SPE-185451-MS

Development of an Environmentally Friendly Oil Based Drilling Fluid Using

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Castor Oil with Polar Activator and In Presence of Strong Bases Lime

H. A. Norza Bastidas, J. S. Campos Perez, and C. Vargas Castellanos, Universidad Surcolombiana

Copyright 2017, Society of Petroleum Engineers

This paper was prepared for presentation at the SPE Latin America and Caribbean Petroleum Engineering Conference held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 18-19 May 2017.

This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE program committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents
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Abstract
The behavior of two Castor oil based muds (OBM) prepared with additives marketed in Colombia is
observed, the concentrations of the additives are the same for both fluids with the difference that one has
as rheological modifier a polar activator and the other uses lime. These ones are subjected to rolling up
for 16 hours at temperatures of 65°C, 80°C and 120°C. The rheological behavior of the fluids is analyzed
according to API RP 13B-2 standard before and after rolling up at different temperatures. According to the
results of this investigation, it is discovered that the fluids behavior in the presence of strong bases like lime
becomes stable as the rolling up temperature increases until 120°C, whereas when there is no lime in the
composition the behavior is more constant in all the cases and the change of viscosity with respect to the
initial viscosity is smaller. The presence of strong bases tends to decrease their percentage of fatty acids
17% at 65°C and increase 6% at 120°C with respect to the fluids with polar activator rolled up at the same
conditions. To see if the fluids can be categorized as environmentally friendly, we proceeded to evaluate
the impact of the fluids developed in the survival of red tilapia fingerlings in a water body simulated in the
laboratory. The minimum conditions to die at least 50% of the population of red tilapia fingerlings was 96
hours of exposure to fluids at a concentration of 5000ppm.

Introduction
The use of vegetable oil based drilling fluids has been presented as a possible solution to the environmental
problems generated by the use of diesel and mineral oil based muds and their post-use disposal postulating
them as substitutes in drilling fluids formulation when it is necessary to drill aquifers and productive zones
but its use has not been generalized in Colombia. Previously, researchers in chemical and food industries
have already studied the behavior of vegetable oils. Ekwenye U. (2009)6 examined several types of palm oil
to determine the growth of bacteria in them, concluding that in the presence of moisture for long periods of
time it loses biostability. Ngassapa et al. (2012)7 tried to analyze the thermal resistances of palm, sesame and
sunflower oils by mixing them and taking them to 40°C and 120°C, where they found that in their natural
state they had the highest temperature resistance and placed them within the permissible parameters, but
after being brought to their boiling temperatures tended to change their contents of unsaturated fats and
other compositions. Although his research was not for oil industry purposes, the paper concludes that in
2 SPE-185451-MS

basic environment and under lab conditions the chemical composition of the oil will change rapidly arising
the doubt of its rheological performance in such circumstances, hence the need to measure and Analyze
their behavior under such conditions.
Before using vegetable oils in drilling fluids, it becomes necessary first of all to know their properties,
its operative limits and storage limits. Ekwenye U. (2006)6 studied two different species of palm oil
(elaeisguineensis dura and elaeisguineensis tenera) and showed the resistance of palm oil to biodegradation

