Assessment of Local Material for Drilling Fluid Formulation

• Main Author: Lenis Chan, Chia Yam
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Online Access: http://utpedia.utp.edu.my/2951/1/0001.pdf; http://utpedia.utp.edu.my/2951/

Drilling fluid is an essential element in oilwell drilling and completion processes. It fulfills several fundamental requirements which facilitate safe and satisfactory drilling activities such as controlling high pressure zones and allowing the removal of cuttings to the surface. Drilling fluid can be classified into three basic types, specifically water based mud, oil based mud and gas. The main component in water based mud is clay (mostly bentonite) which contains montmorillonite as its major component. As bentonite is usually imported into our country, it increases the overall cost of oilwell drilling and completions. Thus, the characterization and synthesis of local bentonite clay is essential in the reduction of cost for upstream oil and gas activities. The objectives of this project are to characterize clay samples from Grik, Perak in terms of mineral composition and physical/ chemical properties. The synthesis of clay samples and formulation of drilling fluid will be looked into subsequently. The scope of study of this project is the formulation of water based drilling fluid utilizing clay samples from Grik, Perak. The specification target for purified clay samples is standard Wyoming Bentonite while for water based drilling fluid is American Petroleum Institute 13(A). The review of previous researches shows that this topic has been researched into in the past both locally and internationally. Local bentonite samples from Malaysia (Sabah), Saudi Arabia and India have been utilized for improvement processes with techniques such as Wet Treatment, Electrolysis Treatment, Oxalic Acid Treatment and Sedimentation Technique used. For this project's methodology, the process of characterization and purification occurred after obtaining the samples. Subsequently, the drilling fluid was formulated, tested and additives added. The Atterberg's Limit Test indicates that the samples obtained are low plasticity clay by nature while XRF and XRD results alongside research from Jabatan Mineral & Geosains Perak indicates that the specimen is a potassium-rich tuff containing abundant potassic feldspar and is highly probable to be illite. Bentonite augmentation in the form of Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) was conducted but does not meet American Petroleum Institute 13[A] specifications. As a conclusion from the assessment of Grik clay, the sample was found to be unsuitable for usage as drilling fluid.