Effects of imidazolium- and ammonium-based ionic liquids on clay swelling: experimental and simulation approach

• Published in: Journal of petroleum exploration and production technology 2022-07, Vol.12 (7), p.1841-1853
• Main Authors: Rahman, Md Tauhidur, Negash, Berihun Mamo, Danso, David Kwaku, Idris, Alamin, Elryes, Ahmed Abdulla, Umar, Ibrahim Adamu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ammonium; Ammonium compounds; Analytical methods; Cations; Chemical Engineering; Clay; Clay stabilizer; Contact angle; COSMO-RS simulation; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Energy Systems; Fluids; Fourier transforms; Geology; Hydraulic fracturing; Hydraulic fracturing fluids; Industrial and Production Engineering; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Infrared spectroscopy; Inhibitors; Ionic liquids; Ions; Kemiteknik; Liquids; Monitoring/Environmental Analysis; Offshore Engineering; Original Paper-Production Engineering; Potassium; Potassium chloride; Rheological properties; Rheology; Shale hydration and swelling inhibition; Simulation; Swelling; Swelling inhibition mechanisms; Zeta potential
• ISSN: 2190-0558; 2190-0566; 2190-0566
• DOI: 10.1007/s13202-021-01410-z

Water-based fracturing fluids without an inhibitor promote clay swelling, which eventually creates wellbore instability. Several ionic liquids (ILs) have been studied as swelling inhibitors in recent years. The cations of the ILs are crucial to the inhibitory mechanisms that take place during hydraulic fracturing. Individual studies were carried out on several ILs with various cations, with the most frequently found being ammonium and imidazolium cations. As a result, the goal of this study is to compare these two cations to find an effective swelling inhibitor. A comparison and evaluation of the clay swelling inhibitory properties of tetramethylammonium chloride (TMACl) and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (EMIMCl) were conducted in this work. Their results were also compared to a conventional inhibitor, potassium chloride (KCl), to see which performed better. The linear swelling test and the rheology test were used to determine the inhibitory performance of these compounds. Zeta potential measurements, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and contact angle measurements were carried out to experimentally explain the inhibitory mechanisms. In addition, the COSMO-RS simulation was conducted to explain the inhibitory processes and provide support for the experimental findings. The findings of the linear swelling test revealed that the swelling was reduced by 23.40% and 15.66%, respectively, after the application of TMACl and EMIMCl. The adsorption of ILs on the negatively charged clay surfaces, neutralizing the charges, as well as the lowering of the surface hydrophilicity, aided in the improvement of the swelling inhibition performance.