Biosurfactants are promising additives for gas hydrate technology applications. They are believed to have better eco properties than conventional kinetic hydrate promoters such as sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). In this article, the research advances on the use of biosurfactants for gas hydrate formation enhancement have been reviewed and discussed in detail to provide current knowledge on their progress in green chemistry technologies. Specifically, the use of bio promoters in carbon capture, gas storage and transportation are discussed. By far, biosurfactants seem to perform better than conventional hydrate promoters and have the potential to lead to the commercialization of gas hydrate-based technologies in terms of improving hydrate kinetics.

Experimental study on the effects of cement contamination in a water based mud

Gas hydrate sediments are known as future energy source and potential technique for the storage CO₂. However, the drilling of hydrate sediments are challenged with inappropriate drilling mud systems. Ionic liquids are introduced as novel drilling mud agents that can enhance the rheology of water-based mud and at the same time manage hydrate formation risk during hydrate sediments drilling. However, the disturbances of ionic liquid water-based mud filtrate on hydrate in-situ rocks is not well understood. To achieve this, the phase behaviour of methane hydrates in 1-Ethyl-3-methy-limidazolium chloride (EMIM-Cl) water-based mud at different EMIM-Cl concentrations were measured using the isochoric T-cycle technique in a high-pressure hydrate cell within the temperatures and pressures and ranges from 273.68 – 286.10 K and 3.60 – 9.70 MPa, respectively. The rheological properties of the EMIM-Cl mud systems were tested using a TA rheometer at 271.15 K – 313.15 K. The presence of EMIM-Cl had very minimal disturbances (less than 0.5 K shift) on methane hydrate at the studied concentrations. The disturbance of EMIM-Cl of methane hydrates in pure water system is reduced by 74% in drilling mud systems. The use of EMIM-Cl at 3 wt.% could reduce the methane hydrate disturbance effect 2 times as methanol. EMIM-Cl reduced the thermal degradation of the mud by 55% at 1 wt.% with very low viscosity. The viscosity reduction of the mud occurs at lower EMIM-Cl concentrations. Suggesting that, using ionic liquids water-based mud to drill hydrate sediments will reduce the risk of releasing compacted methane gas into the borehole while drilling. In addition, an attempt is made to predict the methane hydrate equilibrium curve in the presence of the EMIM-Cl using the Dickens and Quinby-Hunt, (1997) model.

In the evolving landscape of petroleum drilling, the quest for eco-friendly alternatives to traditional mud additives is paramount. This study explored the performance of Dry Bamboo Leaves Powder (DBLP) from Bambusa heterostachya as an additive in water-based mud. Dry Bamboo Leaves were obtained, crushed, and then sieved to 106-micron size. Mud properties, including mud weight, plastic viscosity, yield point, gel strength, mud cake thickness and filtrate volume were examined under fresh conditions by integrating different concentrations of DBLP (3.5 g, 7.0 g, 10.5 g, and 14 g). The laboratory experiments adhered to the standards set by the American Petroleum Institute (API). The introduction of DBLP concentrations resulted in a reduction in the alkalinity and mud weight of the drilling mud. Additionally, the drilling mud's yield point and plastic viscosity were altered at different DBLP concentrations. The inclusion of DBLP enhanced the gel strength and decreased filtrate volume while maintaining the same mud cake thickness.

Oil well cementing has always been a vital, indispensable, and costly part of drilling and wellbore completion. Ensuring high-quality cement slurry is crucial for safe and economical oil production over the well's entire lifespan. However, designing the optimal cement slurry for oil wells is challenging due to the several parameters that must be considered to achieve successful cementing. This study examines the effects of water-cement ratio and temperature on the density and rheological properties of class G cement slurry. Four cement samples with water-cement ratios of 0.34, 0.39, 0.44, and 0.49 were tested at 25 °C and 45 °C. A homogenous mixture of the slurries without additives was obtained by following American Petroleum Institute (API) standards. The study showed that the density of oil well cement slurries decreased as the water-cement ratio increased. The rheological properties of the slurries decreased with higher water-cement ratios. However, the rheological properties of each water-cement ratio increased as the temperature rose. This demonstrates that the water-to-cement ratio and temperature strongly influence the rheological properties of oil well cement slurries.

The drilling process relies on drilling fluids to create a safe, usable and cost-effective wellbore. Many additives used to maintain drilling fluid properties are non-biodegradable and pose environmental and human health risks. This concern has increased interest in exploring eco-friendly materials as additives in water-based mud. This study investigated the impact of Dry Mango Leaves Powder (DMLP), obtained from the Kent Mango Tree, as an additive in water-based mud. DMLP was prepared by crushing and sieving it to a 75-micron size. Five drilling fluid samples were created: four with different DMLP concentrations (1.75 g to 7.0 g) and one control without DMLP. The samples were aged for 16 hours at room temperature before assessing the mud weight, pH, and filtration characteristics at room temperature and rheological properties at 77 °F (25 °C), 120 °F (48.8 °C) and 150 °F (65.5 °C). The properties were determined by following the standards of the American Petroleum Institute. The results demonstrated that DMLP effectively reduced alkalinity by 25.2% at a concentration of 7.0g. Rheological values and plastic viscosity decreased with increasing DMLP concentration at 77 °F, 120 °F and 150 °F, though there were no significant changes in the yield point. The addition of DMLP improved gel strengths with the difference in the final and initial gel strength staying below lb/100ft² at all concentrations and temperatures, except for a concentration of 1.75 g at 77 °F. The addition of 7.0 g of DMLP reduced the fluid loss by 22.4%. Although DMLP showed potential in improving gel strength and fluid loss, its effectiveness as a weighting agent remains limited. This study demonstrates the potential of DMLP as an eco-friendly additive to enhance certain properties of water-based mud, making it a promising alternative for sustainable drilling operations.