Analysis of the Addition of Pumpkin Additive on Filtration Loss, Mud Cake, and Drilling Mud Rheology

Abstract

Drilling is one of the most crucial processes in the oil and gas industry. Among the various types of drilling fluids used in field operations, Water-Based Mud (WBM) remains one of the most widely applied systems. However, this type of drilling fluid still commonly faces challenges related to rheological instability and excessive filtration loss. The extensive use of synthetic additives as filtration control agents has raised environmental concerns, highlighting the need to explore sustainable alternatives. This study aims to analyze the effect of yellow pumpkin addition on filtration loss, drilling mud rheological properties, and mud cake characteristics in water-based mud systems. The study employed a laboratory-scale experimental approach involving four sample variations: 0 g, 6 g, 8 g, and 10 g of yellow pumpkin additive. Testing parameters included mud weight, filtration loss, mud cake thickness, plastic viscosity, yield point, gel strength, and pH in accordance with API 13A standards. The results demonstrated that pumpkin addition significantly affected drilling mud properties, particularly by reducing filtration loss from 8.3 mL to 5.4 mL with the addition of 10 g of pumpkin additive, representing a 34.94% reduction. In addition, mud cake thickness decreased from 0.33 mm to 0.23 mm at the same concentration. Among the 6 g, 8 g, and 10 g samples, the rheological parameter most significantly affected was yield point, which increased from 15 lb/100 ft² to 44 lb/100 ft², while pH values shifted from 10.7 (alkaline) to 7.05 (neutral). These findings indicate that yellow pumpkin starch, due to its high amylopectin content, has potential as an effective biodegradable filtration control agent for water-based drilling fluids.