Effect of CeVO4/Al2O3/rGO nanocomposite on rheological properties and thermal conductivity of water-based drilling fluid

Abstract

In this research, in order to improve the rheological properties and thermal conductivity of the drilling fluid, CeVO4/Al2O3/rGO nanocomposite was synthesized by one-step hydrothermal method for the first time. In addition to controlling the growth of Al2O3, CeO2, and CeVO4 nanoparticles, hydrazine reduces graphene oxide (GO) to reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and enables one-step synthesis. The effect of nanoparticles (NPs) with concentrations of 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.5 wt% on water-based drilling fluid was determined. In all samples, the shear thinning behavior of mud-containing nanoparticles was maintained at different shear rates. After adding 0.5 wt% of CeVO4/Al2O3/rGO nanocomposite, there was only 6 ml of lost circulation. By using CeVO4/Al2O3 nanocomposite, the plastic viscosity (PV) was tripled by increasing the concentration from 0.01 to 0.5 wt% so that PV for CeVO4/Al2O3 nanofluid with a concentration of 0.5 wt% increased to 12 cP. Thermal conductivity and gel strength in all samples were significantly improved, especially in the presence of Al2O3 nanoparticles. Thermal conductivity for liquid containing 0.5 wt% Al2O3 at 80 °C increased from 0.60 to 0.81 W/mK. In general, nanoparticles in concentrations less than 0.5 wt% Bentonite-WBMs (water-based muds) can improve rheological properties, filtration, and thermal conductivity.