Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology (Nov 2019)

Evaluating the rheological property of Irvingia gabonensis and Abelmoschus esculentus as a substitute to conventional Pac-R on cutting carrying capacity and hole cleaning

  • K. K. Ihekoronye,
  • N. C. Izuwa,
  • N. U. Okereke,
  • S. T. Ekwueme,
  • R. C. Amaefula

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s13202-019-00798-z
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 3
pp. 1069 – 1079

Abstract

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Abstract In this work, experiment was carried out resulting in the utilization of local viscosifiers as substitute to conventional method (PAC-R) for hole cleaning purposes in drilling mud. The proposed viscosifiers are Irvingia gabonensis (Ogbono) and Abelmoschus esculentus (Okro) as alternative to the imported poly-anionic cellulose-regular (PAC-R) which is used in cutting carrying capacity efficiency. Laboratory tests were carried out on the proposed viscosifiers to evaluate their rheological properties. Slip velocity, annular velocity, shear stress, shear rate and cuttings transport efficiency on hole cleaning parameters were calculated to ascertain the effectiveness of the proposed viscosifiers in comparison with the conventional one (PAC-R). The results of the study showed that the proposed viscosifiers Sample B Irvingia gabonensis (Ogbono) had cutting carrying capacity of 96% for 5, 8, 10 and 15 (g), respectively. However, Sample C Abelmoschus esculentus (Okro) had 96% for 5 g and 8 g and 95% for 10 g and 15 g on the cutting transport efficiency. Based on the result of this work, the proposed viscosifiers compared favorably to that of PAC-R on hole cleaning and cutting carrying capacity.

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