Activation Iraqi bentonite for using as drilling mud

Abstract Drilling fluid is very important in drilling a well because it plays a vital role in all drilling operations. Drilling fluid should have popular properties that simplify safe and easy completion of the well. Because of the big cost of transporting and imported clays that used as drilling fluid, Iraqi benronite must be enhanced to use as drilling fluids due to its poor rheological and filtration properties, and stability. Iraqi bentonite has a limited usage in oil field because it is Ca- bentonite. The research has studied the usage of bentonite and its activation by NaoH in drilling fluid. The results show that Iraqi Ca-bentonite reaches to API specifications while the indirect activation includes activated Ca-bentonite by NaOH with different concentrations, HCL then NaOH without temperature and HCL then NaOH with temperature. Then activated bentonite is used as drilling mud. The results show that the indirect activated bentonite does not reach API specification, where XRF analysis show that an ion exchange between Ca and Na is not enough to convert Ca- bentonite to Na- bentonite.