Gelation of water-bentonite suspensions at high temperatures and rheological control with lignite addition

The effectiveness of lignite addition to prevent gelation of 6.42% w/w water–bentonite suspensions exposed to high temperatures has been studied, using twenty six lignites from various basins in Greece with variable organic and inorganic contents at concentrations of 0.5% and 3.0%. The lignite-free bentonite suspensions thickened considerably when heated at 177 °C for 16 h, as was indicated by a two-fold increase of the yield stress, when compared to samples hydrated only at room temperature. However plastic viscosity did not change appreciably. Full flow curves showed a Herschel–Bulkley behavior of all suspensions. Addition of lignite maintained the stability of the suspensions exposed to high temperatures (177 °C) by keeping the yield stress low and did not affect plastic viscosity. Some of the Greek lignites performed equally well with a commercial lignite product and improvements of 80 to 100% of the stability of the suspensions, compared to lignite-free suspensions, have been found. Lignite addition also lowered yield stresses for the hydrated samples. No specific trends have been identified between the effectiveness of lignites to stabilize bentonite suspensions and their humic and fulvic acids and humins content. However, those lignites with highest humic and fulvic acid contents have maximum stabilization capacity. Similarly, no specific trends have been observed between the stabilization capacity of lignites and their inorganic components such as oxygen and ash content and also with the cation exchange capacity. The effectiveness of the Greek lignites to stabilize bentonite suspensions is very high and the minor differences in the efficiency of the different lignites cannot be attributed solely to any specific component.

[1]  R. Beckett,et al.  The role or organic matter and ionic composition in determining the surface charge of suspended particles in natural waters , 1990 .

[2]  A. Garcia,et al.  Rheological property measurement of drilling fluids used in geothermal wells , 2001 .

[3]  J. J. Azar,et al.  Additive effectiveness and contaminant influence on fluid-loss control in water-based muds , 1988 .

[4]  Walter Francis Rogers,et al.  Composition and properties of oil well drilling fluids , 1980 .

[5]  G. Christidis,et al.  Greek lignites as additives for controlling filtration properties of water-bentonite suspensions at high temperatures , 2007 .

[6]  V. Kelessidis,et al.  Rheology and rheological parameter determination of bentonite-water and bentonite-lignite-water mixtures at low and high temperatures , 2005 .

[7]  F. Smedt,et al.  Dissolved humic substances for remediation of sites contaminated by organic pollutants. Binding-desorption model predictions , 1996 .

[8]  J. Vicente,et al.  Effect of humic acid adsorption on the rheological properties of sodium montmorillonite suspensions , 2001 .

[9]  Á. Delgado,et al.  A rheological approach to the stability of humic acid/clay colloidal suspensions , 2003 .

[10]  Brian J. Briscoe,et al.  The properties of drilling muds at high pressures and high temperatures , 1994, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series A: Physical and Engineering Sciences.

[11]  J. Darby,et al.  Rheologically Stable, Nontoxic, High-Temperature Water-Base Drilling Fluid , 1997 .

[12]  N. Bryan,et al.  Colloidal properties of humic substances , 1998 .

[13]  G. Sposito,et al.  Organic Matter Role in Illitic Soil Colloids Flocculation: II. Surface Charge , 1993 .

[14]  Keith K. Millheim,et al.  Applied Drilling Engineering , 1986 .

[15]  J. Mejuto,et al.  Enhancement of copper and cadmium adsorption on kaolin by the presence of humic acids. , 2002, Chemosphere.

[16]  G. Sposito,et al.  Organic Matter Role in Illitic Soil Colloids Flocculation: I. Counter Ions and pH , 1993 .

[17]  P. Luckham,et al.  The colloidal and rheological properties of bentonite suspensions , 1999 .

[18]  Aiguo Liu,et al.  Adsorption/Desorption in a System Consisting of Humic Acid, Heavy Metals, and Clay Minerals. , 1999, Journal of colloid and interface science.

