Development of an Environmentally-Friendly Water-Based Mud System Using Natural Materials

Drilling muds are complex formulations of a range of chemicals designed to have specific properties under very specific drilling conditions. Environmentalists including different government and non-government agencies always have a concern regarding the conventional drilling mud system because drilling industry has no choice but to use huge amounts of chemicals as additives. These chemicals are toxic and pose an excessive threat to mankind as well as the environment. The recent priority of any drilling program considers the development of environmentally-friendly drilling fluids so that the ecology is preserved to its maximum level. This article proposes three naturally occurring materials—date seeds, powdered grass, and grass ash as possible additives in the drilling mud system. Sieve analysis and laser particle size analysis are conducted to study the particle size of the three materials. SEM–EDX analysis is performed to know the elemental composition of the proposed additives. Experimental tests on rheology and filtration are conducted at room temperature on the proposed materials to determine the applicability of these natural substitutes as drilling fluid additives. Results show that date seeds, grass, and grass ash can be used as a rheology modifier, and a filtration control agent to formulate the water-based mud system.