COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS ON THE EFFECTS OF SNAIL AND PERIWINKLE SHELLS ON THE DENSITY OF WATER-BASED MUD

The use of conventional weighting agents in drilling muds, such as Barite, often poses environmental and economic challenges. This study explores snail and periwinkle shells as alternative weighting agents for water-based drilling muds, with a focus on their performance in achieving critical API standard specifications. Laboratory experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of varying concentrations (2 g to 6 g) of snail and periwinkle shells on key mud properties, including density, rheology, fluid loss, and filter cake thickness.The results demonstrated that both snail and periwinkle shells significantly improved drilling mud properties, with each material offering unique advantages. Snail shells enhanced fluid loss control, minimized filter cake thickness, and maintained stable pH levels, making them suitable for formations prone to filtrate invasion. Conversely, periwinkle shells effectively increased mud weight and improved rheological properties, making them ideal for mediumpressure formations. Both materials met API standards for drilling fluid performance, providing a costeffective, sustainable, and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional agents.This study concludes that snail and periwinkle shells hold significant potential for application in drilling operations, offering a locally available and sustainable solution to address industry challenges. Further research, including field trials and optimization for high-temperature, high-pressure wells is recommended to validate and expand their applicability in diverse drilling environments.