Improving the Performance of Drilling Fluid Using Lignite Nano Particles

Abstract

The effect of lignite on the filtration characteristics of water base mud was studied at low and high temperature. Recently, the nanoparticle additives are studied and investigated as alternative additives due to its stability during drilling even at high-temperature and high-pressure (HTHP) conditions. In this study the effect of nano particles size of Lignite on filtrate volume and mud cake thickness was investigated , at different weights (0.01, 0.05, 0.07, 0.1, and 0.2) gm, in (API WBM, Polymer mud, DURA THERM mud, and Saturated Salt Water mud) and different temperatures (35, 75, and 100) oC. The results show that most tests provided a very good filtration control for the used drilling fluids at 100 oC. Better performances were observed in polymer and Saturated Salt Water mud at 100 oC with Lignite concentration of 0.01 gm and 0.1 gm, and filtrate volume reduction 52.5 % and 60 % respectively.