Influence of Hydrophobically Modified Polymer and Titania Nanoparticles on Shale Hydration and Swelling Properties

Abstract

Drilling fluid additives play a vital role in modifying the drilling fluid properties for the ease of drilling operations in oil and gas wells. In this work, two different drilling fluid additives such as titanium oxide nanoparticles and a hydrophobically modified associative polymer were employed to develop several drilling fluid formulations. Various drilling fluid formulations were made by varying the concentrations of the nanoparticles and polymer to study the rheology, filtration, and shale inhibition properties. Rheological and filtration properties of the drilling fluid formulation were determined to study the performance of drilling fluid formulations. TEM analysis of drilling fluid was carried out to study the interactions and distribution of drilling fluid additives. SEM analysis of shale was performed to investigate the surface texture and distribution of additives on the shale surface. Shale inhibition characteristics were evaluated by performing hot rolling dispersion and linear swelling tests of shale. Experimental results exhibited that the addition of nanoparticles and the polymer enhanced rheological properties and reduced fluid loss. However, the synergistic effect of the nanoparticles and polymer was far more prominent on rheological and filtration properties. TEM analysis of drilling fluid formulations revealed the homogenous distribution additives in the drilling fluids. A SEM analysis of shale surfaces after the hot rolling test disclosed that nanoparticles plugged the micropores and covered the defects in the shale surface. A hot rolling dispersion test showed that the dispersion of shale was reduced by the addition of nanoparticles and the polymer in the drilling fluid formulation. The minimum dispersion and least swelling of shale were observed with the formulation containing both nanoparticles and the polymer. Therefore, based on shale inhibition results, the titania nanoparticles and associative polymer can be used as potential additives for drilling fluids.

Use of Nanoparticles in Completion Fluids as Dual Effect Treatments for Well Stimulation and Clay Swelling Damage Inhibition: An Assessment of the Effect of Nanoparticle Chemical Nature

“…Nanotechnology appears to be a solution for water-based fluids in clay swelling matters due to the simple synthesis of tailor-made nanoparticles to induce changes in the electrostatic interactions around the clay surface, which remediate the migration of the colloidal particles through the medium and hinder the swelling phenomena [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 ]. In this sense, several authors report using SiO 2 , MgO, ZnO, Al 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , Fe 2 O 3 , and other nanoparticles due to their capacity to promote clay stabilization using electrostatic forces [ 4 , 17 , 20 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 ]. Huang and Clark [ 4 ] investigate the role of MgO nanoparticles in clay swelling in coreflooding tests using sand pack systems; they observe the pressure drop after the injection of 5% KCl solutions in the presence and absence of 0.4 wt% MgO nanoparticles, connecting the obtained results with the decrease in clay swelling and the clay stabilization processes.…”

“…While some of the developed nanoparticles for clay swelling inhibition have been incorporated into water-based drilling fluids [ 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 ], no study has focused on the addition of nanomaterials in CF systems for clay swelling issues. Only one study reports the use of nanoparticles in CF, focusing on modifying the capillary number (Nc) for the purpose of application in heavy crude oil reservoirs [ 30 ].…”

Application of Novel Magnetic Surfactant-Based Drilling Fluids for Clay Swelling Inhibition

“…However, the environmental concerns and disposal of oil-based fluids is the major limitation of using oil-based fluids . Water-based drilling fluids exhibit improved performance and are extensively employed for the drilling of wellbores. , The improved performance of water-based fluids can be achieved with the incorporation of various additives such as viscosity modifiers (polymers), − shale-inhibiting agents (inorganic salts, silicates, surfactants, and ionic liquids), − fluid loss modifiers (polymers and nanoparticles), , and lost circulation materials. , The major complications in the drilling process can be faced due to the instability of the wellbore and formation damage . It happens due to the swelling of wellbore formation when water molecules interact with the sensitive clay in the wellbore .…”

A Novel Amphoteric Ion-Modified, Styrene-Based Nano-Microsphere and Its Application in Drilling Fluid

“…In order to prevent the drilling fluid from infiltrating and intruding into the formation under high-temperature and high-salinity conditions, and to maintain the stability of the well bore, many countries have adopted the method of plugging the pore space of the formation [ 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ]. At present, the main categories of plugging materials are inorganic plugging materials and polymer-based plugging materials [ 24 , 25 ]. Inorganic materials have excellent temperature resistance and are not sensitive to salt, mainly calcium carbonate nanoparticles, silicon dioxide nanoparticles and graphene oxide [ 26 , 27 , 28 ].…”