stand pipe and a kelly, or between the kelly and a top drive; said demagnetization unit configured to demagnetize a well fluid in a well fluid circulation system connected to a well bore;

d) circulating well fluid in said circulation system;

e) demagnetizing said well fluid wherein said demagnetization unit neutralizes residual magnetism in said well fluid at said time prior; and

e) obtaining one or more measurements in said well bore using said demagnetized well fluid.

6. A process according to claim 5 , wherein said demagnetization unit is temporarily installed.

7. A process according to claim 5 , wherein the demagnetizing unit is operated if the magnetic flux in said well fluid is above a threshold value.

8. A process according to claim 5 , wherein said demagnetization unit comprises: a) a coil degaussing unit; and b) a coupling for installing said demagnetization unit around a pipe in said circulation system.

9. A process according to claim 5 , wherein said demagnetization unit is a permanent magnet, an electromagnetic demagnetizer, a degausser, or a pulse degausser.

10. A process according to claim 5 , wherein said demagnetization unit further comprises a processor and a magnetometer, said magnetometer configured to measure a magnetic flux of said well fluid and said processor configured to initiate said demagnetization unit to demagnetize said well fluid if a measured magnetic flux in said well fluid is above a threshold value.