Sodium Formate for Oilfield Drilling
CAS NO.: 141-53-7
Molecular Formula: HCOONa
Molecular Weight: 68.01 g/mol
Character: White crystalline powder that dissolves rapidly in water to form a clear formate solution.
Usage: Mainly used to prepare environmentally considerate drilling, completion, and workover fluids. It supports high-density and low-viscosity fluid systems, helps inhibit shale hydration, protects oil and gas formations, and reduces corrosion of drilling equipment.
Package: 25 kg plastic woven bag with an inner liner or 500–1000 kg bulk bag.
Storage: Keep dry and tightly sealed. Prevent contact with moisture, strong acids, oxidizers, and contaminants.
- Product Description
Premium Sodium Formate for Oilfield Drilling Solutions – High-Density Brine & Shale Stabilizer
Shanxi Zhaoyi Chemical Co., Ltd. has focused on fine chemical production since its founding in 1988. Operating a 27,000 ㎡ standardized production base with a stable annual output of 150,000 tons, we deliver Sodium Formate for Oilfield Drilling tailored for harsh downhole working conditions. With a minimum purity of 98%, this drilling-grade sodium formate (HCOONa, CAS 141-53-7) is a white, crystalline powder that dissolves quickly to produce solid-free, high-density brine with a specific gravity of up to 1.33 SG. The product is an environmentally friendly weighting agent that is perfect for HPHT drilling projects and has full ISO, KOSHER, and HALAL certifications. It successfully stabilizes wellbore structures and minimizes equipment loss by achieving a shale inhibition rate of more than 90% and keeping the carbon steel equipment corrosion rate below 0.03 g/m²·h.
Key Features & Benefits
High-Purity Formulation: With 98.0% minimum purity and moisture content controlled within 0.5%, our this product delivers stable and accurate density adjustment. It avoids dosage deviation caused by impure ingredients, ensuring long-term wellbore stability throughout drilling operations.
Solids-Free Performance: The substance dissolves entirely in water with no leftover solids, in contrast to conventional weighing materials like barite and hematite. It successfully protects reservoir permeability by preventing pore blockage, filter screen clogging, and reservoir damage during reservoir drill-in.
Enhanced Shale Inhibition: Inside drilling fluids, formate ions create a strong osmotic gradient. Clay can no longer hydrate or swell. Chloride corrosion is a real danger when standard KCl inhibition is used. Down here, that problem never shows up. Reactive shale formations also keep their full wellbore shape.
Thermal Resilience: Chemical properties stay steady even at very high temperatures, above 200°C. Drilling fluid systems keep running. In deep high-temperature gas wells, traditional polymer additives run into a failure, and this fixes it.
Environmental Compliance: COD content is low. The product also biodegrades well. Thanks to those two traits, it counts as a PLONOR (Pose Little Or No Risk) chemical. It also backs offshore drilling work that follows OSPAR rules and other international environmental standards.
Multipurpose Performance: The string gets lubricated by this product, so torque and drag come down while drilling extended reach wells. Density control keeps its accuracy too. In cold deepwater wells, it provides dependable thermodynamic hydrate inhibition.
Technical Specifications
Parameter | Specification | Test Method |
|---|---|---|
Appearance | White crystalline powder | Visual inspection |
Purity (HCOONa) | ≥98.0% | Titration method |
Molecular Weight | 68.01 g/mol | |
Solubility (20°C) | Highly soluble, density up to 1.33 g/cm³ | Gravimetric |
pH (10% solution) | 7.0 - 9.0 | pH meter |
Moisture Content | ≤0.5% | Karl Fischer |
Water Insoluble Matter | ≤0.04% | Filtration |
Chloride (Cl) | ≤0.03% | Ion chromatography |
Iron (Fe) | ≤0.006% | ICP-OES |
Heavy Metals (as Pb) | ≤0.001% | ICP-OES |
Free Acid | ≤0.03% | Titration |
Corrosion Rate (Carbon Steel) | ≤0.03 g/m²·h | Coupon immersion test |
Clay Inhibition Rate | ≥90% | Shale recovery test |
How It Works
Sodium Formate for Oilfield Drilling builds density by way of ionic strength. It does not depend on the suspended solid weighting that came before. After it dissolves fully in water, the hydrostatic pressure of the drilling fluid rises in a steady way. Formation pressure gets balanced like this, and no solids settle or sag. Downhole conditions hold steady.
Osmotic Stabilization Process: Formate ions bring the water activity of drilling fluids down and set up a stable osmotic barrier. Pore water can then be pulled out of shale formations. Or, water from outside is kept from getting in. Clay lattice expansion is halted at the root this way, so the wellbore will not collapse or shrink.
