Effect of Quartz (Free Silica) Removal on the Quality of Nigerian Bentonitic Clays for application in Drilling Fluid Formulation

• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT, Enugu, Nigeria. 2016-11-01
• Series: Journal of Experimental Research
• Online Access: http://www.er-journal.com/papers/BILAL_M_DEC_2015_3_2.pdf

The Nigerian Bentonitic clay samples with excess crystalline silica (quartz), that causes abrasion of the drilling equipment , affects circulation of the mud, decreases the drilling rate and pipe sticking during drilling operations were investigated. The Particle size distribution analyses (PSD) of the raw and Beneficiated Nigerian Bentonitic clay samples were carried out. The removal of excess crystalline silica from the samples was achieved through wet beneficiation method. The PSD results after wet beneficiation of the clay samples indicated that the sand content in Garin Hamza Futuk, Pindiga, Tongo, Bulabulinmaiduwa and Sabongarin Ngalda samples reduced from 48, 54, 48, 49 and 52 % to 21, 17, 15, 17 and 21% respectively, while the clay content significantly increased from 38, 42, 24, 24 and 24% to 73, 73, 63, 61 and 63 % respectively. The Bentonitic clay samples have texturally transformed to clay after thorough wet beneficiation, hence they can be used for drilling fluid formulation.