A Comparative Study of Diesel Oil and Soybean Oil as Oil-Based Drilling Mud

Abstract

Oil-based mud (OBM) was formulated with soybean oil extracted from soybean using the Soxhlet extraction method. The formulated soybean mud properties were compared with diesel oil mud properties. The compared properties were rheological properties, yield point and gel strength, and mud density and filtration loss properties, fluid loss and filter cake. The results obtained show that the soybean oil mud exhibited Bingham plastic rheological model with applicable (low) yield point and gel strength when compared with the diesel oil mud. The mud density measurement showed that soybean OBM was slightly higher than diesel OBM with mud density values of 8.10 lb/gal and 7.98 lb/gal, respectively, at barite content of 10 g. Additionally, the filtration loss test results showed that soybean mud fluid loss volumes, water and oil, were 13 mL and 10 mL, respectively, compared to diesel oil mud volume of 15 mL and 12 mL. Furthermore, the filtration loss test indicated that the soybean oil mud with filter cake thickness of 2 mm had a cake characteristic of thin and soft while the diesel oil mud resulted in filter cake thickness of 2.5 mm with cake characteristic of firm and rubbery. In comparison with previous published works in the literature, the soybean oil mud exhibits superior rheological and filtration property over other vegetable oil-based muds. Therefore, the formulated soybean oil mud exhibited good drilling mud properties that would compare favourably with those of diesel oil muds. Its filter cake characteristic of thin and soft is desirable and significant to avert stuck pipe during drilling operations, meaning that an oil-based drilling mud could be formulated from soybean oil.

Influence of Graphene Nanoplatelet and Silver Nanoparticle on the Rheological Properties of WaterBased Mud †

“…Formulation of drilling mud with low volume of filtrate is highly desirable when designing drilling mud system. In a drilling operation, high fluid loss can cause the invasion of drilling muds and hence borehole instability could reduce the reservoir potential and the amount of productivity [27]. Nonetheless, it is observed that nanoparticles show potential as fluid loss additives and a filtration agent for water-based mud.…”

Synthesis of ester base fluids for drilling mud formulation using different catalysts

“…These oil based muds formulated with petroleum products like diesel as their continuous medium are fraught with lots of environmental pollution issues, despite their better technical performance in problematic water sensitive and clay rich geological formations [4]. The drill cuttings from such muds usually contain some percentage of residual aromatic hydrocarbons [5,6], which because of their low susceptibility to biodegradation accumulate in the environment after discharge of the spent muds in onshore or offshore environment. Synthetic based muds are tailored to mirror the superior technical performance of oil based muds while eliminating the environmental hazards associated with the later.…”

Investigation of Pine Oil Methyl Ester blends with diesel on a Compression Ignition Engine to Control Oxides of Nitrogen and Soot Particles

“…3 Aqwu et al experimentally concluded that the soybean biodiesel with diesel blends was found that by using soybean blended with petroleum diesel, the engine worked well. 4 Lebeckas et al used rapeseed oil in a diesel engine, the power output reduced and the brake specific fuel consumption increased. 5 Sharon explained that using palm oil in a diesel engine produces best power output and minimum emissions and also with 25% diesel shows improved specific fuel consumption.…”