A Green Rheology Modifier for Aqueous Drilling Fluids

For the purpose of minimizing the environmental impact of the combination of expensive additives in drilling fluids, rules have been set worldwide to eliminate the utilization of hazardous materials. The viability of using a waste material (Barely grass) as an additive in aqueous drilling fluids formulations was the theme of the current investigation. The influence of the content of barely grass (0.29-1.7) g and bentonite (12.9-27.1) g is assessed based on an implemented experimental design. The work objective was to determine the properties of flow of the drilling fluids containing barely grass and compare them with those of reference drilling fluid. Average values range from 7.5-27 cP, 5-13 cP, 5-42 lb/100ft2, and 2-23 lb/100ft for apparent viscosity, plastic viscosity, yield point, and low-shear-rate yield point for the prepared drilling fluids were estimated respectively. The response surface analysis revealed that the optimal rheological properties could be achieved using 27.07 g bentonite and less than 1 g barley grass. The overall results confirmed that barely grass with its high fiber content could be considered a talented alternative to commercial polymer additives for modification of drilling mud rheology.