Evaluation of the Effects of Nanofluid on the Lubricity of Oil-based Mud

Abstract

Nanofluids are applied where heat transfer, drag reduction, binding ability for sand consolidation and corrosion control is of utmost priority. This paper discusses the experimental work carried out on a pre-conditioned base fluid (ethylene glycol and ethanol) with silicon-oxide powder as a nanofluid to investigate the nanofluid effect on lubricity enhancement in the oil based mud. The lubricity test was carried out using Ofite EP lubricity tester which simulates the speed of rotation of drill pipe and the pressure with which the pipe bears against the borehole wall. The result shows that nanofluids prepared using ethanol and ethylene glycol exhibited different rheological behaviors. But ethylene glycol treated with nanoparticles and oil based mud treated with nanofluid shows improved lubricity coefficients that falls within the obtainable lubricity coefficient observed in oil-based mud. Increase in weight percent of the nanoparticles in ethylene glycol resulted into decrease in the lubricity coefficient for the oil-based mud. It has been found that the weight percent of the nanoparticles and the type of continuous phase (ethylene glycol or ethanol) have an important effect on the lubricity of the oil-based mud. From the results, it can be concluded that, there is a non-linearity relationship between lubricity coefficient and particle weight. Percent in the mud treated with Nanofluid. The lubricity reduction effect observed in pre-conditioned oil-based mud can be said to be as result of combined effect of both the nanoparticles and the based fluid.