Thermal stability of Saudi palygorskite for oil well drilling applications

الملخص EN

Recent characterization and testing of Umm er Radhuma shales indicated that they are essentially composed of the mineral palygorskite which could be successfully used in oil well drilling fluids.

The thermal stability of palygorskite in drilling fluids have been studied by autoclaving them at temperatures in the range 76-300°F with and without the addition of chlorides, and/or hyd- roxides of Na.

K.Caand Mg.

The thermal stability of clays have been determined by X-ray dif- fraction and electron microscope.

The changes in the rheological properties have been corre- lated with the mineralogy of the used clays.