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by bacterial and fungal attacks. He took samples and stored them in an environment with temperatures
between 28 - 32°C and in another environment cooled to 4°C.
Showing that only after 3 months of exposure the quality of palm oil is affected by the attack of bacteria
and fungi in the first environment and in the second the growth of these agents was limited. Ngassapa, et
al. (2012)7 analyzed samples of sunflower, palm and sesame oils, observing the tendency to saponification
of these oils in the presence of strong bases such as KOH or NaOH, they mixed the oils and heat them at
temperatures of 4°C and 120°C, finding that in their natural forms had the highest temperature resistance
and located them within the permissible parameters, but after being heated to their boiling temperatures
they tended to change their contents of unsaturated fats and other compositions concluding the possibility
of using the palm oil based fluids under controlled alkalinity conditions.
And having proven the possibility of using vegetable oils as a replacement for mineral and diesel oils in
obm formulations, the need arises to check their operating conditions. Thus, Adewale D. (2010)1 formulated
a palm oil and peanut oil based drilling mud with commonly used additives, compared its operational and
ecotoxicity properties with a conventional diesel oil based mud, for both 100% oil based as 90/10 fresh water
and brine emulsions. Regarding to the operational tests, it was observed that when the fluids were rolled
up at 250°F for 16 hours, there was a considerable increase in viscosity which under operating conditions
would impede the pumpability of the fluid, among other parameters it was observed that it was formed
progressive gels in all analyzed samples. About ecotoxicity, tests were carried out in soil samples planted
with corn, in which irrigation was carried out with the muds prepared in a relationship of 90/10 (fresh water /
mud) and it was observed that, for conventional diesel based muds, plants withered, while for vegetable oil
based muds, they retained their greenness.
With a very promising future, palm oil is the best substitute for mineral and diesel oils, but to obtain it
at an industrial level, it is necessary to cultivate palm in large farmlands, which can displace other essential
crops and natural ecosystems, resulting in a new social problem in the long term. To evaluate this indicator,
in Colombia Castiblanco et al. (2013)5 studied the expansion of areas dedicated to the cultivation of palm
for oil production and indicates that between 2002 and 2008 there was a substitution of 155,100 hectares
dedicated to pastures and agricultural development by areas dedicated to the cultivation of palm for biofuels
without touching natural ecosystems. They estimate an excessive growth of palm plantations and that in the
medium term the cultivated areas will be displaced and natural ecosystems will not be respected, causing a
new environmental emergency in terms of water requirements and spaces for cultivation.
In the department of Huila in Colombia, the castor oil is extracted from the ricinus plant, which is found
in great abundance in the soil and appears as an undergrowth of easy propagation. Its use in oil based
muds formulations was tested by Auta et al. (2013)4, obtaining very favorable experimental results for muds
prepared with that oil obtaining an equivalent circulation density (ECD) of 9, which is acceptable. The paper
demonstrates that the formulation of that castor oil based mud fulfilled the physicochemical properties of
the American Society for Testing and Materials.
With a view to minimizing environmental damage, the option of using vegetable oils as a substitute for
diesel or mineral oils currently used for oil based drilling fluids is proposed; due to the faster decomposition
of vegetable oils which would tend to the easier degradation of this types of muds.
Therefore, two main hypotheses need to be tested. One, if it is possible to formulate a drilling mud 100%
based on castor oil and analyze its rheological behavior with both polar activator and strong bases. Two, to
observe the environmental impact generated by such vegetable oil based drilling mud.
SPE-185451-MS 3

The castor oil is chosen because it is very abundant in the department of Huila (Colombia), its industrial
use would not displace grazing or agricultural crops and due to its vegetable origin doesnt affect the
environment in the mentioned scenarios. Its physical and rheological behavior is assumed to be ideal under
normal conditions, but the variation in its properties is unknown when contaminated with strong solids and
bases.
The use of this type of obm in drilling with a lack of proven behavior in the presence of strong bases

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can lead to a decrease in viscosity, avoiding the transport of cuttings to the surface, high levels of glycerine
filtration into the formation causing losses of fluids and hydrostatic pressure and the consequent well
imbalance.
Thus, the need to formulate a castor oil based drilling fluid and measure its behavior against contaminants
that may arise in drilling as strong bases is presented.
In order to develop the tests, the castor oil is acquired already manufactured from colombian companies
dedicated to the production of this oil.

Methods and Proceedings

Two drilling fluids are prepared with castor oil as shown in Table 1 and rheology tests are performed
according to APIRP 13B-2 (2014) 2 at temperatures of 65°C, 80°C, and 120°C. In order to observe the
behavior of the polar activator and the hydrated lime under high temperature conditions, separate samples
are heated or rolled up in a dynamic oven which keeps the samples moving for 16 hours at temperatures of
65°C, 80°C, and 120°C simulating the behavior of the fluids at the bottom hole. The rheology data is taken
again at the same three temperatures every time the rolling up ends. All the tests are repeated three times and
the data is reported as the average of the three. The parameters of the yield stress (Ty), flow index (n) and
the consistency index (K) are calculated according to the API RP13D (2010)3 before and after rolling up for
16 hours. Subsequently, retort tests are performed to measure the change in solids and liquids composition
according to API RP 13B-2 (2014)2.

Table 1—Oil based muds (OBM) with strong bases (lime) and polar activator compositions.

