Preparation of Drilling Fluids From Tagan Superhydrophobic Clay: Superhydrophobic Clay Testing

Abstract

This paper reports a process for obtaining superhydrophobic clays from Tagan bentonite to produce anhydrous drilling fluids from superhydrophobic organo-clays. Various cationic surfactants were used as superhydrophobisers. An organophilic (superhydrophobic) clay with a contact angle of 170° was obtained in the presence of tetrakis(decyl)ammonium bromide (TKAB). Placing a water drop on the surface of the resulting superhydrophobic clay powders and measuring the contact angle of the water drop on the powder are challenging because the water drop runs off quickly, similar to a mercury drop. The distribution and stability of organophilic clay particles in diesel fuel fluid obtained by TKAB were determined optically. The organophilic clay particles based on TKAB formed a stable suspension in diesel fuel and did not mix with the water phase. In the water phase, the TKAB-based organophilic clay could remain on the surface of the water phase for more than 365 days. Thermo-gravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry were performed on Tagan clay and organo-clay obtained by TKAB because drilling melts can be subjected to high underground temperatures. A methodology for obtaining drilling fluid was proposed based on these data. The resulting drilling fluid belongs to the type of drilling fluids based on organo-clay in the presence of anhydrous petroleum products with thixotropic properties. This drilling fluid was prepared according to the characteristics of Kumkol oil. The formulation of the resulting anhydrous drilling fluids and their technical characteristics are presented.