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Stabilizing biopolymers in water-based drilling fluids at high temperature using antioxidants, a formate salt, and polyglycol

Akpan, EU; Enyi, GC; Nasr, GG; Yahaya, AA

Stabilizing biopolymers in water-based drilling fluids at high temperature using antioxidants, a formate salt, and polyglycol Thumbnail


Authors

EU Akpan

GC Enyi

AA Yahaya



Abstract

Biopolymers degrade in water-based drilling fluids when exposed to high temperatures for some time, thus leading to hole-cleaning problems such as stuck pipe. To stabilise biopolymers in drilling fluids, the mechanisms by which they degrade at elevated temperatures must be understood. The degradation mechanisms of thermally labile biopolymers, therefore, include acid-catalysed hydrolysis and oxidation-reduction (redox) reactions. In this paper, an attempt is, therefore, made to investigate whether the combination of anti-oxidants, formate salt, and polyglycol could stabilise biopolymers in water-based drilling fluids with pH 8 to 10 above 200°C. Novel clay-based drilling fluids were formulated with sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, biopolymers, antioxidants, a formate salt, a defoamer and polyglycol. The rheological properties of the drilling fluid formulations were measured using Model 800 and Model 1100 viscometers before and after hot-rolling dynamically in a roller oven for sixteen hours to condition the fluids. Presented results showed that xanthan gum in bentonite-water suspension remained stable up to 1000°C, and konjac gum in bentonite-water suspension remained stable up to 65°C. Experimental data also indicated that after dynamic aging for 16 hours, the antioxidant, formate salt and polyglycol increased the stability temperatures of the biopolymers - konjac gum and xanthan gum – in water-based drilling fluid formulations above 200°C. The best additives package that increased the stability temperatures of the biopolymers was potassium formate, sodium erythorbate, and 0.7% polyethene glycol. This additive package also maintained the suspension capability of the drilling fluid formulations. These additives can, therefore, be used to stabilise water-based drilling fluids containing biopolymers in the 150-232°C temperature range without using expensive and formation damaging synthetic polymers.

Citation

Akpan, E., Enyi, G., Nasr, G., & Yahaya, A. (2018). Stabilizing biopolymers in water-based drilling fluids at high temperature using antioxidants, a formate salt, and polyglycol. Journal of Engineering Technology, 7(2), 469-486

Journal Article Type Article
Online Publication Date Jul 31, 2018
Publication Date Jul 31, 2018
Deposit Date Aug 7, 2018
Publicly Available Date Aug 7, 2018
Journal Journal of Engineering Technology
Print ISSN 0747-9964
Publisher American Society for Engineering Education
Volume 7
Issue 2
Pages 469-486
Publisher URL http://www.joetsite.com/2018/07/page/3/
Related Public URLs http://www.joetsite.com/

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