RHEOLOGICAL STUDY OF JATROPHA CURCAS OIL AS OIL BASED FLUID IN DRILLING OPERATION

The drilling fluid plays several essential functions in drilling wells. If the mud
properties (physical, chemical and rheology properties) are incorrect, safety and
economics may be severely compromised. The drilling fluid is most essential system
in drilling operation. Selection of drilling fluid lead to the success of drilling
operation. Types of drilling fluid used in this project are oil based mud and synthetic
based mud. The biodiesel oils (Jatropha Oil Fatty Acid Methyl Ester and Methyl Ester
Palm Oil) ~s being use as oil phase in oil based mud and minerai oil (Sarapar) is being
used as synthetic fluid in synthetic based mud. This project is mainly to identify
whether Jatropha Fatty Acid Methyl Ester can be used as an alternative for biodiesel
oil to repllfe diesel oil in oil based mud by examining the rheological properties of
the muds.