Última alteração: 2025-06-17
Resumo
T Bila1*; A Macheca2; G Nsemwa3
1*Eduardo Mondlane University, Faculty of Engineering, Post-Graduation in Petroleum Eengineering Program, Maputo City, Mozambique, Teriobila@yahoo.com.br
2 Eduardo Mondlane University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Maputo City, Mozambique, afomacheca@gmail.com
3 University of Dar Es Sallam, Faculty of Engineering, Dar Es Sallam, Tanzânia, nsemwagoodwin@yahoo.com
Abstract
The Petroleum industry is a key driver of the global economy, fostering technological advancement and shaping geopolitical landscapes, being drilling the critical process, where the drilling fluids efficiency is critical, for both safety and performance. Specific rheological properties are required, namely, viscosity and yield point. Bentonite, is the most widely used due to its high adsorption capacity, cation exchange ability, swelling and plasticity. In Mozambique, significant bentonite deposits are found is Boane region, however, their use in the industry remains limited due to their calcic nature. To address the limitation, this study explores the technique of both chemical and organic modification of the white bentonite, which was initially treated with sodium at 4% and sub sequentially modified with polymer at concentrations ranging from 2.5 wt.% to 7.5 wt.%. The modification was then assessed through XRF, XRD, SEM, TGA, and FTIR. The modification was confirmed by XRD, having been confirmed the reduction in interplanar spacing from 14.8Å to 13.5Å after chemical, and then increased to 15.5Å after polymer modification. The sample modified with 2.5 wt.% polymer exhibited the best performance, achieving a march funnel flow time of 30.6 seconds compared to a commercial bentonite. Despite these results certain parameters did not fully meet industry requirements, being, swelling index, and settlement time, indicating the need of further optimization. Nevertheless, the findings highlight the potential of Boane white bentonite.
Keywords: Mozambican Bentonite, Drilling Fluids, Beneficiation, Rheology