Modelling the Transient Behaviors of the Kinetics in the Transesterification of Palm Oils Reveals Prospects for Customization of Esters for Drilling Fluids Formulation

This paper discusses the prospects for customizing esters derived from palm oils as part of the first phase of a study to develop new drilling fluids. This phase evaluates the feasibility and prospects for customizing such esters in order to fully define experiments and all analytical conditions for realizing the objectives of the entire study. Published studies in transesterification show products from various vegetable oils for different applications including biodiesel production. Vegetable Oils consist of triglycerides (TG) 90 - 98 % by weight, small diglycerides (DG) and monoglycerides (MG), while palm oil contains TG 95.7%, DG 3.7%, and MG 0.6%. Transesterification of vegetable oils with alcohol is characterized by multiple consecutive and reversible reactions. TG is converted stepwise to DG, MG and finally glycerol (GL). We are particularly interested in palm oils (developed in large plantations in Nigeria). ASPEN HYSYS 7.3 was used to model the non acid catalyzed transesterification involving three reactions each with methanol for conversion of TG, DG and MG under steady state and transient conditions in a CSTR at varied reaction conditions and time to produce varied esters properties. Results from the model show prospects for customizing esters derived from the transesterification of palm oils and realizing their application in drilling fluids formulation.