ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Synthesis and application of HAP/NiWO₄ nanocomposites for enhancing rheological filtration and shale inhibition properties of water-based drilling fluids

Ghaleb Oriquat, Basim Abdul Alrhym, A. C. Umamaheshwer Rao, Shivam P. Chaudhary, Pardeep Singh Bains, Ripendeep Singh, Murotov Nurshod, Rasulbek Eshmetov, and Ahmad Abumalek

Ghaleb Oriquat, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Hourani Center for Applied Scientific Research, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Amman, Jordan

E-mail: abumalekahmad40@gmail.com

Received: 25 March 2026  Accepted: 25 April 2026

Abstract:

Water-based drilling fluids (WBDFs) frequently struggle to simultaneously control fluid loss, maintain optimal rheology, and inhibit shale instability under high-temperature conditions, often necessitating the use of environmentally hazardous oil-based alternatives. This study aims to develop a novel, multi-functional additive to overcome these limitations by synthesizing a structurally integrated hydroxyapatite/nickel tungstate (HAP/NiWO₄) nanocomposite. The biphasic nanocomposite was fabricated via an in-situ sequential wet-chemical co-precipitation method and rigorously characterized using XRD, FTIR, EDS, TEM, and DLS. The additive was subsequently incorporated into high-solid weighted and polymeric WBDFs, and its performance was evaluated under standard API and high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT at 250 °F) conditions using dynamic filtration, multi-speed viscometry, and hot-rolling dispersion tests. Unlike conventional single-purpose polymers, the HAP/NiWO₄ nanocomposite demonstrated simultaneous, synergistic improvements across all evaluated fluid properties. Results indicated an optimal operational concentration of 1000 ppm, where the nanoparticles maintained robust sub-100 nm colloidal stability. At this threshold, HPHT fluid loss was dramatically reduced, and shale recovery in dynamic dispersion tests exceeded 94%. Rheological modeling via the Herschel-Bulkley equation confirmed significant enhancements in yield stress and hole-cleaning capabilities without compromising essential shear-thinning behavior. These improvements are driven by a dual mechanism: the physical nano-plugging of filter-cake micro-voids and shale pore throats, combined with the chemical passivation of reactive clay surfaces through extensive hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions. However, concentrations exceeding 1000 ppm induced severe particle agglomeration, leading to macroscopic performance degradation. Ultimately, the synthesized HAP/NiWO₄ nanocomposite acts as a highly effective additive that elevates the performance envelope of WBDFs, offering a promising, environmentally conscious approach to overcoming complex wellbore instability challenges in demanding subterranean formations.

Keywords: Hydroxyapatite; Nickel tungstate nanocomposite; Water-based drilling fluids; Filtration control; Shale inhibition; Nano-plugging

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-026-04960-w

Chemical Papers 80 (8) 9415–9435 (2026)