Enhancing the environmental sustainability and performance of drilling fluids through the incorporation of silica nanoparticles and aloe vera powder extracts

  • Ahmed Sabri orcid

    Department of Petroleum Engineering, University of Technology Malaysia, 81310, Malaysia
  • Anas Elhederi orcid

    Department of Petroleum Engineering, University of Technology Malaysia, 81310, Malaysia
Article ID: 3519
DOI: https://doi.org/10.59400/mtr3519
Keywords: silica nanoparticles, aloe vera, drilling fluids, water-based mud, environmental sustainability, green additives

Abstract

This research explores the use of Aloe Vera powder and silica nanoparticles (SNPs) as environmentally friendly additives aimed at enhancing the rheological and filtration performance of water-based drilling muds. The work evaluates how different concentrations of SNPs (0.2 g, 0.3 g, and 0.4 g) combined with Aloe Vera affects key drilling fluid properties, including mud density, plastic viscosity, apparent viscosity, yield point, pH, gel strength, and filtration performance before and after hot rolling. The findings indicate that Aloe Vera alone can improve the drilling mud’s rheology by increasing its viscosity and suspension ability, while also contributing to a noticeable reduction in pH. When paired with SNP, the interactions between the biopolymer and nanoparticles create a synergistic effect, especially at 0.3 g and 0.4 g SNP concentrations. At these levels, mud demonstrated better viscosity behavior, higher yield point values, and more effective control of fluid loss, suggesting a more reinforced internal structure. However, thermal stability declined after hot rolling, implying that high temperatures may weaken or alter the intermolecular forces responsible for the enhanced performance under normal conditions. Overall, the study demonstrates that blending Aloe Vera with SNPs offers a promising, sustainable approach to improve drilling fluid behavior while supporting more environmentally responsible drilling operations.

Published
2025-09-21
How to Cite
Sabri, A., & Elhederi, A. (2025). Enhancing the environmental sustainability and performance of drilling fluids through the incorporation of silica nanoparticles and aloe vera powder extracts. Materials Technology Reports, 3(2). https://doi.org/10.59400/mtr3519
Issue
Vol. 3 No. 2 (2025)
Section
Article

Copyright (c) 2025 Ahmed Sabri, Anas Elhederi

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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