Formulation and Study of an Environmentally Friendly Microemulsion-Based Drilling Fluid (O/W) with Pine Oil

Roxana P F De Sousa,Glauco S Braga,Alfredo I C Garnica,Vivian S Madera,Giovanna L R Leal,Júlio C O Freitas,Fabiola D S Curbelo,Raphael R Da Silva

doi:10.3390/en14237981

Roxana P F De Sousa, Glauco S Braga + Show 6 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/en14237981

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Abstract

This work has developed and evaluated a microemulsion-based drilling fluid formulation with characteristics to be applied in oil wells. The microemulsion was formulated with a solution of water/glycerol, pine oil, and Tween 80, a nonionic and biodegradable surfactant. The physical and chemical properties of the drilling fluid obtained in this work were investigated through rheology and filtration analysis, solids content, aging, lubricity, toxicity, and thermal degradation. A non-toxic microemulsion-based drilling fluid oil-in-water (O/W) with high lubricity (0.07638) and thermal stability was obtained with suitable viscosity, gel strength and low fluid loss (4.0 mL), low solids content (6%), stability in a wide range of salinity conditions, and the possibility of high water content (above 85% in mass fraction). The fluid presented a pseudoplastic behavior, and statistically significant Herschel–Bulkley parameters were obtained.

Highlights

The rotary drilling rig is capable of reaching great depths, which are very complex operation regions
This work aimed to develop and study an environmentally friendly microemulsion-based drilling fluid applied to drilling operations of oil wells
The visual observation of the macroscopic properties, such as the number of phases and physical state of the samples, makes it possible to determine the boundaries of microemulsion, two

Summary

Introduction

The rotary drilling rig is capable of reaching great depths, which are very complex operation regions. Such activity is only possible due to the action of drilling fluid, which the American Petroleum Institute (API) defines as a circulating fluid that makes drilling operations feasible. The continuous circulation of drilling fluid was one of the main reasons for the successful use of rotary drilling, especially in areas considered non-drillable [1]. The success and the cost of rotary drilling depend substantially on factors such as the penetration rate of the drill bit into the formation; cleaning the face of the drill, as well as cleaning the bottom of the wellbore; and the support of the drilled wellbore. It is often said that most problems in drilling operations are linked in some way to poor planning of the drilling fluids [6]

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