Author(s)

R. P. Silva, V. C. Santanna, D. M. A. Melo, A. L. Medeiros

Abstract

Due to the great challenges encountered in drilling wells, there is a need to develop fluids with appropriate properties that are able to meet all requirements of the drilling properties. Bentonite clays have economic importance by presenting a wide range of industrial applications. Bentonite can be used as a viscosity controlling agent for drilling fluid so as to allow greater efficiency in the transport of rock fragments to the surface. Regarding its thixotropic properties, bentonite clay allows the suspension to assume a gelatinous structure when at rest. This study aims to observe the rheological behavior of cationic surface-modified bentonite in drilling oil fluids. The results show that the clay dispersions have an oil-base Bingham and thixotropic behavior, which show potential as viscosifying agents for drilling fluids.

Keywords

organophilic clays, non-aqueous fluids, drilling