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Research Article
Evaluation of Kaolin Clay as a Lost Circulation Material in Water Based Mud
Nnaemeka Uwaezuoke*,
Ugochukwu Duru,
Ezeanyika Emeka Emmanuel,
Opara Chimaram Confidence
Issue:
Volume 12, Issue 1, February 2024
Pages:
1-9
Received:
27 September 2023
Accepted:
31 October 2023
Published:
8 January 2024
Abstract: This project aims to analyse how local lost circulation material affects drilling fluid rheology and fluid loss in water-based muds. Local lost circulation material used in carrying out these experiments is kaolin clay. Five mud samples were formulated, the first mud which was the base mud had no LCM, 10g of kaolin clay was added to the second sample, 20g of kaolin clay was added to the third mud, while 30g and 40g of kaolin was added to the fourth and fifth sample respectively, results showed that increase in particle size and concentration of LCMs increased the plastic viscosity, apparent viscosity, yield point as well as gel strength, also the ability of the LCM to seal off fractures in time and reduce fluid loss was affected by particle size of the LCM. This research showed that kaolin clay had a good effect on rheological properties of the mud and had adequate mud cake thickness and is suitable to be used as LCM.
Abstract: This project aims to analyse how local lost circulation material affects drilling fluid rheology and fluid loss in water-based muds. Local lost circulation material used in carrying out these experiments is kaolin clay. Five mud samples were formulated, the first mud which was the base mud had no LCM, 10g of kaolin clay was added to the second samp...
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Research Article
Integrated Petrophysical and Petrographical Studies for Reservoir Characterization: A Case Study of the Khmer Basin in Cambodian Water, Gulf of Thailand
Kimhak Neak*,
Kakda Kret,
Tola Sreu,
Sirisokha Seang,
Sokunthea Khoun,
Chanmoly Or
Issue:
Volume 12, Issue 1, February 2024
Pages:
10-19
Received:
30 November 2023
Accepted:
26 December 2023
Published:
11 January 2024
Abstract: The Khmer Basin is one of the sedimentary basins in the Gulf of Thailand (GoT). This basin is located in the central east of the gulf, about 180 km from the Cambodian coastal baseline and an average of 80 m water depth in offshore Cambodia. It is an elongated N-S trending rift basin that extends 150 km in length and 60 km in width. Even though a high potential hydrocarbon accumulation reservoir was discovered in the late nineteenth century, the Apsara oil field in the northeast of the basin just started producing the first oil for Cambodia in late 2020 by KrisEnergy. However, there are a small number of publications about the Khmer Basin compared to the Pattani Basin to the west and the Malay Basin to the south. This study aims to identify the textures of the sedimentary grain, mineralogy, and diagenesis process of sandstone reservoirs which correspond to the quality of porosity and permeability in the confined layers from the Oligocene to Middle Miocene age. The core samples of the exploration well, Apsara-1 (1993), were provided by the General Department of Petroleum (GDP), Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) for the purposes of academics. Thin section and SEM microscopic image analysis are applied to assist this petrographic study to observe the rock components and the relationship of grains and matrix, cementation and the diagenetic processes. X-ray diffractometer (XRD) is used to determine the mineral compositions and clay minerals. X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) is used to evaluate major oxide concentrations in reservoir intervals. The stratigraphy in a section, ranging from 2776 m to 2781 m consists of sandstones interbedding with shales and coals. Mudstones which are composed of silt shale and coal appear in dark-grey to black thin layers in the study section. The porosity of the sample determines the diverse pore spaces in the reservoir sand, ranging under 12%. The data analysis, the clastic, pore geometry, buried compaction, diageneses and fractures impact relatively on reservoir quality. The porosity reduction is directly influenced by mechanical compaction, quartz overgrowth, the pore fillings by detrital clays and mineral replacement.
Abstract: The Khmer Basin is one of the sedimentary basins in the Gulf of Thailand (GoT). This basin is located in the central east of the gulf, about 180 km from the Cambodian coastal baseline and an average of 80 m water depth in offshore Cambodia. It is an elongated N-S trending rift basin that extends 150 km in length and 60 km in width. Even though a hi...
