A review in nanopolymers for drilling fluids applications

Abstract

Continued economic growth leads to considerably increase energy demand produced from oil and gas. It's fact that conventional hydrocarbon reserves are nowadays at the depletion stage while unconventional reserves exhibits difficulties in drilling process due hazardous conditions of high pressure and high temperature (HPHT), thus it is necessary to use drilling fluids of high performance. Drilling operation is inextricably associated with the use of drilling fluids/muds while successful and safe drilling operations are depended on the efficiency of the drilling fluid that is used. Engineering in high temperature and high pressure oil or gas wells is a challenging task where the contribution of chemistry of synthetic polymer is of high significance. Although, compared to conventional muds, polymer drilling systems demonstrate enhanced rheological properties, nonetheless at HPHT conditions they may arise some stability problems due to inappropriate chemical and physical properties as well as mechanical and thermal properties that polymers exhibit. Application of nanotechnology provides innovative materials which can boost drilling technology and restrain technical and environmental issues to drill unconventional hydrocarbons reservoirs. Rheological performance of environmental friendly water based (WBM) drilling fluids can be enhanced with the use of nanofluids as well as filtrate loss volume reduction and improvement of shale inhibition characteristic. This article collects information about using polymers and nanopolymers for oil and gas drilling technology.