Patent ID: 7341117

Claim:
A method for drilling a monodiameter well bore through an unconsolidated formation, the method comprising: drilling an initial portion of the well bore with a drilling assembly having a bit, downhole motor and reamer, drilling said well bore with a drilling fluid having a pH in the range of from about 6 to about 10 and comprised of water, a polymeric cationic catalyst capable of accepting and donating protons which is adsorbed on said unconsolidated formation, a water soluble or dispersible polymer which is capable of being cross-linked by a thermoset resin and causing said resin to be hard and tough when cured and a water soluble or dispersible thermoset resin which cross-links said polymer, is catalyzed and cured by said catalyst and consolidates said unconsolidated formation; repeating the above steps by drilling additional well bore portions until the wellbore is drilled; and installing a string of casing in the borehole.