Application of a Novel and Sustainable Silicate Solution as an Alternative to Sodium Silicate for Clay Swelling Inhibition

[Image: see text] Shale swelling during drilling operations causes many problems mainly related to wellbore instability. The oil-based muds (OBMs) are very effective in controlling the swelling potential of clay-rich shale formation, but their environmental concerns and the economic aspects curtail their usage. In the application of water-based mud (WBM), it is mixed with various swelling inhibitors such as inorganic salts (KCl and NaCl), sodium silicate, polymers, and amines of various types. The above-mentioned materials are however afflicted by some limitations in terms of their toxicity, their effect on drilling mud rheology, and their limited tolerance toward temperature and oil contamination. In this study, we investigated a novel hybrid aqueous alkali alumino silicate (AAAS) as a shale swelling inhibitor in WBM. The AAAS is a mixture of sodium, aluminum, and silicon oxides. Experimental investigations were carried out using a linear swell meter, hot rolling and capillary suction timer, ζ-potential test, filtration test, and rheology test. The application of hybrid silicate as a swelling inhibitor was studied in two phases. In the first phase, only silicate solutions were prepared in deionized water at various ratios (1, 2, and 5%) and tested on sodium bentonite and shale samples containing high contents of kaolinite clay. Further testing on commonly used inhibitors such as KCl and sodium silicate solutions was conducted for comparative purposes. In the second phase, different drilling mud formulations consisting of various percentages of AAAS were mixed and tested on original shale samples. It was observed that the novel silicate-based mix proved to be a strong shale swelling inhibitor. Its inhibition performance was better as compared to the sodium silicate solution and KCl solution. It not only inhibits shale swelling but also acts as a shale stabilizer due to its high adsorption on the shale surface, which prevents the shale/water reactivity, makes the shale formation stronger, and prevents caving.