Comparative Analysis of the Rheological Behaviour of Irvingia Gabonensis Ogbono and Foreign Polymer for Bentonite Formulated Mud.

Abstract

Drilling fluid are complex fluids consisting of several additives. These additives are added to enhance and control the rheological properties (such as viscosity, gel strength and yield point) of the mud. These properties are controlled for effective drilling of a well. This research work is focused on determining the rheological behavior of drilling mud using industry-based polymer and Irvingia Gabonensis (ogbono) as viscosifiers. Water based muds were formulated from the aforementioned locally sourced viscosifier and that of the conventional used viscosifier (Carboxylmetyl cellulose, CMC). Laboratory tests were carried out on the different muds formulated and their rheological properties (such as yield stress, shear stress, plastic viscosity and shear rate) are evaluated. The concentration of the viscosifiers were varied. The expected outcome of the research work aims at lowering the total drilling cost by reducing the importation of foreign polymer which promotes the development of local content in the oil and gas industry. The research compares the rheology of mud samples and the effect of varying the concentration (2g, 4g, 6g, 8g, and 10g) of both CMC and Ogbono and determining the changes in their rheological properties. The total volume of each mud sample is equivalent to 350ml which represent one barrel (42gal) in the lab. From the result, at concentration of 2g, the ogbono mud has a better rheology than the CMC mud, but at a concentration above 2g, CMC mud shows a better rheology than ogbono mud, that is, as the concentration of CMC is increased, the rheological properties of the mud increased while as the concentration of ogbono is increased the rheological properties decreased. The viscosity of the drilling fluid produced from the ogbono were lower than that of CMC, it could be used together with another local product such as cassava starch, offor or to further improve the rheology and then be a substitute to the conventional viscosifiers.