Nanofluids and methods of use for drilling and completion fluids

A drilling fluid comprising:

• a base fluid selected from the group consisting of an aqueous fluid, a non-aqueous fluid and combinations thereof, where the base fluid comprises a continuous phase;
• solid particles suspended in the continuous phase;
• and
• nanoparticles having a size less than 999 nm, selected from the group consisting of:
• deformable polymer latex nanoparticles selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polymethyl methacrylate, carboxylated styrene/butadiene copolymer, polyvinylacetate copolymer, polyvinyl acetate/vinyl chloride/ethylene copolymer, polyvinyl acetate/ethylene copolymer, natural latex, polyisoprene, polydimethylsiloxane and combinations thereof;
• metal oxides selected from the group consisting of silica, magnesium oxide, iron oxide, manganese oxide, copper oxide, zinc oxide, nickel oxide, alumina and combinations thereof;
• boron;
• carbon;
• carbon black;
• graphitized carbon;
• graphene;
• ferromagnetic nanoparticles;
• nanoplatelets;
• halloysite clay nanotubes;
• polymer-based nanoparticles selected from the group consisting of polyethylene oxide, polyaramids, polyaniline, polyvinyl alcohol, polystyrene, polyacrylonitrile, nylon, polyester, cellulose and combinations thereof;
• degradable nanoparticles;
• nanocapsules;
• mesoporous nanoparticles;
• multistimuli-responsive nanospheres;
• core/shell nanoparticles;
• nitrides;
• carbides;
• carbon nanotubes;
• coated nanofibers;
• carbon-based nanoparticles, metallic-based nanoparticles, Ni-based nanoparticles, and those nanoparticles with functional groups selected from the group consisting of SH;
• NH2;
• NHCO;
• OH;
• COOH;
• F;
• Br;
• Cl;
• I;
• H;
• R—NH, R—O, R—S, where R is selected from the group consisting of low molecular weight organic chains with a carbon number on average to 10 or less and combinations thereof;
• CO;
• COCl;
• and SOCl;
• and
• compositions selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate;
• potassium carbonate;
• TiO2;
• Mg(OH)2;
• Fe2O3;
• Fe3O4, CeO2;
• Mn3O4, SiC;
• Si3N4;
• and mixtures thereof;
• where the nanoparticles are present in the fluid in an amount effective to have an effect selected from the group consisting of:
• associate with shale of a subterranean formation adjacent a wellbore to stabilize the shale as compared with an identical drilling fluid absent the nanoparticles;
• modify the electrical conductivity of the fluid as compared with an identical drilling fluid absent the nanoparticles;
• increase the rheological stability of the fluid over a temperature range from ambient up to about 320° C. and a pressure range of from about atmospheric pressure up to about 350 MPa, as compared with an identical drilling fluid absent the nanoparticles;
• reduce the drag of the fluid as compared with an identical drilling fluid absent the nanoparticles;
• increase the stability of an emulsified fluid as compared with an identical drilling fluid absent the nanoparticles, where the base fluid is an emulsion of an aqueous fluid and a non-aqueous fluid;
• reverse the wettability of a downhole material selected from the group consisting of filter cake, drill cuttings, wellbore surfaces, casing, downhole equipment and combinations thereof;
• lessen the corrosion of equipment contacted by the drilling fluid as compared with an identical drilling fluid absent the nanoparticles, where the equipment comprises a material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, duplex steel, chrome steel, martensitic alloy steels, ferritic alloy steels, austenitic stainless steels, precipitation-hardened stainless steels, high nickel content steels, and combinations thereof;
• and
• improve fluid loss by increased viscosity as compared with an identical drilling fluid absent the nanoparticles.