Aditive OBM with strong OBM with

bases (Lime) polar activator

Organophilic clay (Ibm/

bbl) 8,00 8,00
Emulsifier (lbm/bbl) 1,50 1,50
Wetting additive (lbm/
bbl) 1,00 1,00
Liquid Asphalt (lbm/bbl) 3,00 3,00
Graphite (lbm/bbl) 4,00 4,00
Densifier (lbm/bbl) 44,25 44,25
Hydrated lime (lbm/bbl) 8,00 0,00
Polar activator (ml/bbl) 0,00 5,00

For the environmental analysis, the normal survival environment of the common red tilapia fingerling is
simulated in the laboratory in pieces of water or ponds, maintaining the oxygen levels in the water above 4
mg / L, temperature at 28°C and pH at 7.5. They are grouped in populations of 10 fingerlings for each pond
extracted from the brook "La Raya" located in the municipality of Neiva, department of Huila in Colombia
and the small fishes are kept at normal conditions during a period of acclimatization.
Subsequently a discharge of diesel oil, palm oil and castor oil based drilling fluids is simulated in separate
ponds. A pond is left unpolluted for reference.
4 SPE-185451-MS

Toxicity tests are conducted in order to obtain information that is useful for achieving the protection of
aquatic organisms of particular species that makes up the biota of an ecosystem from the hazards caused by
dangerous substances thrown into the environment by humans.
In the case of fish, when the toxin is dissolved in water, the LC50 is reported as the concentration that
is lethal to 50% of fish exposed for a specified period.
Prior to LC letters it is needed to write the duration of the exposure expressed in hours. LC50 is reported

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for exposures of 96 hours, or 96LC50. The resistance time of fish subjected to contamination is defined as
LT50, which is determined over time that it is necessary to reach for half of the sample population to die.
The LC50 is of vital importance in the toxicity tests, since with this measure the toxicity of a substance
according to the scale of Hodge and Sterner is classified.

Results and Discussion

The flow index (n), consistency index (k) and yield stress (Ty) measured at temperatures of 65°C, 80°C,
and 120°C are shown in Tables 2a, 2b, and 2c, respectively. As a result of the analysis of the flow index
(n) we conclude that the fluids behave as newtonian fluids in almost all cases and dilatants at 120°C only
when they were rolled up at 65°C and 80°C for 16 hours. In these early formulations, we did not obtain
yield stress data that we consider satisfactory to do yield stress analysis.

Table 2a—OBM rheology calculations with polar activator and strong bases (Lime) with data measured at 65° C (150° F).

OBM OBM OBM OBM

OBM with polar OBM with polar OBM with polar OBM with with polar
Herschel Castor Oil with Lime activator with lime activator with lime activator lime rolled activator
Bulckley without without without rolled up rolled up rolled up rolled up up 16 hr rolled up
Index rolling up rolling up rolling up 16hr 65°C 16hr 65°C 16 hr 80°C 16hr 80°C 120°C 16hr 120°C

Ty 0,1 1,5 1 0 1 0 2 2 1
n 0,94431 0,83142 0,94939 0,80157 1,03799 0,91343 0,94344 - 0,95422
K 0,18279 0,76157 0,19453 0,83983 0,11581 0,34584 0,21721 - 0,24995

Table 2b—OBM rheology calculations with polar activator and strong bases (Lime) with data measured at 80°C (175° F).

OBM OBM OBM OBM

OBM with polar OBM with polar OBM with polar OBM with with polar
Herschel Castor Oil with Lime activator with lime activator with lime activator lime rolled activator
Bulckley without without without rolled up rolled up rolled up rolled up up 16 hr rolled up
Index rolling up rolling up rolling up 16hr 65°C 16hr 65° C 16 hr 80° C 16hr 80° C 120° C 16hr 120° C

Ty 0,1 1 1,5 1,5 1 0 0 2 1

n 0,94431 0,90569 1,00681 1,06929 1,09670 0,92726 0,98425 0,81754 0,95938
K 0,18279 0,27838 0,09940 0,07749 0,05407 0,18789 0,09931 0,61671 0,13614

Table 2c—OBM rheology calculations with polar activator and strong bases (Lime) with data measured at 120°C (250° F).

