STUDY THE EFFECT OF SILICA NANOPARTICLE ON RHEOLOGY IN OIL BASED MUD

Limitations of conventional drilling fluid with macro and micro size are not suitable for extreme environment in drilling or completion operation. Macro and micro type fluid additive is impossible to fulfil challenging drilling and production operation requirement due to their inadequate physical, mechanical, chemical, thermal and environment characteristic. Introduction of nanotechnology in oil and gas industry produce a promising nanoparticle which are able to satisfy the requirements; physically small, chemically and thermally stable to design a smart fluid. This project will determine the effect of silica nanoparticle on rheology in oil based to analysis the changes the rheology properties of drilling fluid with and without silica nanoparticle after and before aging process. The ability of silica nanoparticle as an additive in drilling fluid will be evaluate through a few experiments; rheology and high pressure high temperature (HPHT) fluid loss test. Analysis of experiments results will determine the suitability of silica nanoparticle to be used in oil based mud. As a final result, combination of silica nanoparticle in oil based mud enhances the rheology of oil based mud compare to the oil based mud without silica nanoparticle.