Performance Analysis of Eco-Friendly Palm Oil Biodiesel as a Replacement for Diesel Oil in Drilling Mud Applications

Abstract This study investigates the potential of palm-based biodiesel mud as a feasible alternative to conventional diesel-based mud for drilling operations. The rheological properties, including mud density, viscosity, plastic viscosity (PV), apparent viscosity, gel strength, yield point (YP), and filtration properties, were measured and compared. Eight mud samples were prepared using diesel and palm-based biodiesel oils with various additives. The results indicate that palm-based biodiesel mud generally has higher densities and comparable rheological properties to diesel-based mud. While the yield points of diesel-based mud samples were slightly higher, the differences were not substantial except in specific cases. The study also found that palm-based biodiesel mud exhibited favorable filtration loss characteristics and consistent gel strength values, indicating its suitability for maintaining wellbore stability and effective cuttings transport. The minor differences in plastic viscosity and the consistent performance in mud filtration tests further support the viability of palm-based biodiesel mud. Overall, this research demonstrates that palm-based biodiesel mud can be a promising and environmentally friendly alternative to diesel-based mud in drilling operations. Future studies should focus on optimizing the mud's density and conducting field tests under various drilling conditions to validate its practical application.