EVALUATION OF FLUID LOSS CONTROL PERFORMANCE OF LOCAL BIOPOLYMER

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Petroleum Engineering Department, School of Engineering and Engineering Technology, Federal University of Technology Owerri

2 Department of Petroleum Engineering, School of Engineering and Engineering Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri Nigeria

3 Petroleum Engineering, Federal University Of Technology Owerri

Abstract

Drilling mud is recognized as the life-wire of drilling operations in the oil and gas industry, and is needed in the exploration and production of subsurface hydrocarbon resources. Drilling mud is majorly plagued by fluid loss, which reduces the volume of the continuous phase while increasing the mud cake thickness. This problem has led to the introduction of additives which enhances the mud filter cake features and reduces filtration rate. Several conventional fluid loss control additives such as PolyAnionic cellulose (PAC) and CarboxyMethyl Cellulose (CMC) have been utilized for fluid loss control, but these additives are expensive and harmful to the environment. These have led to the continued research for more suitable local alternatives, which if successful, could substitute for these conventional materials. In this study, the performance of locally sourced materials; Afzelia Africana (AA) and Maranta Arundinacea Root (MAR), was compared to the conventional material CarboxyMethyl Cellulose (CMC). Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), rheology and filtration test were carried out in this study. From the FTIR results, AA and MA had similar functional groups such as amines, aromatic, carboxylic acid and alcohol with CMC. From the rheology result, AA recorded similar viscosity increasing attribute observed in CMC while MAR was showed to be a poor viscosifier. From the filtration loss result, MA recorded 21ml fluid volume at 9g, AA recorded 66ml fluid volume at 9g while CMC recorded 10ml at 9g. MAR demonstrated potential to substitute for CMC as a fluid loss control additive when modified.

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Main Subjects

Journal of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 17 March 2025

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History

  • Receive Date: 07 June 2024
  • Revise Date: 21 February 2025
  • Accept Date: 17 March 2025

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