Graphene and bio-graphene nanosheets in water-based mud (WBM): a pathway to sustainable and high-performance drilling muds

Abstract Drilling muds play a crucial role in the efficient and safe extraction of oil and gas from petroleum reserves. Their performance depends on rheological and filtration properties. Graphene nanosheets(GNSs) are the thinnest, lightest and strongest nanomaterials, with two- dimensional hexagonal honeycomb structure. Due to their remarkable physiochemical and mechanical properties such as high surface area and thermal stability, GNSs have gained significant attention as WBMs additive. This is first comprehensive review to examine the applicability of bio-based GNSs in enhancing the rheological and filtration properties of WBMs through experimental investigations. The review also examines the potential of GNSs as shale swelling inhibitors and their role in improving wellbore stability. The reviewed studies indicate that even a low concentration (0.1–0.5 Wt%), GNSs can enhance the viscosity of the muds by 10–47%. GNSs also reduce the fluid loss volume by 24–67% and improve wellbore stability in shale formations by minimizing water-clay interactions and physically plugging shale pores. Additionally, GNSs from a thin protective layer on the surface of tubular metals, thus improving WBMs lubricity. However, the application of GNSs-WBMs in extreme geothermal and highly deviated wells still needs further evaluation. The current research studies have been limited to laboratory-scale investigations, the need for field-scale applications are required.