Colloid Journal. Vol. 80, No. 4, Pages 418-426, 2018

A. V. Minakov^a^,^b^, *, E. I. Mikhienkova^a, V. A. Zhigarev^a, A. L. Neverov^a, and V. Ya. Rudyak^c
Translated by A. Kirilin

^bKutateladze Institute of Thermal Physics, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences Novosibirsk, 630090 Russia

^cNovosibirsk State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Novosibirsk, 630008 Russia

Abstract—The effect of nanoparticles with different compositions and sizes on the rheological properties, filtration losses, and lubricating ability of drilling fluids has been experimentally studied. Nanoparticles of silicon, aluminum, and titanium oxides have been examined, while an aqueous bentonite suspension with a solid phase mass fraction of 5% has been used as a basic model of a drilling fluid. The concentrations and sizes of nanoparticles in the drilling fluids have been varied from 0.25 to 2 wt % and from 5 to 100 nm, respectively. It has been shown that the addition of nanoparticles substantially changes the properties of the drilling fluids. In contrast to suspensions of particles with macro- and microscopic sizes, the rheological parameters, filtration losses, and lubricating and sticking abilities of the suspensions containing nanoparticles depend on the size and nature of the latter and vary markedly already at low nanoparticle concentrations.

A Study of the Influence of Nanoparticles on the Properties of Drilling Fluids