An evaluation of cellulose nanofibrils from residue of cellulose nanocrystal production as replacement of xanthan gum (XGD) in water based muds (WBMs) for a shale formation

VILLADA, YURANY; IGLESIAS, MARÍA CELESTE; ERDMANN, ELEONORA; CASIS, N.; PERESIN, MARÍA SOLEDAD; ESTENOZ, D.

Simposio; XVI Simposio Latinoaméricano de Polímeros; 2018

Drilling fluids are vital to drilling operation success. They are used to suspend cuttings, control pressures, cool and clean the bit, reduce friction, form a low? permeability filter cake, among others. According to their continuous phase, drilling fluids can be classified in water based mud (WBM) and oil based mud (OBM). OBMs are known to provide unequalled performance with respect to penetration rate, clay swelling in the shale, excellent filtration control, wellbore stability, lubricity, high thermal stability, high salt tolerance and good ability to transport cuttings. Currently the environmental regulation regarding the discharge and recycling of the drilling fluids promotes the development of more environmentally?friendly fluids. Despite their environmental acceptance, conventional WBMs exhibit certain disadvantages associated to their relatively poor shale inhibition, lubricity, and thermal stability. To overcome these deficiencies and provide properties close to those of OBMs, specific additives are added. The current trend is to develop environmentally friendly drilling fluids with low toxicity level, good performance and efficiency, and low cost. In this sense, the use of additive from renewable and biodegradables sources in WBMs represents a promising alternative. Cellulose is the most abundant biomaterial on earth. It is most commonly found in the wall of plant cells, but it is also synthesized by algae, tunicates and bacteria. In our previous work, the replacement of xanthan gum (XGD) using two different cellulose nanofibrils (CNF), bleached and unbleached was evaluated and the results were promising3. The structural differences regarding dimension, shape, surfaces characteristics, rheological behavior, and chemical composition between CNFs produced different effects on the rheological and filtration properties of WBMs. In this work a new replacement of XGD in WBMs for a shale formation of Argentina was studied. CNF obtained from residue of cellulose nanocrystals production was used, that exhibits economical and environmental advantages.