Arina Sauki

Application of ester based drilling fluid for shale gas drilling

Water based mud is the most commonly used mud in drilling operation. However, it is ineffective when dealing with water-sensitive shale that can lead to shale hydration, consequently wellbore instability is compromised. The alternative way to deal with this kind of shale is using synthetic-based mud (SBM) or oil-based mud (OBM). OBM is the best option in terms of technical requirement. Nevertheless, it is toxic and will create environmental problems when it is discharged to onshore or offshore environment. SBM is safer than the OBM. The aim of this research is to formulate a drilling mud system that can carry out its essential functions for shale gas drilling to avoid borehole instability. Ester based SBM has been chosen for the mud formulation. The ester used is methyl-ester C12-C14 derived from palm oil. The best formulation of ester-based drilling fluid was selected by manipulating the oil-water ratio content in the mud which are 70/30, 80/20 and 90/10 respectively. The feasibility of using this mud for shale gas drilling was investigated by measuring the rheological properties, shale reactivity and toxicity of the mud and the results were compared with a few types of OBM and WBM. The best rheological performance can be seen at 80/20 oil-water ratio of ester based mud. The findings revealed that the rheological performance of ester based mud is comparable with the excellent performance of sarapar based OBM and about 80% better than the WBM in terms of fluid loss. Apart from that, it is less toxic than other types of OBM which can maintain 60% prawns survival even after 96 hours exposure in 100,000 ppm of mud concentration in artificial seawater.

Effective Bridging Agent Particle Sizes of Reservoir Drilling Mud

The optimization of bridging agent size selection in drilling mud is now critically demanding due to the desired pressure to produce the non-damaging fluid or low damaging fluid. Bridging agent is the materials that can give effect on minimizing fluid invasion and optimize the sealing operations. Three different sizes of bridging agents were prepared, Fine (F), Medium (M) and Coarse (C) size where calcium carbonates had been selected as the bridging agents. Water Based Mud had been chosen as based of drilling mud to be investigated. Experiments conducted were rheology and filtration test. The study shows that the mud weight was increase with increasing size of bridging agent. The filtration test showed a high fluid loss in mud samples without bridging agent (Mud A) and least fluid loss in Mud B. Thus, the fine size of bridging agent can form better filter cake and prevent the fluid being loss too much thus reducing the damage to the reservoir wellbore.

Carbon Dioxide Separation Using Amine Modified Zeolite in Pressure Swing Adsorption System

Carbon dioxide (CO2) removal from natural gas attracts more attention than other impurities due to its corrosiveness property and it also possess no heating value in the sales natural gas. Amine based chemical absorption has been used commercially for CO2 separation in gas processing plant. However, the liquid amine based processes pose operating difficulties due to high regeneration energy, large equipments size and solvent leakage. This research studies modification of porous materials, zeolite NaY by grafting amine functional group using monoethanolamine directly to the surface of the solid sorbents. The structures and physical properties of amine modified adsorbent were characterized using powder X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), nitrogen adsorption at 77K and thermogravimetric analysis. Since application of Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) has been widely used in various plants in the world, this research was extended to study carbon dioxide separation using amine modified adsorbents in PSA experimental system. Effects of adsorption and regeneration behaviour on CO2 separation were investigated. Amine modified NaY showed better result compared to unmodified NaY in term of improvement in physical and chemical properties, high CO2 adsorption capacity and modified adsorbents were ease of regeneration.

Extracted Lignin from Rhizophora’s Black Liquor as Fluid Loss Control Additive in Water Based Drilling Mud

The ability of lignin from Rhizophora Apiculata’s black liquor to act as a fluid loss additive in water-based drilling at HTHP condition was investigated. The lignin biopolymer was extracted from the black liquor using acid precipitation technique using 20% by volume of sulphuric acid at temperature of 45°C and 60°C for pH 4, 6 and 8 respectively. The produced lignin was tested in water based drilling mud at temperature of 250°F, 300°F,350°F and 400°F . The optimum extraction parameters showed that the highest yield of lignin extraction of approximately 51.2% was obtained at pH 4 and extraction temperature of 45°C. It was also observed that the Rhizophora Apiculata’s lignin has remarkable rheological and filtration controlling properties at HTHP condition as compared to the commercial lignin additive.

