Laboratory Study of Environmentally Friendly Drilling Fluid Additives Banana Peel Powder for Modifying the Drilling Fluid Characteristics in Water-Based Muds
Authors: Al-Hameedi Abo Taleb T. , Alkinani Husam H. , Dunn-Norman Shari , Salem Ebrahem , Knickerbocker Matthew D. , Alashwak Naser F. , Mutar Rusul A. , Al-Bazzaz Waleed H. 
Published: January 2020

The utilization of traditional chemicalS added substances to control drilling mud characteristics overwhelmingly negatively affect people and the environment, they are originally utilized to help control/regulate the seepage loss, the rheological properties, or other physical specifications. Utilizing eco-friendly and biodegradable options are not just more secure than customary strategies yet demonstrates no damage to drilling personnel and is more economically practical than traditional techniques.

A conceivable alternative for biodegradable and eco-friendly added substance is including differing concentrations of banana peel powder (BPP) to water-based mud. To test the impacts of BPP in water-based mud, three distinct investigations were led utilizing different grouping of BPP. Utilizing low-temperature and low-pressure (LTLP) API standard tests for drilling fluid, the readings were effectively recorded to comprehend the effects of BPP added materials on the mud attributes. The seven testing procedures performed were rheometer/viscometer, LTLP filtration, mud balance, chemical titration, resistivity device, and pH and temperature tests.

Looking at the experimental findings, 1% (6 gm), 2% (12 gm), and 3% (18 gm) were first evaluated at room temperature and pressure. Adding BPP showed little to no effect on the mud density. However, for the rheological properties, the experimental additives resulted in increasing plastic viscosity (PV), yield point (YP), especially at 3% concentration. The BPP also showed excellent behavior for the initial and final gel strength as compared to the reference mud. Other properties that remarkably reduced were the pH levels and mud resistivity, which decreased as more BPP was added. The experimental mud filtration at 7.5 minutes and 30 minutes also showed a great improvement along with the filter cake thickness proving it to be a multipurpose effective drilling additive for water-based fluids. Additionally, other properties such as temperature, which was not affected, salinity (NaCl) and calcium content (Ca++) changed due to the increase in BPP concentration. The salinity was significantly increased for the mud, mud cake, and mud filtrate; while the calcium content was decreased from 52 mg/L to 8 mg/L by introducing 3% BPP additive. After experimenting with different concentrations of BPP, it can be concluded that there was an overall improvement in the mud's properties.

The outcomes and economic evaluation of the BPP revealed that it can possibly be used as biodegradable drilling fluid additives other than conventional chemical additives. Considering the outcomes recently expressed demonstrating the decrease in pH, filtration specifications, and Ca++; while increasing in viscosity and NaCl properties. This work traces the probability of moving towards BPP as a biodegradable drilling fluid additive that is more financially feasible elective, than conventional chemical additives. BPP is by all accounts an increasingly reasonable choice moving ahead later on.