Chemical Treatment Of Bentonitic Suspensions And The Relationship To The Heaving-Shale Problem

THE development of effective and dependable methods for drilling through the so-called "heaving-shale" horizons, particularly in the Gulf Coast area, is believed to comprise a major contribution to drilling technology, and to the task of finding and developing our undiscovered oil pools. Many mechanical remedies have been proposed and are in use in troublesome areas for combating heaving shale. However, in conducting a research program it was concluded that the physical and chemical properties of shales should be investigated, and the effect of added chemicals on such properties determined. As a preliminary step, the effect of chemicals on bentonitic suspensions was determined in accordance with recent contributions in the field of ceramics. The most plausible theoretical explanations for the behavior of the clay minerals involved are offered in the paper that follows. It is hoped that subsequent investigation of actual shale from troublesome wells will be aided by the initial work done on bentonitic suspensions of known composition. INTRODUCTION Formations variously designated as "heaving shale," "sloughing shale" and "caving shale" impede and may even preclude drilling of oil wells, particularly in certain parts of the Gulf Coast. In a previous paper1 it has been stated that the development of effective and dependable methods for drilling through these troublesome beds is believed to comprise a major contribution to drilling technology, and to the task of finding and developing our undiscovered oil pools. Since the attack on the heaving-shale problem by mechanical means was principally a matter of field investigation, it was concluded that a research program should be concerned with the physical and chemical properties of heaving shales, and the effect of added chemicals on such properties. It was realized that a study of shales required an advanced knowledge of the behavior of the individual clay minerals. A thorough review of the literature led the authors to the conclusion that very recent contributions2.3 in the field of ceramics furnished the most plausible theoretical explanations for the behavior of clay minerals. Accordingly, these fundamental ideas will be used in an attempt to explain the behavior of more complex systems whose composition and replaceable ions are known. In order to obtain comparable results it was deemed important to select an easily procurable clay of uniform characteristics. Accordingly, Wyoming bentonite, which is marketed under the name of "Volclay,"* was used for the preliminary investigations. The chemical analysis reported by the distribution is given as follows: