Production from unconventional hydrocarbon resources, such as shale gas, shale oil, deepwater ٨ and arctic reservoirs requires advanced drilling and extraction technologies. Furthermore, ٩ minimizing the environmental footprints associated with oil recovery processes are critical. ١٠ Nanotechnology has been shown promising solutions to overcome such issues in oil and gas ١١ industry. Many studies have been conducted to analyse the enhancement of drilling fluids ١٢ through the use of nanotechnology. In these studies modification of rheological, filtration, and ١٣ heat transfer properties and friction reduction associated with drilling fluids have been ١٤ investigated. They also showed that nanoparticles can improve fluid thermal stability, provide ١٥ better lubricity, hole cleaning and wellbore stability, and mitigate hydrates formation within ١٦ the fluid circulation system. This manuscript aims to analyse the outcomes of these studies and ١٧ improvements that were observed for the application of nanoparticles in drilling fluids. This ١٨ review provides the investigators with a detailed overview and comparison of the recent ١٩ advancements in the field of drilling fluids and nanotechnology.
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