By Urowayino Jeremiah

Nigerian researcher, Damilola Ojedeji, has shed light on methane gas desorption from nonaqueous drilling fluids, offering crucial insights to enhance well control and drilling safety.

Ojedeji, in his new study, published in Greenhouse Gases: Science and Technology, presents the first detailed experimental assessment of methane release from diesel and internal olefin base fluids under controlled conditions.

Ojedeji’s study fills a critical gap in well control modeling by providing a systematic dataset on methane desorption in these fluids.

According to Ojedeji, “Kick detection and safe well control become much more complex in nonaqueous fluids because methane dissolves so readily. Our study provides the first systematic dataset for how methane comes out of solution in these fluids, which can help improve predictive models and safety protocols.”

The research utilised a custom-built experimental setup to track methane desorption in real-time.

The findings show that methane desorbs more quickly from diesel than internal olefins at the same saturation pressure.

Additionally, higher saturation pressures increase the desorption coefficient, and methane release occurs in distinct phases, confirming desorption is not instantaneous.

By incorporating these desorption kinetics into drilling models, operators can significantly improve early kick detection, reduce blowout risks, and enhance operational safety and environmental protection.

Ojedeji’s work provides a much-needed foundation for next-generation well control technologies, addressing the increasing challenges faced by the oil and gas industry in complex drilling environments.