OBM OBM OBM OBM

OBM with polar OBM with polar OBM with polar OBM with with polar
Herschel Castor Oil with Lime activator with lime activator with lime activator lime rolled activator
Bulckley without without without rolled up rolled up rolled up rolled up up 16 hr rolled up
Index rolling up rolling up rolling up 16hr 65° C 16hr 65° C 16 hr 80° C 16hr 80° C 120° C 16hr 120° C

Ty 0 0,5 1,5 0,5 2 1 0 2,5 0,5

n 0,95938 1,14441 0,97730 1,14441 1,26306 1,80739 0,91756 0,71883 0,95938
K 0,04538 0,01511 0,03607 0,01511 0,00759 0,00013 0,05890 0,54242 0,04538
SPE-185451-MS 5

Viscosity
The average viscosity data measured as shear stress / shear rate vs temperature for drilling fluids with lime
or polar activator in their composition are shown in Table 3 in order to appreciate the change for each one
and define which of the two cases is smaller and more stable the change in viscosity as the measuring and
rolling up temperature increases.

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Table 3—Vsicosity vs Temperature for oil based muds with strong bases (lime) and polar activator.

Viscosity (cP)

OBM OBM OBM OBM

OBM with polar OBM with polar OBM with polar OBM with with polar
Castor Oil with Lime activator with lime activator with lime activator lime rolled activator
Temperature without without without rolled up rolled up rolled up rolled up up 16 hr rolled up
(°C) rolling up rolling up rolling up 16hr 65°C 16hr 65° C 16 hr 80° C 16hr 80° C 120° C 16hr 120° C

65 59,445 162,248 94,830 143,621 100,746 103,557 92,721 174,381 124,058

80 37,220 101,741 80,421 58,163 66,451 73,626 70,756 141,630 83,115
120 16,962 37,311 40,738 36,784 50,900 31,219 38,629 91,784 36,696

The following observations can be made analyzing the data on tables 2a, 2b and 2c:
The drilling fluids with lime compared with the ones with polar activator both without being rolled up
showed viscosity measurements 71% greater at 65°C, 26% greater at 80°C, and 8% lower at 120°C.
The oil based muds with lime compared with the ones with polar activator both rolled up at 65°C
showed viscosity measurements 42% greater at 65°C, 13% lower at 80°C, and 37% lower at 120°C.
The obms with lime compared with those with polar activator both rolled up at 80°C showed viscosity
measurements of 11% greater at 65°C, 4% greater at 80°C, and 19% lower at 120°C.
Fluids with lime compared with fluids with polar activator both rolled up at 120°C showed viscosity
measurements of 40% greater at 65°C, 70% greater at 80°C, and 150% greater at 120°C.
When the sampling and rolling up temperatures are between 65°C and 80°C, the presence of lime in
the composition shows higher viscosity values than when there is polar activator in the composition, but
when the temperature reaches 120°C, the presence of lime in the drilling fluids shows smaller viscosity
measurements. When the measuring and rolling up temperature is 120°C, the presence of lime in the
composition always shows higher viscosity values than when the fluid contains polar activator in its
composition.
Figs. 1a and 1b shows viscosity and temperature values for castor oil based drilling fluids with lime and
polar activator, respectively.
6 SPE-185451-MS

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Figure 1a—Viscosity vsTemperature for obm with strong bases (lime) in the composition.

Figure 1b—Viscosity vs. Temperature for obm with polar activator in the composition.

It is analyzed that when the fluid has presence of lime, the viscosity changes compared to the same fluid
without being rolled up are on average 21% less stable than when there is polar activator.
In conclusion, as the temperature increases the castor oil tends to decrease its viscosity, the presence of
lime in the composition of a drilling fluid with this vegetable oil tends to produce higher values of viscosity,
but its behavior is less stable than when there is polar activator in the composition.

Changes in the composition

Changes in the composition of the castor oil based drilling (obm) rolled up at 65°C and 120°C are shown in
Table 4. The composition of this obm is affected by the presence of strong bases such as lime when heated
during 16 hours at temperature of 65°C, showing 17% more glycerol on the results from the retort tests,
SPE-185451-MS 7

this change in composition affects the stability of the rheological behavior of the fluid at this temperature
(see table 4 and fig. 1a).

Table 4—Changes on the fluids composition at temperatures between 65°C - 120°C.

