Rheological characterization of the systems clay-polymer-electrolyte. Application to water based drilling fluids

Abstract

Clay-polymer - electrolyte systems are commonly used as basic constituents of water-based drilling fluids to meet the many
requirements that such a fluid must meet for the smooth running of operations. In this paper we presented results on the
rheological behavior of bentonite-polymer-electrolytes. We have clearly shown that increasing the dose CaCl2 and Bacl2 in
the bentonite-Poly-Salt mixture causes an increase in the yield stres, the consistency index and a decrease in the flow index
of the mixture up to a critical dose of 0.4g of CaCl2 and Bacl2. From this dose, the yield stress, the consistency index
decreases and the flow index increases. The rheological study also shows that the presence of KCl in the bentonite – Poly-
Salt mixture causes an increase in viscoelasticity and a decrease in the fluidity, Newtonian viscosity and delayed viscosity of
mixture.