Production and characterization of environmentally friendly oil base mud from raphia palm seeds (raphia hookeri)

Abstract

This research project aims to investigate the feasibility and sustainability of producing an environmentally friendly oil base mud from Raphia palm seeds. The study will involve the entire process from seed selection to mud characterization, emphasizing the potential benefits and applications in the oil and gas drilling industry. Due to the increase in environmental issues, there is a need for drilling companies to come up with a safer, environmentally friendly oil-based drilling fluid. For this study, oil extracted from Raphia Palm seed was used as the base fluid for drilling mud samples in the laboratory. The Raphia Palm seed oil (RPSO) extracted was tested and compared with the standard requirements for oil needed for oil-based drilling fluid. Results showed that the RPSO met the requirements and can be used in formulation of oil-based drilling muds. Oil-in-water emulsion was made using an oil/water ratio of 70 to 30. 254ml of oil and 105 ml of water. 35g of bentonite and barite were finally added to build up the density to 8.58ppg. The mud sample was formulated with Raphia Palm seed oil (RPSO) as the base fluid and compared to a diesel-based mud sample of the same quantity. Different mud tests such as toxicity, filtration, pH, viscosity and density were carried out on each of the samples to ascertain the suitability of their properties for drilling operation and their degree of safety to the environment. The results obtained showed that Raphia Palm seed oil (RPSO) mud has the lowest viscosity (their values) which implies less resistance to flow and lower pressure losses. The outcome of the toxicity test confirmed Raphia Palm seed to be safer and less harmful while diesel is highly toxic as expected. The overall result obtained from the test indicates that Raphia Palm seed oil (RPSO) based muds stand a chance of being among the technically and environmentally viable replacement for the conventional diesel oil-based muds. The study serves as one of the solutions to the environmental problem associated with oil-based drilling operations. It can be adduced from these results that, with appropriate and adequate additives, the formulated synthetic-based drilling mud could compete favorably with bentonite as a possible drilling fluid for the oil and gas industry.