Patent ID: 9435198
Filing Date: 2016-09-06
CPC Classification: C09K,E21B

Claim Text:
1. A method for drilling effectively through unconsolidated shales which comprises the steps of: providing a shale formation selected from Arco China, C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, Atoka, Gumbo, Wolfcamp, Wellington or Mancos; providing a drilling system to drill into the shale formation; adding an aqueous drilling fluid to the drilling system, wherein the aqueous drilling fluid comprises an aqueous continuous phase and one or more nanoparticles, wherein the one or more nanoparticles comprise between about 5 and about 45 weight percent nanoparticles in a size range of between about 5 and 500 nanometer and stabilizing the shale formation with the aqueous drilling fluid.