DETERMINATION OF THE RHEOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF DRILLING FLUID FROM LOCALLY SOURCED CLAY FROM VARIOUS GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS
Ajugwe C; Oloro. J and Akpotu. D.
Department of Petroleum Engineering
Delta State University, Oleh Campus
E-mail: joloroeng@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
The rheological formulation of our locally sourced bentonite clay in substitute for the imported foreign bentonite clay was carried out by the comparative analysis of the parameters of the local mud with the stipulated API standard values to ascertain the level of compliance in drilling operation. The local muds PH values responded positively on beneficiation with 1.0g of potash, the modification raised the muds PH values to fall within the standard range of 9.5 to 12.5. The viscosity of the local muds was seen to be slightly below the standard requirement of 30cp, but appreciated favorably to the standard requirement when beneficiated with 1.0g of drispac. On beneficiating the foreign aqua gel bentonite muds, with the same quantity of additives used on other mud samples, there was an excessive abnormal increase in its viscosity for instance the viscosity of 17.5g of the foreign mud was drastically raised from 17.1cp to 210.5cp at 600 dial reading. It was obvious that most of the prepared local mud samples parameters such as the sand percentage composition, power law index, density, marsh funnel viscosity, etc met the minimum required specifications, while other few parameters such as the theological properties, needed some additive treatment for favorable comparison with the foreign clay mud properties. Therefore, the utilization of these clays for any industrial application will pose no harm to surface and surface facilities and will in no turn represent a value added to the Nigeria economy by the total prevention of the important of high quality activated foreign bentonite clay. Tests and analysis were carried out on Local Clay samples obtained from a town in delta state, imo state and the foreign commercial bentonite. This research is to evaluate the performance of the Local clay samples for drilling operations in Nigeria. The rheological and the thixotropic properties as well as other parameters of the Local clay mud was seen to have improved, but however, when beneficiated with chemical additives of different concentrations, there was an increase in the overall parameters of the Local mud samples, making them ideal for any industrial application as their parameters met with the stipulated standard specifications of API, OCDA.