[19]  Peter E. Clark,et al.  Drilling mud rheology and the API recommended measurements , 1995 .

[20]  G. Gleixner,et al.  Analytical pyrolysis of humic substances and dissolved organic matter in aquatic systems: structure and origin , 1999 .

[21]  Roger Bleier.  Selecting a Drilling Fluid , 1990 .

[22]  Roberto Maglione,et al.  Optimal determination of rheological parameters for Herschel-Bulkley drilling fluids and impact on pressure drop, velocity profiles and penetration rates during drilling , 2006 .

[23]  The Evolution of Geothermal Drilling Fluid in the Imperial Valley , 1991 .

[24]  G. Levy,et al.  Organic and Inorganic Anion Effects on Reference and Soil Clay Critical Flocculation Concentration , 1992 .

[25]  Winslow H. Herschel,et al.  Konsistenzmessungen von Gummi-Benzollösungen , 1926 .

[26]  C. Koukouzas,et al.  Research and exploration of coal in Greece: A view to the future , 1997 .

[27]  Yona Chen,et al.  Rheology of Sodium-montmorillonite suspensions , 2002 .

[28]  Z. Gingl,et al.  Particle aggregation in complex aquatic systems , 1999 .

[29]  Seiji Saito,et al.  Drilling procedures, techniques and test results for a 3.7 km deep, 500°C exploration well, kakkonda, japan , 1998 .

[30]  S. Saito,et al.  Frontier Geothermal Drilling Operations Succeed at 500 C BHST , 1997 .

[31]  E. Klumpp,et al.  The role of reactive surface sites and complexation by humic acids in the interaction of clay mineral and iron oxide particles , 2004 .

[32]  Ruben Kretzschmar,et al.  Effects of adsorbed humic acid on surface charge and flocculation of kaolinite , 1997 .

[33]  Li‐Ming Zhang,et al.  Preparation of a new lignosulfonate-based thinner: introduction of ferrous ions , 2002 .

[34]  V. Kelessidis,et al.  Modeling rheological behavior of bentonite suspensions as Casson and Robertson–Stiff fluids using Newtonian and true shear rates in Couette viscometry , 2006 .

[35]  Saito Seiji,et al.  Frontier Geothermal Drilling Operations Succeed at 500°C BHST , 2000 .

[36]  R. S. Swift.  Organic Matter Characterization , 2018, SSSA Book Series.

[37]  M. Annis.  High-Temperature Flow Properties of Water-Base Drilling Fluids , 1967 .

[38]  T. Hemphill,et al.  Yield-power law model more accurately predicts mud rheology , 1993 .

[39]  R. K. Clark.  Impact of Environmental Regulations on Drilling-Fluid Technology , 1994 .

[40]  S. Goldberg,et al.  Flocculation of reference clays and arid zone soil clays as affected by electrolyte concentration, exchangeable sodium percentage, sodium adsorption ratio, pH, and clay mineralogy , 1989 .

[41]  Anthony E. Foscolos,et al.  Coals of Greece: a review of properties, uses and future perspectives , 2004 .

[42]  K. H. Hiller,et al.  Rheological Measurements on Clay Suspensions and Drilling Fluids at High Temperatures and Pressures , 1963 .

[43]  W. Stumm,et al.  Coordinative and hydrophobic interaction of humic substances with hydrophilic Al2O3 and hydrophobic mercury surfaces , 1994 .

[44]  R. Horn,et al.  Hydrophobic attraction may contribute to aqueous flocculation of clays , 2003 .

[45]  E. Tombácz,et al.  Effect of electrolyte concentration on the interaction of humic acid and humate with montmorillonite , 1988 .

[46]  W. J. Bailey,et al.  A Generalized and Consistent Pressure Drop and Flow Regime Transition Model for Drilling Hydraulics , 2000 .

[47]  Velimir Pravdić,et al.  Electrokinetics of Pure Clay Minerals Revisited , 1996 .