Investigating the Effect of Avocado Seed in Water Based Drilling Mud Formulation

Abstract The ever-growing demand for environmentally sustainable practices in the oil and gas industry has driven the exploration of alternative drilling fluid additives. This study investigated the potential of avocado seed powder as a biodegradable and low-cost additive for water-based bentonite drilling fluids. By incorporating avocado seed powder at varying concentrations (10-60 wt%) of benzonite, the study aimed to assess its impact on the rheological and filtration properties of the drilling fluid system. The rheological and filtration properties were measured using a viscometer and standard low-pressure low-temperature filter press. Compared to the base fluid, increasing avocado seed powder concentration to 60 wt% led to a dramatic enhancement in Rheological properties: Yield point, viscosity (600rpm), gel strength at 10min and plastic viscosity, exhibited remarkable increases of up to 244%, 338%, 328%, and 346% respectively. These improvements ensure efficient cuttings transport, wellbore stability, and suspension of weighting materials. In Filtration control, the introduction of avocado seed powder resulted in a reduction of filtration loss at 30mins by 25%, indicating better formation protection and reduced fluid loss into the surrounding rock. The density of the drilling fluid decreased by 23%, potentially lowering pumping requirements and energy consumption. The observed decrease in pH by 20% requires further investigation, as it might necessitate adjustments to other drilling fluid components. Further research is warranted to optimize avocado seed powder concentration, explore its performance under diverse downhole conditions, and evaluate its long-term stability and compatibility with other additives. However, the overall results demonstrate the promising potential of avocado seed powder as a sustainable and cost-effective drilling fluid additive.