ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Increasing performance of sea water based fluid using graphene oxide and rutile titanium dioxide composite

Shaine Mohammadali Lalji, Syed Imran Ali, Muhammad Mustafa, Sadam Ali Khichi, and Mohsin Ayubi

Department of Petroleum Engineering, NED University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi, Pakistan

E-mail: shaine@neduet.edu.pk

Received: 7 May 2025  Accepted: 10 July 2025

Abstract:

Drilling fluids are the backbone of any drilling activity, acting as a key barrier for a successful drilling operation. It is imperative during drilling operations to continuously adjust and monitor the performance of the drilling fluid, as the process will not only optimize the drilling efficiency but will also resolve many potential drilling related problems. In this study, rutile TiO₂ explicitly rutile was supported by graphene oxide (GO). The composite particle was formulated using the hydrothermal technique. The modified particles were added in the water-based mud system in concentration of 0.25, 0.75 and 1 wt%. The continuous phase in the current article was collected from Arabian Sea. The fluid contains higher concentration of total dissolved solutes then normal tap water. This study seeks to evaluate the influence of a newly synthesized particle on the performance of seawater-based drilling fluids with a focus on optimizing water-based mud characteristics. The experimental observation shows no variations in mud weight after the addition of the composite nanoparticles. Besides, all the samples demonstrated shear thinning characteristics with rheological behavior in the American Petroleum Institute Recommended Practices. The critical concentration in the article was 0.75 wt%, above this concentration significant changes in the rheological properties was noted. Additionally, all the samples were also tested for filtration properties. Considerable reduction in fluid loss volume was recorded when the carbon supported TiO₂ composites were used in sea-WBM. The mud cake collected after the LPLT filter press test showed signs of cracks, fissure and fractures. The TiO₂ particles are uniformly distributed over the graphene oxide sheet and ultimately reduce the fluid loss from the mud system. The interaction between the two entities creates a robust hydrogen bonding that improves the efficiency of the system.

Keywords: Graphene oxide; Rutile; Titanium dioxide; Total dissolve solids; Water-based mud

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-025-04255-6

Chemical Papers 79 (10) 7171–7181 (2025)