BENEFICIATION POTENTIAL OF POLYMERIC ADDITIVE ON THE RHEOLOGICAL AND FILTRATION PROPERTIES OF LOCAL BENTONITE IN WATER-BASED MUD
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55766/sujst9763Keywords:
Water-based mud, Filtration properties, Bentonite, Drilling Fluids, Hyperdrill, Rheological PropertiesAbstract
The continuous importation of drilling fluid additives such as bentonite increases mud formulation costs and limits the growth of local content in the petroleum industry. This study examines the impact of a synthetic polymer, Hyperdrill AF251, on the rheological and filtration properties of a water-based mud (WBM) formulated with locally sourced bentonite, and compares its performance with that of foreign bentonite in accordance with API standards. Five polymer mud samples (C1-C5) were formulated with local bentonite and Hyperdrill concentrations ranging from 0.5 g to 3 g, along with a foreign bentonite control. Beneficiating the local bentonite with 0.3 g NaOH increased alkalinity from 7.44 to 9.3. Mud weight improved to 8.65 lb/gal for the beneficiated sample, compared with 8.45 lb/gal (local) and 8.55 lb/gal (foreign). Rheological results showed substantial gains: plastic viscosity (6-20 cP for C1-C5) represented an 83-95% increase over the foreign sample (5 cP); yield point increased by 60-92.7%; and apparent viscosity rose by 76.4-94.8%. Gel strength values remained within API-recommended limits. Filtration tests revealed a steady decrease in filtrate volume with increasing Hyperdrill concentrations, matching the performance of foreign bentonite at an additive concentration of 0.5 g. Optimal results occurred at 1.5-3 g Hyperdrill. For drilling operations, these improvements result in improved hole cleaning, enhanced cuttings suspension, reduced filtrate volume, and more stable borehole conditions. Adopting beneficiated local bentonite with Hyperdrill at the wider industry level can lower production and import costs, foster local employment, and strengthen indigenous capacity in drilling fluid formulation, reducing dependence on imported additives while meeting performance standards.
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