The great potential of nanomaterials in drilling & drilling fluid applications

The continuous development of global economy with decreasing in available hydrocarbon sources and increasing discovery and extraction costs due to decrease in-situ oil and gas reservoir, displays the necessity of using new techniques for the improve rate of penetration and productivity in well. Nanotechnology has already contributed significantly to technological advances in the energy industries. Nanotechnology has the potential to introduce revolutionary change in drilling industry. Nanotechnology produces nanomaterials with many attractive properties, which can play an important role in intensifying mud cake quality, reducing friction, eliminating differential pipe sticking, maintaining borehole stability, protecting reservoir, and enhancing oil and gas recovery. Nano fluids can be designed by adding nano-sized particles in low volumetric fractions to a fluid. The nano particles modify the fluid properties, and suspensions of nano-sized particles can provide numerous advantages. This paper presents an extensive literature review of assessing the applications of nanomaterials in drilling and drilling fluids, and evaluates the potential technical benefits that these nanomaterials might provide to petroleum development and production.