Introducing a novel nano-based drilling fluid: synergic use of murree shale, titanium dioxide, and graphene oxide nanoparticles

The success of any drilling activity is predominantly contingent on the properties of the drilling fluid. The rheological and filtration properties of these fluids should be adequate enough to effectively remove drilled cuttings, transport them to the surface and simultaneously minimize fluid loss. The effectiveness of any drilling activity is mainly determined by the rheological and filtration properties of drilling fluid. In this study, the rheological and filtration properties of a clay-based mud in presence of graphene oxide and titanium dioxide nanoparticles were studied. Moreover, in the current work the commercial uses viscosifiers; Bentonite was replaced with a raw clay sample collected from the northern side of Pakistan. A total of 13 samples of drilling fluids were prepared using response surface methodology design of the experiment and their rheological characteristics were analyzed in this study. All the studied samples exhibited shear thinning behavior. For the plastic viscosity, the most effective reduced GO concentration window was \(2-2.75 g\) $2-2.75g$ , while for TiO₂ NPs it was \(2-4.25 g\) $2-4.25g$ . When these concentrations combine with one another in any ratio, the PV of the system will be in the desired operating range. On the other hand, the yield point of the system goes above \(25\) $25$ lb. /100ft² when the GO concentration was between \(2.0-3.0 g\) $2.0-3.0g$ and TiO₂ NPs \(\ge 3.54 g\) $\ge 3.54g$ . Furthermore, the lower concentration \(\le 3.5 g\) $\le 3.5g$ TiO₂ NPs and high concentration \(\ge 2.7 g\) $\ge 2.7g$ reduced GO particles were undesirable for 10-min GS. Fluids with these concentrations will eventually exhibit poor hole-cleaning and cutting suspension characteristics. Additionally, the concentration of GO significantly impacts fluid loss in the drilling mud. The individual platelets of GO aggregate to occlude pore spaces on the filter paper, while TiO₂ NPs clog the remaining permeation channels, thereby synergistically improving the fluid loss control of the mud system. In addition, the properties of WBM remained relatively consistent when commercial Bentonite was replaced with raw Murree shale, which suggests that raw Murree formation can be effectively used as a cost-effective and sustainable resource in preparing mud for different types of reservoirs.