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Evaluating the Suitability of Clays from Abakaliki Area, Southeastern Nigeria for Oil Industrial Application Using Geotechnical and Rheological Properties

Received: 07 July 2015    Accepted: 18 July 2015    Published: 28 July 2015
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Abstract

The characteristics of clays from Abakaliki area, southeastern Nigeria were characterized to establish its suitability in oil industry as drilling mud when compared with naturally active bentonitic clays from Wyoming and Texas which are used in the industry as drilling mud. The chemical, mineralogical and geotechnical properties were employed in assessing the suitability of Abakaliki clays as drilling mud. Mineralogically, the clays were all characterized as dominantly Illite as well as montmorillonite with low percentages of kaolinite. The chemical composition of the clays indicates low percentages of Na2O when compared with that of Wyoming bentonite with fairly higher percentages of CaO and K2O than are required for drilling mud clays. The clays are plastic; with liquid limit (LL) of 58 8 to 72.8, plastic limit (PL) of 25 to 30 and plasticity index (API) of 26 to 45.8. They classify as inorganic clays of high plasticity (CH) according to Unified Soil Classification System (USCS) and as A-7-6 according to American Association of State High and Transportation Official’s (AASHTO) classification systems. The natural pH values are greater than 8.10, while the viscosity values varied from 5.9 centipoises to 8.0 centipoises for 10 g clay per 350 ml water. Some of these natural properties (Na2O and CaO contents, LL, PI and viscosity) of these Nigerian clays failed to satisfy the required specifications outlined for clays used as drilling mud when compared with the properties of Wyoming bentonite. This clay will possibly yield low plastic viscosities but with additives such as Sodium Carbonate and Carboxymethyl Cellulose, the rheological properties for Abakaliki clay will remarkably improve.

DOI 10.11648/j.si.20150302.11
Published in Science Innovation (Volume 3, Issue 2, April 2015)
Page(s) 22-31
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Abakaliki Clay, Drilling Mud, Geotechnical Analysis, Southeastern Nigeria, Wyoming Bentonite

References
[1] Abdullahi, A.S., Ibrahim, A.A., Muhammad, M.A, Kwaya, M.Y. and Mustapha, S., 2011. Comparative evaluation of rheological properties of standard commercial bentonite and a locally beneficiated bentonitic clay from a marine deposit in upper benue basin, Nigeria, British Journal of Applied Science & Technology 1(4): 211-221.1.
[2] Apugo-Nwosu, T.U., Mohammed-Dabo, I.A., Ahmed, A.S., Abubakar, G., Alkali, A.S. and Ayilara, S.SI. 2011. Studies on the suitability of ubakala bentonitic clay for oil well drilling mud formation. british journal of aplied science and technology. 1 (4): 152-171.
[3] American Society for Testing and Material (ASTM C97, 2354) (1989). Annual book. American society for testing and material standard, part 19, philadelphia.
[4] Benkhelil. J., Guiraud, M. Ponsard, J. F. and Saugy, L. (1989). The Bornu – Benue Trough, the Niger Delta and its offshore: tectono-sedimentary reconstruction during the Cretaceous and Tertiary from geophysical data and geology. In: Kogbe, C.A. (Ed.). Geology of Nigeria. 2nd Edition. Rock view Ltd Jos. pp 213-234.
[5] British Standard Institution (BS 1377) (1990). Methods of testing soils for Civil Engineering purpose, British Standard Institution, London.
[6] Chen, F.H. (1988). Foundations on expansive soils. 2nd Edition, Elsevier Scientific, Amsterdam.
[7] Ezeribe, I.E. and Oyedeji, O.A. (2005). The suitability of Nigerian bentonites and black cotton soils as drilling mud. Report submitted to Nigerian Geological Survey Agency. V. 2B. 244pp.
[8] Falode, O.A., Ehinola, O.A., Nebeife, P.C. (2007). Evaluation of Local Bentonitic Clay as Oil Well Drilling Fluids in Nigeria, Applied Clay Science 39, 19-27.
[9] Grim, R.E. (1968). Clay Mineralogy. 2nd Edition, McGraw- Hill, New York, 596 pp.
[10] Hall, P.L. (1993). Mechanism of overpressuring: an overview In: Manning, D.A.C., Hall, P.L. Hughes, C.R., (Eds), Geochemistry of clay-pore fluid interactions. Chapman and Hall, London. pp. 265-309.
[11] Holtz, W.G. and Gibbs, H.J. (1956). Engineering properties of expansive clay. Transactions of American Society of Civil Engineers, 121, 641-663.
[12] Hoque, M. and Nwajide, C.S. (1988). Tectono-sedimentological evolution of elongated intracratonic basin (Aulacogen): the case of Benue Trough Nigeria. Journal of Mining and Geology 21, 12-18.
[13] Garvey, C.M., Savoly, A., Resnick, A.L. (1988). Fluid loss Control Additives and Drilling Fluids Containing Same, United States Patent 4741843.
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[15] Kelessidis, V.C., Mihalakis, A., Tsamantaki, C. (2005). Rheology and rheological parameter determination of bentonite-water and bentonite-lignite-water mixtures at low and high temperatures, 7th world congress of chemical engineering, 10-14th july 2005, Glasgow.
[16] Kenigan, G.C. (1971). A sample preparation device for X-ray fluorescence. Journal of Physics Earth Science Instrument 5, 544-545.
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[18] Mihalakis, T.S., Makhri, P.G., Kelessidis, V.C., Christidis, G.E., Foscolos, A.E. and Papanikolaou, C.E. (2004). Improving rheological and filtration properties of drilling mud with addition of Greek lignite. Paper presented at the 7th National Congress on Soil Mechanics, 24-26 June, 2004, Chania.
[19] Murat, R. C., (1972). Stratigraphy and Paleoenvironment of the Cretaceous and lower Tertiary in southern Nigeria. In: Dessauvagie J. F. J. and Whiteman, A. J (ed.) University of Ibadan Press Nigeria, pp.251-266.
[20] Obaje, N. G. (2009). Geology and Mineral Resources of Nigeria, Lecture Notes in Earth Science, Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
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[22] Okogbue, C.O. and Ene, E. (2008). Geochemical and geotechnical characteristics and the potential for use in drilling mud of some clay bodies in Southeastern Nigeria. Journal of Mining and Geology 44(2), 121-130.
[23] Okogbue, C.O., Nweke, O.M. and Aghamelu, O.P. (2011). Performance of Beneficiated Clays from Southeastern Nigeria as Drilling Mud. 1st International conference on clays and clay minerals in Africa and 2nd International Conference on Geophagia in Southern Africa. Bloemfontein. 19th-21st October, 2011. Book of Conference Proceedings. Pp. 47-59.
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Author Information
  • Department of Geology, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria

