The role of temperature on the Egyptian drilling mud performance in the presence of cationic polyethylene imine and anionic polyacrylamide

Abstract

AbstractThe flow properties of Egyptian bentonite suspensions were determined in the presence of cationic polyethylene imine followed by anionic polyacrylamide at different clay/water ratios. This sequence of addition was examined at four different temperatures (20, 40, 60, and 80°C). The aging time was kept constant after 24 h. The data showed that there is an inverse relation between temperature and plastic viscosity of the bentonite suspension. Contrary to that, apparent viscosity, yield point, gel strength, and consistency index are increased as temperature increases. The zeta potential of bentonite suspension in the presence of 50 mg/L cationic polyethylene imine followed by 10 mg/L anionic polyacrylamide were investigated at different temperature. The results showed that there is a direct relation between temperature and ζ potential. Potential energy profiles were constructed to investigate the relation between rheological and electrical properties. Potential energy profile at different bentonite suspensions gave a high‐repulsion potential energy between clay surfaces by increasing temperature, which means that the suspension stability improved. From the above results, it might be possible to say that the Egyptian clay suspension can give desired drilling mud properties using 6% clay suspension concentration treated with 50 mg/L polyethylene imine followed by 10 mg/L polyacrylamide at 80°C up to 24‐h aging time. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010