OBM with lime OBM with polar activator OBM with lime rolled OBM with polar activator
Composition rolled up 16hr 65C° rolled up 16hr 65° C up 16 hr 120° C rolled up 16hr 120° C

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Solids (%) 12% 12% 12% 18%
glycerol (%) 57% 40% 32% 32%
Fatty acids(%) 31% 48% 56% 50%

When fluids are heated at 120°C during 16 hours there is no significant composition difference between
both fluids, which is why their viscous behaviors are more linear at these conditions (see table 4, fig. 1a,
and fig. 1b).
The behavior of the fluids with castor oil in the presence of strong bases like the lime becomes stable
as the temperature increases until 120°C, whereas when there is no lime in the composition the behavior is
more constant at all the rolling up temperatures. (See fig 1a and fig. 1b).

Toxicity tests
The ponds were contaminated with stable and acclimated populations of 7 days old fingerlings, they were
irrigated with drilling fluids based on diesel oil, palm oil, and castor oil and the mortality rate of the fish
was observed in a time of 96 hours. It is observed that the fishes are resistant to a concentration of 500
ppm of any sampled base fluid. When a concentration of 600 ppm of oils is reached, there is a mortality of
10% in environments where there is presence of fluids with diesel or palm oil. Starting to die fishes from
48 hours when there is diesel and 72 hours when there is palm oil in the environment. For the castor oil the
percentage of dead specimens with 600 ppm during 96 hours is zero.
The lethal concentration with which 50% of the fingerlings die (LC50) in the presence of castor oil is
5000 ppm where fishes begin to die after 8 hours for all oils. The mortality results of the fishes with each
concentration can be observed in Table 5.

Table 5—Percentage of fingerlings mortality by polluting their environment with oil based drilling fluids.

Concentration of Exposure time (hours) Percentage of

contaminating alive red tilapia
fluids (ppm) Drilling fluid base 2 4 6 8 24 48 72 96 fingerings (%)

0 No drilling fluid 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 100

Diesel 0 0 0 0 0 10 10 10 90
600 Palm oil 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 10 90
Castor oil 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 100
Diesel 0 0 10 10 10 20 20 20 80
1000 Palm oil 0 0 0 0 0 10 10 10 90
Castor oil 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 10 90
Diesel 0 0 0 10 10 20 20 30 70
2000 Palm oil 0 0 0 10 10 20 20 20 80
Castor oil 0 0 0 0 0 10 10 10 90
Diesel 0 0 0 10 20 40 50 50 50
5000 Palm oil 0 0 0 10 10 20 40 50 50
Castor oil 0 0 0 10 10 30 40 50 50
8 SPE-185451-MS

Conclusions
As the temperature increases the castor oil tends to decrease its viscosity, the presence of lime in the
composition of a drilling fluid with this vegetable oil tends to produce higher values of viscosity, but its
behavior is less stable than when there is polar activator in the composition.
The fluids behavior in the presence of strong bases like lime becomes stable as the rolling up temperature
increases until 120°C, whereas when there is no lime in the composition the behavior is more constant in all

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the cases and the change of viscosity with respect to the initial viscosity is smaller. The presence of strong
bases tends to decrease the fluid's percentage of fatty acids 17% at 65°C and increase 6% at 120°C with
respect to the fluids with polar activator rolled up at the same conditions.
According to the mortality rates and the time after each contamination, it can be said that in case of a
spill in bodies of water, it would be possible to take the necessary measures for the removal of the castor oil
based drilling muds without generating almost no impact on the environment due the concentration required
for 50% of the fish to die is 5000 ppm of mud after 96 hours (96LC50), in addition, it can be verified that
the diesel based mud generates fish mortality more quickly than the castor oil and palm oil based muds.

Acknoledgments
This research was made possible through the support of the Fluidos y Servicios Company and is product of
the author's undergraduate thesis to obtain the bachelor's degree in petroleum engineering.

References
1. Adewale, D. 2010. Development of Enviromentally Friendly Oil Based Mud Using Palm Oil and
Ground Oil. Presented at the SPE Nigeria Annual International Conference and, Tinapa-Calabar,
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2. API RP 13B2, 2014 Recommended Practice for Field Testing of Oil-based Drilling Fluids Fifth
Edition. April 2014. Washington DC: API.
3. API RP 13D, 2010. Recommended Practice for Rheology and Hydraulics of Oil-well Drilling
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Journal of Innovation and Applies Studies 3 (2): 282–287. ISSN 2028-9324.
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