An Experimental Study to Assess The Impact of Inorganic Additives on Water-Based Drilling Fluid Performance

Authors

  • Hisham Khaled ben mahmud Sohar University
  • Rugen Ayanarappan Plant Engineer at Air Products, Johor Baharu, Johore, Malaysia
  • Mian Umer Shafiq School of Mining and Geosciences, Department of Petroleum Engineering, Nazarbayev University
  • Lei Wang Chengdu University of Technology
  • Omar Al-Fatlawi University of Baghdad
  • Dhifaf Sadeq University of Baghdad

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29017/scog.v49i1.1764

Keywords:

WBM, sodium hydroxide, inorganic additives, rheological, physical properties

Abstract

Drilling mud plays a crucial role in ensuring safe and cost-effective drilling operations, but it is often contaminated during the process and can significantly impact the mud's properties. Previous studies have largely addressed drilling mud contamination in a general sense, this work provides direct comparative insight into how sodium hydroxide (NaOH) alone and in combination with barite, lime, and calcium sulphate alters key rheological and physical properties of water-based muds (WBM) at a constant temperature of 25 °C. This paper investigates the effects of inorganic additives, specifically NaOH, on the properties of WBM. In this experimental study, six mud samples were prepared alongside a base mud, with three samples contaminated with varying concentrations of NaOH and the other three with different amounts of barite, lime, and calcium sulphate. The study focused on evaluating the rheological and physical properties of the mud at 25°C. The results showed that NaOH positively increased the mud alkalinity up to 12.75, but this was less pronounced as a result of the combinations with other additives like barite and calcium sulphate, reduced to 9.8. This trend is evident when higher NaOH concentrations result in increased fluid loss (≈ 40 ml at around 6 minutes) and decreased gel strength (≈ 13 lb/100 ft² after 10 minutes), which can negatively impact the mud's capacity to retain water and uphold structural integrity. However, the moderate doses of NaOH help in accelerating flocculation in the muds and increases the stability as well.

Author Biographies

Rugen Ayanarappan, Plant Engineer at Air Products, Johor Baharu, Johore, Malaysia

Experienced Production Engineer with a demonstrated history of working in the chemicals industry. Skilled in Operations Management, Chemical Handling, Teamwork, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), and Process Engineering. Strong operations professional with a Bachelor of Engineering - BE focused in Petroleum Engineering from Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia.

Mian Umer Shafiq, School of Mining and Geosciences, Department of Petroleum Engineering, Nazarbayev University

  • Stimulation and Acidizing
  • Reservoir Characterization
  • Carbon Capture and Storage
  • Enhanced Oil Recovery
  • Drilling Mud Design

Lei Wang , Chengdu University of Technology

Areas of Research Focus

Conductivity of shale gas fracture

Mechanism of proppant flowback

Horizontal well production

Omar Al-Fatlawi , University of Baghdad

Reservoir Engineering: Performing experimental work aiming to increase oil recovery by injecting different kinds of chemical mixtures.
Simulation and Modeling: Prepare many programs to calculate the pressure distribution in the reservoirs for 1D and 2D flow problems; Automatic history matching; taught many reservoir subjects; Expert in using CMG.
Petroleum Engineering: Solving many problems of reservoir and production engineering by computer. Expert in using PERFORM
Artificial Lift Methods: Design Systems of Electrical Submersible Pump and Gas Lift.
Computer Software Expertise: With over 20 years of experience, I have extensive proficiency in a wide range of computer software and programming languages.
Computer Hardware Expertise: With over 20 years of experience, I possess extensive expertise in the maintenance and repair of various personal computer components.
Optimization Techniques: Formulation many petroleum engineering problems using optimization techniques. Write many programs that find optimum solutions for linear, nonlinear, constrained, unconstrained, single decision variable and multi- decision variable problems.
Statistics and Regression.

Dhifaf Sadeq, University of Baghdad

  • Gas hydrate formation in pipe
  • Gas hydrate formation in sediments
  • Numerical Methods and Reservoir Simulation
  • Properties of Petroleum Fluids

 

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Published

11-03-2026

Issue

Vol. 49 No. 1 (2026)

Section

Articles

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