ABSTRACT

Water based drilling fluids were developed using bentonite, guar gum, polyanionic

cellulose PAC and gum arabic. The rheological behaviors and the filtration loss property of each

drilling fluid developed were measured using API recommended standard procedures. The

developed drilling fluid combinations were hot rolled using Hot Air Rolling Oven and Aging

Cells for 16 hours to study temperature stability of the drilling fluid additives. It was found that

the developed drilling fluid system has rheological properties and fluid loss control required for

minimum performance in oil well drilling. Guar gum showed the highest gel strength and most

stable rheological properties but very bad filtration loss property while gum arabic had unstable

rheological properties but stable gel strength and good filtration loss property.

Gum arabic is available in commercial quantities in Nigeria and as such the use in

development of drilling fluids should be encouraged. It is cheap, readily available and performs

the functions of more than one additive, thus is a more viable additive.