Clay & Shale Stabilizing Agents

Modified choline chlorides can be added to drilling muds to stabilize and reduce clay swelling through ion exchange, as it provides a cation to replace the native, solubilized clay cation.

Partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (PHPA) can be added to drilling muds to control wellbore shales. It is anionic, so it can bind to the cationic edges of the clay platelets, thus stabilizing it. It can also be used to extend bentonite clay in a low-solids mud.