Development of environmental friendly lost circulation material from banana peel

Loss of expensive mud could lead to major financial problem in executing a drilling project and is one of the biggest problems that need to be tackled during drilling. Synthetic Based Mud (SBM) is the most stable state of the art drilling mud used in current drilling technologies. However, the problem with lost circulation is still inevitable. The focus of this project is to develop a new potential waste material from banana peel in order to combat lost circulation in SBM. Standard industrial Lost Circulation Material (LCM) is used to compare the performance of banana peel as LCM in SBM. The effects of different sizing of banana peels (600 micron, 300 micron and 100 micron) were studied on the rheological and filtration properties of SBM and the bridging performance of banana peel as LCM additive. The tests were conducted using viscometer, HTHP filter press and sand bed tester. Thermal analysis of banana peel was also studied using TGA. According to the results obtained, 300 and 100 micron size of banana peel LCM exhibited an improved bridging performance by 65% as compared to industrial LCM. However, banana peel LCM with the size of 600 micron failed to act as LCM due to the total invasion of mud into the sand bed.Loss of expensive mud could lead to major financial problem in executing a drilling project and is one of the biggest problems that need to be tackled during drilling. Synthetic Based Mud (SBM) is the most stable state of the art drilling mud used in current drilling technologies. However, the problem with lost circulation is still inevitable. The focus of this project is to develop a new potential waste material from banana peel in order to combat lost circulation in SBM. Standard industrial Lost Circulation Material (LCM) is used to compare the performance of banana peel as LCM in SBM. The effects of different sizing of banana peels (600 micron, 300 micron and 100 micron) were studied on the rheological and filtration properties of SBM and the bridging performance of banana peel as LCM additive. The tests were conducted using viscometer, HTHP filter press and sand bed tester. Thermal analysis of banana peel was also studied using TGA. According to the results obtained, 300 and 100 micron size of banana ...

The Effects of Temperature on Rheology Properties and Filtrate after Using Lemongrass as Lost Circulation Materials for Oil Based Drilling Mud

Lost circulation materials (LCM) are used to combat mud loss to the reservoir formation which can cause problems during drilling operation. Difficulties in handling and costly are those challenges faced by drilling operator. Mostly LCM can work better in water based mud compared to oil based mud due to characteristic of LCM itself. Nowadays, most of operator interested in the ultra-deep water due to the limitation of reservesand deals with high temperature and high pressure conditions.Oil based mud (OBM) is more preferable in high temperature conditions compared to water based mud hence a laboratory study was carried out to investigate the effect of temperature on the performance of lemongrass with different sizes in oil based mud. The oil based mud was formulated and tested with three different temperatures which are 250oF, 275oF and 350oF. The lemongrass LCM was prepared with three different sizes which are 150 microns, 250 microns and 500 microns. The sizes distribution of LCM is one of the main contributors to the success of LCM in the formation. The oil based mud samples were tested using Fann Viscometer to determine rheology properties and HPHT Filter Press to investigate the amount of filtrate. It was found that different temperatures and sizes have great effects on the lemongrass LCM in the oil based mud. The optimum temperature for lemongrass LCM is 275oF and with the sizes of 250 microns.

Performance evaluation of agarwood distillation waste as retarder for high strength oilwell cement

Cement strength must be carefully maintained so that the cement is able to sustain formation stresses without failing. Such a mechanical failure in a cement sheath can cause a loss of annular isolation. A synthetic polymer cement retarder has been designed to provide extended pumping times for cement slurries, while having minimal effect on compressive strength development. However, it is difficult to select a retarder that can suit a wide range of field conditions. Fluid loss control can also be affected by the addition of a retarder, especially at high temperatures. Addition of retarder sometimes may increase the viscosity and pumping pressure of the slurry and may result in fracturing of the hydrocarbon bearing zone and costly job failure. The main idea for this study is to determine whether Agarwood waste from distillation process (AGW) can be used as a retarder in oil well cement with excellent compressive strength development. The compressive strength developments were evaluated at different curing time and particle sizes of AGW which are 90 μm, 150μm and 250μm. The performance of AGW slurries were compared with commercial retarder slurry. Apart from that, chemical analysis on AGW was conducted by using X-ray Fluorescent (XRF) to determine the presence of cementations component in this material. All cement testing procedures should follow API recommended specification 10B standard. From the results obtained, the performance of 250 μm of AGW is better than commercial retarder by 10% increment in the development of cement strength.

Potential of Five-Leaved Chaste Tree (Vitex negundo L.) Leaves as Source of Natural Dye from Supercritical Carbon Dioxide (SC-CO2) Extraction

Natural dyes represent a sustainable source of colorants, which are low cost and safer than synthetic dyes, concerning human health. The purpose of this study is to extract Vitex negundo L. leaves using supercritical carbon dioxide extraction and to identify the extracts potential as a dye. The extraction process has been conducted at different operating conditions by varying temperature from 40 to 65°C with an increment of 5°C at 20, 25, and 30 MPa within 60 minutes constant time. The extracts obtained at different conditions were analyzed using Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS) to determine the chemical compounds present. Increase of temperature increased the extraction yield, but further increasing the temperature above 50°C has reduced the yield. The effect of pressure gave two different patterns, in which the first one showed the yield kept increasing with pressure (20 to 30 MPa) at 40, 45, 50, and 55°C. The second pattern showed sudden reduction of yield above 25 MPa at another two higher temperatures. The highest extraction yield (13.94 mg/g) was obtained at 30 MPa and 50°C which considered as optimum operating condition. GC-MS analysis showed the presence of several phytochemicals including some flavonoid compounds, which are potential sources of dye.