| abstract |
On occasion, during drilling operations employing oil base drilling muds, conditions occur that cause the surface of the solid materials in the mud to be water wet, changing the rheology of the drilling mud such that it is unusable and has to be discarded. In accordance with this invention, a novel method is provided to reverse this condition so that the water wet surfaces of the solid particles become oil wet again, restoring the drilling mud to substantially its original condition or level or to such a condition that it can continue to be used in drilling operations. This is accomplished by adding to the drilling mud containing water wet particles at least one of a specific and critical group of imidazolines. The imidazolines may be added to stable oil mud drilling fluids to decrease possible water wetting of the particle surfaces therein. |