Patent ID: 7192907

Claim:
A method of disposing of drilling solids in a subterranean formation, the method comprising: grinding the drilling solids in a water-based fluid to form a slurry, wherein the water based fluid includes: an aqueous based continuous phase, a shale hydration inhibition agent; and a shale encapsulator having the formula: in which x and y have a value so that the molecular weight of the cation is in the range of about 10,000 to about 200,000 AMU; A is selected from C 1 –C 6 alkyl, C 2 –C 6 ether or amide; R, R′ and R″ are independently selectable C 1 –C 3 alkyl; and wherein B − is an anion selected am the group of halogen ion, sulfate ion, nitrate ion, formate ion, citrate ion, acetate ion, methylsulfonate ion, and mixtures of these; and wherein the shale hydration inhibition agent and the shale encapsulator are present in a ratio and are in sufficient concentrations to reduce the swelling of the drilling solids, and injecting said slurry into the subterranean formation.