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  • APA Style

    Nweke Obisi Mathias. (2015). Evaluating the Suitability of Clays from Abakaliki Area, Southeastern Nigeria for Oil Industrial Application Using Geotechnical and Rheological Properties. Science Innovation, 3(2), 22-31. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.si.20150302.11

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    ACS Style

    Nweke Obisi Mathias. Evaluating the Suitability of Clays from Abakaliki Area, Southeastern Nigeria for Oil Industrial Application Using Geotechnical and Rheological Properties. Sci. Innov. 2015, 3(2), 22-31. doi: 10.11648/j.si.20150302.11

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    AMA Style

    Nweke Obisi Mathias. Evaluating the Suitability of Clays from Abakaliki Area, Southeastern Nigeria for Oil Industrial Application Using Geotechnical and Rheological Properties. Sci Innov. 2015;3(2):22-31. doi: 10.11648/j.si.20150302.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.si.20150302.11,
      author = {Nweke Obisi Mathias},
      title = {Evaluating the Suitability of Clays from Abakaliki Area, Southeastern Nigeria for Oil Industrial Application Using Geotechnical and Rheological Properties},
      journal = {Science Innovation},
      volume = {3},
      number = {2},
      pages = {22-31},
      doi = {10.11648/j.si.20150302.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.si.20150302.11},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.si.20150302.11},
      abstract = {The characteristics of clays from Abakaliki area, southeastern Nigeria were characterized to establish its suitability in oil industry as drilling mud when compared with naturally active bentonitic clays from Wyoming and Texas which are used in the industry as drilling mud. The chemical, mineralogical and geotechnical properties were employed in assessing the suitability of Abakaliki clays as drilling mud. Mineralogically, the clays were all characterized as dominantly Illite as well as montmorillonite with low percentages of kaolinite. The chemical composition of the clays indicates low percentages of Na2O when compared with that of Wyoming bentonite with fairly higher percentages of CaO and K2O than are required for drilling mud clays. The clays are plastic; with liquid limit (LL) of 58 8 to 72.8, plastic limit (PL) of 25 to 30 and plasticity index (API) of 26 to 45.8. They classify as inorganic clays of high plasticity (CH) according to Unified Soil Classification System (USCS) and as A-7-6 according to American Association of State High and Transportation Official’s (AASHTO) classification systems. The natural pH values are greater than 8.10, while the viscosity values varied from 5.9 centipoises to 8.0 centipoises for 10 g clay per 350 ml water. Some of these natural properties (Na2O and CaO contents, LL, PI and viscosity) of these Nigerian clays failed to satisfy the required specifications outlined for clays used as drilling mud when compared with the properties of Wyoming bentonite. This clay will possibly yield low plastic viscosities but with additives such as Sodium Carbonate and Carboxymethyl Cellulose, the rheological properties for Abakaliki clay will remarkably improve.},
     year = {2015}
    }
    

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    AU  - Nweke Obisi Mathias
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    AB  - The characteristics of clays from Abakaliki area, southeastern Nigeria were characterized to establish its suitability in oil industry as drilling mud when compared with naturally active bentonitic clays from Wyoming and Texas which are used in the industry as drilling mud. The chemical, mineralogical and geotechnical properties were employed in assessing the suitability of Abakaliki clays as drilling mud. Mineralogically, the clays were all characterized as dominantly Illite as well as montmorillonite with low percentages of kaolinite. The chemical composition of the clays indicates low percentages of Na2O when compared with that of Wyoming bentonite with fairly higher percentages of CaO and K2O than are required for drilling mud clays. The clays are plastic; with liquid limit (LL) of 58 8 to 72.8, plastic limit (PL) of 25 to 30 and plasticity index (API) of 26 to 45.8. They classify as inorganic clays of high plasticity (CH) according to Unified Soil Classification System (USCS) and as A-7-6 according to American Association of State High and Transportation Official’s (AASHTO) classification systems. The natural pH values are greater than 8.10, while the viscosity values varied from 5.9 centipoises to 8.0 centipoises for 10 g clay per 350 ml water. Some of these natural properties (Na2O and CaO contents, LL, PI and viscosity) of these Nigerian clays failed to satisfy the required specifications outlined for clays used as drilling mud when compared with the properties of Wyoming bentonite. This clay will possibly yield low plastic viscosities but with additives such as Sodium Carbonate and Carboxymethyl Cellulose, the rheological properties for Abakaliki clay will remarkably improve.
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