Positive prospects for increased global demand for industrial minerals in the oilfield sector were welcomed by delegates at IM’s inaugural Oilfield Minerals Outlook: Middle East, which took place in Dubai in January.
Marianna Voulgari, Global Construction and Drilling Market Manager of S&B Industrial Minerals SA, Greece, examined the decisive role that industrial minerals play in oil and gas drilling applications in her presentation “Europe and the Middle East: industrial minerals for drilling today and the outlook for tomorrow.”
Voulgari highlighted overall trends that would ensure continued and rising demand for oilfield minerals. These included:
- Expansion of drilling activity
- Increased reliance of unconventional energy sources
- Increased demand for specialised drilling fluids formulated to the unique conditions and formation characteristic of wells
- Environmental concerns
The above trends are projected to see continued application of water-based drilling fluids (using barite and bentonite); and increased...