Abstract:
An improved drilling fluid with enhanced anti-settling properties useful for oil well drilling systems is described. The invention includes a process for providing anti-settling properties to oil invert (i.e., water in oil emulsion) based fluids. The drilling fluid/drilling mud invention contains at least one copolymer reaction product of which the reactants comprise at least one ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic compound and at least one alpha-olefin. As an alternative embodiment one or more rheologically-active clays including organoclays and smectite clays in combination with such copolymer reaction product are also added to the drilling fluid. The invention also includes an anti-settling additive comprising a rheologically active clay and the above described copolymer.
Abstract:
An organophilic clay thickener for natural oil systems comprising the reaction product of a smectite-type clay and an organic cation in an amount of from about 75% to about 150% of the cation exchange capacity of the smectite-type clay. Said organophilic clay comprising at least one naturally occurring, resulting in increased efficiency as a thickener in natural oil systems.