A thixotropic composition having a cross-linkable polymer, cross-linking agent, initiator and a thixotropic agent. The thixotropic agent may be a clay or a saccharide polymer. The thixotropic composition may be introduced into a drill string via a batch or on-the-fly process to prevent loss of drilling fluid into the surrounding formation.

A thixotropic composition having a cross-linkable polymer, cross-linking agent, initiator and a thixotropic agent. The thixotropic agent may be a clay or a saccharide polymer. The thixotropic composition may be introduced into a drill string via a batch or on-the-fly process to prevent loss of drilling fluid into the surrounding formation.

Branched and crosslinked polymeric fluid loss control agents and methods are provided that have at least one acrylamide-based monomer, at least one sulfonated anionic monomer, and at least one crosslinking monomer. The at least one acrylamide-based monomer and the at least one sulfonated anionic monomer are crosslinked. The branched and crosslinked polymeric fluid loss control agents have between 50 and 99 mol % of the at least one acrylamide-based monomer, between 1 and 30 mol % of the at least one sulfonated anionic monomer, and between 0.1 and 10 mol % of the at least one crosslinking monomer.

Branched and crosslinked polymeric fluid loss control agents and methods are provided that have at least one acrylamide-based monomer, at least one sulfonated anionic monomer, and at least one crosslinking monomer. The at least one acrylamide-based monomer and the at least one sulfonated anionic monomer are crosslinked. The branched and crosslinked polymeric fluid loss control agents have between 50 and 99 mol % of the at least one acrylamide-based monomer, between 1 and 30 mol % of the at least one sulfonated anionic monomer, and between 0.1 and 10 mol % of the at least one crosslinking monomer.

Disclosed are a high-temperature-resistant tertiary amine-grafted silica nano-plugging agent and water-based drilling fluids, relating to oil-gas field drilling. The nano-plugging agent is prepared from a hydrazine compound, a diallyl compound, an enamine compound, silica particle, and an amino-containing silane coupling agent by stepwise reaction. The nano-plugging agent has a grain size of 58-280 nm.

Disclosed are a high-temperature-resistant tertiary amine-grafted silica nano-plugging agent and water-based drilling fluids, relating to oil-gas field drilling. The nano-plugging agent is prepared from a hydrazine compound, a diallyl compound, an enamine compound, silica particle, and an amino-containing silane coupling agent by stepwise reaction. The nano-plugging agent has a grain size of 58-280 nm.

A method of drilling a subterranean geological formation is described. The method includes driving a drill bit to form a wellbore into the subterranean geological formation thereby producing a formation fluid including hydrogen sulfide (H.sub.2S). The method includes injecting a drilling fluid into the subterranean geological formation through the wellbore. The drilling fluid composition includes 0.25 to 2 wt. % of a primary H.sub.2S scavenger which is potassium permanganate. The drilling fluid composition includes an invert emulsion which includes a continuous phase including mineral oil and a dispersive phase including water. The potassium permanganate present in the drilling fluid composition reacts with the H.sub.2S present in the formation fluid to produce a dispersion of manganese-containing particles which are at least one selected from the group consisting of manganese sulfide and manganese sulfate.

A method of drilling a subterranean geological formation is described. The method includes driving a drill bit to form a wellbore into the subterranean geological formation thereby producing a formation fluid including hydrogen sulfide (H.sub.2S). The method includes injecting a drilling fluid into the subterranean geological formation through the wellbore. The drilling fluid composition includes 0.25 to 2 wt. % of a primary H.sub.2S scavenger which is potassium permanganate. The drilling fluid composition includes an invert emulsion which includes a continuous phase including mineral oil and a dispersive phase including water. The potassium permanganate present in the drilling fluid composition reacts with the H.sub.2S present in the formation fluid to produce a dispersion of manganese-containing particles which are at least one selected from the group consisting of manganese sulfide and manganese sulfate.

A composition including a fluorescent polymer tag and an aqueous-based drilling fluid is provided. Also provided is a method of determining drill depth of recovered drill cuttings. The method includes introducing a fluorescent polymer tag into a drilling fluid, the fluorescent polymer tag includes the composition having the fluorescent compound linked to the polymer. The method then includes circulating the drilling fluid through a well during a drilling operation that creates formation cuttings such that the fluorescent polymer interacts with the formation cuttings, creating tagged cuttings. The returned cuttings are collected from the circulating drilling fluid at a surface of the well. The method then includes detecting the presence of the fluorescent polymer tag on the returned cuttings to identify the tagged cuttings, and correlating the tagged cuttings with the drill depth in the well at a time during the drilling operation.

A composition including a fluorescent polymer tag and an aqueous-based drilling fluid is provided. Also provided is a method of determining drill depth of recovered drill cuttings. The method includes introducing a fluorescent polymer tag into a drilling fluid, the fluorescent polymer tag includes the composition having the fluorescent compound linked to the polymer. The method then includes circulating the drilling fluid through a well during a drilling operation that creates formation cuttings such that the fluorescent polymer interacts with the formation cuttings, creating tagged cuttings. The returned cuttings are collected from the circulating drilling fluid at a surface of the well. The method then includes detecting the presence of the fluorescent polymer tag on the returned cuttings to identify the tagged cuttings, and correlating the tagged cuttings with the drill depth in the well at a time during the drilling operation.