Sepiolite & attapulgite clays in offshore drilling fluids formulations - Oilfield Minerals Conference in Houston in June 2024:

Presentation is available under request at [email protected] or [email protected]

Barite & Oilfield Minerals Forum 2024, The Royal Sonesta Hotel?Houston Galleria, 5-7 June 2024

Due to current challenges in drilling, selecting and formulating high-performance drilling fluids has become critical.

As the search for oil and gas ventures into deeper, high-pressure, high-temperature, seawater environments, the use of sepiolite and attapulgite clays has become increasingly important.

These clays are often unknown to formulators of drilling fluids because they are less available in nature compared to other rheological clays like bentonite. For example, Spain has the purest sepiolite reserves in the world, while gelling attapulgite clays are primarily found in the USA and Senegal.

Sepiolsa, the clay division of the Minersa Group, is a global leader in the mining of both sepiolite and attapulgite clays, with access to some of the world's most significant deposits. From these deposits, we produce the RHEOPLUS line of rheological additives (www.rheoplus.com).

Differences between Bentonite and Sepiolite & Attapulgite Clays

Bentonite clays and Sepiolite & Attapulgite clays exhibit distinct differences in their properties and performance, particularly in offshore drilling applications.

Differences:

Bentonite:

• Structure and Properties: Bentonite clays have a flake-like structure formed by silicate layers with interchanging ions in between. They are swelling clays, offering high viscosity levels.
• Availability: Bentonite is widely available in nature.
• Sensitivity to Saltwater: Bentonite is sensitive to high salt concentrations, leading to undesirable rheological performance and borehole instability in saltwater conditions. The hydration of bentonite is restrained by high salt concentrations, affecting its effectiveness in such environments.

Sepiolite & Attapulgite:

• Structure and Properties: In contrast, Sepiolite and Attapulgite clays have a needle-like structure with OH- groups on their surface.
• Resistance to Electrolytes: These clays are not sensitive to electrolyte levels, making them ideal for use in saltwater conditions.
• Stability: Sepiolite and Attapulgite maintain their rheological properties and stability even in high-salt environments, ensuring consistent performance during offshore drilling operations.
• Water Retention and Thixotropy: These clays exhibit high water retention properties and thixotropic behavior, offering improved pumpability, shear-thinning, suspension control, flow control, sag resistance, workability, and anti-bleeding properties.

Sepiolite and attapulgite clays are less known among drilling fluid formulators because they are less available in nature compared to other rheological clays like bentonite. For example, Spain holds the highest purity sepiolite reserves in the world, while gelling attapulgite clays are primarily found in the USA and Senegal.

Sepiolite and attapulgite clays offer several key advantages when used in offshore drilling fluids:

Salt Tolerance: Unlike bentonite, which can be affected by high salt concentrations leading to undesirable rheological performance and borehole instability, sepiolite and attapulgite clays are not sensitive to electrolyte levels. This makes them ideal for drilling fluids in high salt contamination conditions.

Thermal Stability: These clays maintain their rheological properties even in high-temperature environments, making them suitable for use in deep, hot wells where other clays may lose effectiveness.

Rheological Properties: Sepiolite-based muds exhibit stable rheological properties, ensuring consistent performance during drilling operations.

Enhanced Stability: These clays contribute to borehole stability, preventing issues related to fluid loss and wellbore instability.

Overall, the unique thermal stability, salt tolerance, and rheological properties of sepiolite and attapulgite clays make them valuable components in offshore drilling fluids, particularly in challenging offshore drilling environments.

Logistics advantages of SPAIN

At the end of the conference, we highlighted the strategic significance of Spain in the global logistics network:

Spain holds a strategic advantage in the logistics routes for the export of sepiolite and attapulgite clays, making it a crucial hub for these minerals. The importance of Spain in the export of these clays is underscored by several key advantages:

1. Geographical Location: Spain's location at the crossroads of Europe, Africa, and America provides a logistical advantage for exporting minerals to these continents efficiently 1.
2. Transport Infrastructure: Spain boasts well-developed transport infrastructure, including ports and road networks, facilitating the smooth movement of goods to international market

FINAL STATEMENTS

• Sepiolite and attapulgite are scarce and sometimes unknown in comparison with other clays and phyllosilicates (such as bentonite clay), but they offer highly efficient performance.
• Rheoplus sepiolite and attapulgite viscosifiers are ideal for challenging conditions, including seawater drilling fluids and high-temperature environments.
• Rheoplus is a global brand in high-purity sepiolite and gelling attapulgite grade, with proven reserves lasting more than 50 years.
• Spain's strategic location and excellent communication networks allow us to operate efficiently on a global scale.

Contact us for more info:

[email protected]

[email protected]

Visit our websites:

www.rheoplus.com (products)

www.sepiolsa.com (company website)

www.minersa.com (group website)