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Research Article
Optimizing Strategies Employed in Natural Gas Utilization
Nnaemeka Uwaezuoke,
Anene Tochi,
Ugochukwu Duru
Issue:
Volume 12, Issue 1, February 2024
Pages:
20-30
Received:
19 September 2023
Accepted:
25 October 2023
Published:
23 January 2024
Abstract: Natural gas which is a subcategory of petroleum is a naturally occurring, complex mixture of hydrocarbons with minor amounts of inorganic compounds. Nigeria has a proven gas reserve estimated to be 206.53 Tscf, which is worth over 803.4 trillion dollars as of April 2022. These volumes of gases could be utilized in different ways, and the strategies employed in their utilization can be optimized to yield maximum benefit. The purpose of this study is to critically analyze the strategies employed in natural gas utilization within the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, then use an optimization technique and software to determine the optimum decision strategy. The study was limited to the use of linear optimization software, LINGO. A linear transshipment model was developed based on the gas utilization options that are employed in the Niger Delta. The transshipment model consists of three nodes: source, process, and destination nodes, which represent centers of activity. An objective function enveloping all the optimization nodes considered is defined. A set of constraints was also defined to restrict the model based on some factors such as the gas composition limit, the maximum deliverability at the destination nodes, etc. The necessary data for the study include gas composition data, fixed cost data, variable cost data, and market price data. The solution to the model provided by the software shows that the optimum net income for a period of 20 years is $2.522 trillion. The volume of gas that is required to meet market demand for the gas utilization options denoted G is 41.13264 Tscf. The result also shows that all the utilization options considered in the study are profitable since they all contributed to the optimum value obtained. A sensitivity analysis was carried out to see the effect a 10 to 50% increase or decrease in the fixed cost, variable cost, and market price data will have on the optimum value obtained.
Abstract: Natural gas which is a subcategory of petroleum is a naturally occurring, complex mixture of hydrocarbons with minor amounts of inorganic compounds. Nigeria has a proven gas reserve estimated to be 206.53 Tscf, which is worth over 803.4 trillion dollars as of April 2022. These volumes of gases could be utilized in different ways, and the strategies...
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Research Article
Rationalizing Application Concept Between Spot UT vs Scan UT for in-Service Inspection of Assets for Better Reliability and PoD - Resolving the Conflict of Interest
Issue:
Volume 12, Issue 1, February 2024
Pages:
31-35
Received:
17 October 2023
Accepted:
2 November 2023
Published:
23 January 2024
Abstract: The key purpose of asset integrity inspection is to protect human being, environment, animals and business by preventing costly asset failures and hazardous leaks by enhancing inspection reliability, effectiveness, spirit of asset condition monitoring and ultimately boosting up the probability of detection (PoD) of various types of defect. I believe that safety is a state of mind and management perception. NDE procedures and selected application techniques need to be always 100% focused on “what, why and how we want to inspect?” and over and above to be on the top of 100% HSE governance. This paper wants to discuss the ill effect on some old house heritage strategy and practice by many Oil & Gas operators / refiners / other Business Areas on execution and misuse of local spot UT during in-service inspection of process plant assets. This paper will try to highlight and resolve the conflict of interest of many operators on application intent between point spot UT and Scan UT during in-service inspection of operating plant asset. As asset integrity management is all about intelligent housekeeping of assets, we should not work on GIGO (Garbage IN-Garbage OUT) mode but should deploy sense full and meaningful NDE governance model. The issue may look simple but has dire consequences on plant operations, business integrity and continuity.
Abstract: The key purpose of asset integrity inspection is to protect human being, environment, animals and business by preventing costly asset failures and hazardous leaks by enhancing inspection reliability, effectiveness, spirit of asset condition monitoring and ultimately boosting up the probability of detection (PoD) of various types of defect. I believ...
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Research Article
Evaluation of Kaolin Clay Polymeric Nanoparticles for Improved Water-Based Mud Properties
Nnaemeka Uwaezuoke,
Ugwu Chukwuemeka Chukwuebuka,
Abdulrasak Adamu Muhammed,
Ugochukwu Duru
Issue:
Volume 12, Issue 1, February 2024
Pages:
36-45
Received:
20 September 2023
Accepted:
23 October 2023
Published:
1 February 2024
Abstract: The work aimed to comprehensively analyze the evaluation of kaolin clay polymeric nanoparticles for the improvement of water-based mud properties. Conventional water-based muds have limitations, including poor rheological properties, low lubricity, and high filtration loss. Recently, nanotechnology has been applied to improve the properties of water-based muds. Kaolin clay nanoparticles have shown great potential as an additive to enhance the performance of water-based muds. This research aimed to analyze how kaolin clay nanoparticles affect drilling fluid rheology and fluid loss control in water-based muds. Five mud samples were formulated, the first mud which was the base mud had no kaolin (LCM), 10g of kaolin was added to the second sample, 20g of kaolin was added to the third sample, 30g of kaolin was added to the fourth sample and the fifth sample contained 40g of kaolin, results showed that increase in the particle size and concentration of LCMs increased the plastic viscosity, apparent viscosity, yield point as well as gel strength, also the ability of the LCMs to seal off fractures in time and reduce fluid loss was affected by particle size of the LCMs. This research showed that the mud sample with the highest concentration of kaolin had a good effect on the rheological properties of the mud had adequate mud cake thickness and was suitable to be used as LCMs.
Abstract: The work aimed to comprehensively analyze the evaluation of kaolin clay polymeric nanoparticles for the improvement of water-based mud properties. Conventional water-based muds have limitations, including poor rheological properties, low lubricity, and high filtration loss. Recently, nanotechnology has been applied to improve the properties of wate...
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