Environmentally Friendly Nanoshale Inhibitor Water-Based Drilling Fluids

Metal Oxide Nanoparticles (MONPs) comparison has been used for the first time as Nanoshale inhibitors in water-Based Drilling Fluids. These Nanoshale inhibitors used in this study eliminate the use of toxic high potassium chloride (KCl) concentration in shale drilling operations and environmentally friendly with reducing the cost of drilling fluid treatment and waste disposal. The dispersion test of Nanoshale inhibitors based on MONPs with shale samples revealed to be an effective candidate with significant interaction reduction between the drilling fluids and the shale particles compared without these Nanoshale inhibitors samples. This new Nanoshale inhibitor maintains the integrity of the cuttings and minimize the interaction of fluids with shale sections during the rolling test. Zeta potential (ZP) has been conducted to determine the charge of shale and nanoparticles samples. Although the application of nanoparticles to improve the performance of conventional water-based drilling fluid was studied by researchers, it is the novelty of this research to eliminate use of KCl and to develop the new generation of Nanoshale water-based drilling fluid with economical consideration and lower environmental impact.