Zero fluid loss, sensitivity and rheological properties of clay bentonite (WBM) modified with nanoclay quantified using Vipulanandan models

To improve the performance, sensibility, rheological properties, fluid loss of the bentonite water-based drilling mud (WBM), and minimizing the fluid loss of the WBM. The impact of bentonite modified with nanoclay (NC) on the sensibility, rheological properties, and fluid loss of the WBM was investigated. Depend on the information collected from different research studies, the percentage of bentonite in the WBM was ranged from 2%-8% as a percentage of the weight of water. The percentage of NC was ranged between 0 and 1% by mass of drilling mud. The tests were performed under various temperature conditions ranged between 25 °C and 85 °C. From the lab studies and numerical examinations, the electrical resistivity (ER) was identified as a sensing property of the WBM so that the rheological properties can be estimated during the construction. The additional 1% NC reduced the ER of the WBM by 15% to 36% depending on the composition of the drilling fluid and the temperature of testing. The nanoclay modification increased the yield stress (yield point) and shear stress limit tolerance of the WBMs measured using Vipulanandan rheological model by 32% to 60%, and the outcome of the model prediction was related with Vocadlo model. The laboratory HPHT fluid loss tests were conducted on the drilling fluids based bentonite modified with NC using an American Petroleum Institute (API) standard test up to 420 min until the end of the fluid loss. Zero fluid loss was obtained when 8% of bentonite drilling mud modified with 1% of NC at 25 °C. The Vipulanandan fluid loss model predicted the short and long-term fluid loss and the upper limit of fluid losses very well.