Water-based mud used
for drilling hydrate sediments is often challenged
with hydrate related wellbore instability and geohazards. Ionic liquids
are believed to improve the rheological and hydrate management properties
of water-based mud for drilling hydrate sediments. However, the effect
of hydrates and ionic liquids of the viscoelastic properties of polymer
water-based mud is not well understood in gas hydrate sediment drilling
operation. In this study, the amplitude sweep, frequency sweep and
flow curves of tetrahydrofuran hydrate and four imidazolium ionic
liquids in polymer water-based mud system were evaluated at 271.15
K using a vane geometry in a Discovery HR-1 rheometer. The ionic liquids
in this study were chosen to allow a clear understanding of their
alkyl chain length and anion effect and were tested at 1 wt %. The
studied ionic liquids are 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride [C2 mim][Cl], 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride [C4 mim][Cl], 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate [C4 mim][BF4], and 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride [C6 mim][Cl]. The study revealed that the storage modulus (G′) and loss modulus (G″)
of the polymer water-based mud were reduced in the presence of tetrahydrofuran
hydrate, while its viscoelastic range was increased from 13% to 25%,
due to the solid nature of hydrate present in the mud. Generally,
the presence of ionic liquids in the base mud (without THF) negligibly
affected the viscoelastic properties of the base mud. However, the
presence of hydrates affected the viscoelastic properties of the base
mud and ionic liquid systems by changing its responses a fast deformation
from elastic dominance to viscous at high frequencies (>50 rad/s).
Ionic liquids with longer alkyl chains ([C4 mim][Cl] and
[C6 mim][Cl]) best inhibited tetrahydrofuran hydrate formation
in the mud and provided suitable viscoelastic and hydraulics properties
for drilling fluids. [C2 mim][Cl] and [C4 mim][BF4] promoted hydrate formation and provided minimal drilling
hydraulics properties of the THF water-based mud slurry. The presence
of ionic liquids in the tetrahydrofuran hydrate mud slurry increased
the consistency index and decreased the yield stress, flow index and
YP/PV index of the THF water-based mud slurry suitable for ensuring
the safe transportation of hydrate crystals and drill cutting out
of the wellbore.