Development of thermal resistance thinning agent by using lignin extracted from coconut husk for water-based drilling mud / Nurul Farhah Nadhirah Mohd Ruslan

Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology

Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering Technology (Petroleum) -- Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah - 2024

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This study investigates the viability of utilising tannin-lignin derived from coconut husk as an environmentally friendly substitute for traditional thinning agents in water-based drilling mud (WBM) under elevated temperatures. To assess its competitiveness, the tannin-lignin compound was produced by the organosolv technique and subsequently crosslinked with tannin to enhance its thermal stability at a temperature of 150°C. The performance of the material was further evaluated by conducting rheological and fluid loss experiments, comparing it to a commercially available tannin-lignosulfonate. The results demonstrated that augmenting the tannin-lignin content in WBM had a substantial positive impact on its rheological characteristics at a temperature of 150°C. Significantly, it demonstrated similar performance to the commercially available thinning agent in terms of viscosity and yield stress, indicating its potential for effective drilling operations. In addition, tannin-lignin has a notable benefit of being eco-friendly in comparison to chrome-based thinning agents. This reduces the negative impact on ecosystems and promotes sustainable drilling methods. This research establishes the potential use of easily accessible coconut husk waste in creating effective and environmentally friendly thinning agents for water-based mud (WBM) applications. Substituting ecologically detrimental substances with sustainable alternatives such as tannin-lignin represents a notable advancement towards adopting responsible and sustainable drilling methods within the oil and gas sector.