Corrosion Mitigation: The solution is only weakly alkaline, with a pH between 7.0 and 9.0. Acidic impurities that sit in the fluid system get neutralized at that level. Formate ions are what build a dense passivation film on the surfaces of metal equipment. Metal gets shielded by that film. So against traditional chloride-based drilling systems, corrosion and wear slow down by a lot.
Applications
Reservoir Drill-In Fluids (RDF): For HPHT reservoir drilling work, these are a fit. Nothing solid sits in the fluid system, so the reservoir skin stays undamaged. A semi-permeable filter cake builds up next. The original permeability of the reservoir is held in place by it, and final hydrocarbon recovery goes up.
Water-Based Mud Systems: Potassium chloride can be replaced by this one, either fully or in part, and it acts as an efficient shale inhibitor. Clay hydration and swelling stay under steady control thanks to osmotic inhibition. In formations that are unstable, wellbore diameter holds up. Chloride corrosion hazards are gone too.
Completion and Workover Fluids: Offshore drilling and completion jobs suit it well. At high density the brine holds steady, so solids stay where they are instead of settling. Wellbore integrity lasts for the long haul. Later on, that means no costly remediation.
Extended Reach Drilling: The fluid lubricates well, so the friction coefficient of the drilling fluid goes down. Torque and drag drop in horizontal and extended reach wells. You can drill farther, and the mechanical equipment carries less load.
Sodium Formate for Oilfield Drilling vs Other Products
Feature | Sodium Formate | Potassium Chloride (KCl) | Barite | Calcium Chloride |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Solids-Free Solution | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Maximum Density (SG) | 1.33 | 1.08 | 2.3+ (suspension) | 1.39 |
Shale Inhibition | Excellent (≥90%) | Good | None | Moderate |
Corrosion to Steel | Minimal (<0.03 g/m²·h) | High | Low | Very High |
Thermal Stability | >200°C | <150°C | Excellent | <120°C |
Environmental Impact | PLONOR, biodegradable | Moderate | Inert but physical damage | High salinity discharge |
Formation Damage Risk | Minimal | Moderate | High (plugging) | Moderate |
Certifications & Compliance
Our production base has passed ISO 9001:2015 quality management system certification, realizing full-process standardized quality control to ensure consistent batch-to-batch product quality. Equipped with KOSHER and HALAL certifications, our products can meet diversified access standards of global markets.
This product complies with OSPAR environmental protection specifications for North Sea drilling operations and international PLONOR chemical classification standards. Every batch is verified by professional third-party testing institutions to ensure all technical indicators meet industry and customer requirements.
Packaging Options
Standard Packaging: It comes in 25kg multi-layer woven bags. A moisture-proof liner sits inside each one. Moving them around is light work. Small projects and day-to-day site jobs fit this option fine.
Bulk Packaging: FIBC jumbo bags are offered in 500kg, 750kg and 1000kg sizes. Every bag carries a UV-resistant outer layer plus a discharge spout at the bottom. On drilling rigs they run with automatic mixing equipment, so large batches go quickly and the material stores well over a long stretch. Custom Solutions: Containerized bulk shipping is something we take care of. We can also build packaging plans around the logistics and storage needs overseas buyers bring to us.
Manufacturing Process
We adopt high-purity carbon monoxide and sodium hydroxide as raw materials, and carry out synthetic reaction under precise pressure and temperature control. Through multi-stage gradient crystallization technology, we remove impurities step by step to reach high purity standards for oilfield drilling grade products.
Centrifugal equipment with high precision pulls the impurities out. After that the material moves into hot air drying. Moisture stays under 0.5% the whole time. While the line runs, purity gets checked online as it happens. The same goes for pH value and heavy metal content. So nothing that fails the standard ever leaves the plant.
Automatic screens sort the finished product, which keeps particle size even. Caking is stopped before it starts. When mud is mixed on site, the material dissolves fast and completely, and construction work moves along quicker.
Why Choose Us
36 Years of Solid Manufacturing: We got our start in 1988. Formate and acetate production is what we do. Over the years we have picked up deep know-how in custom batches. The chemicals we turn out meet strict specs. They go to oilfield sites where the working conditions are extreme.
Steady Output, Year After Year: 150,000 tons is what we turn out each year. Our production base is a professional one and covers 27,000㎡. Supply stays steady because of both. Long drilling projects need a lot of Sodium Formate for Oilfield Drilling material. They get it. Nothing breaks the flow.
We Ship All Over the World: Our logistics business reaches China, Europe, America, Southeast Asia, and other places. Steady overseas logistics partners work with us. Goods get to far-off drilling sites and offshore platforms right on time.
Professional Technical Support: Our chemical engineers handle the job from start to finish. Advice on fluid formulas comes from them. They also test how products behave when they are used together. Technical training at your site is part of the service as well. All of this helps you tune your drilling fluid system to the geology you actually have.
Strict Quality Control: Every batch ships with a full COA test report. You can also get testing done by an outside authority. If customers stick with us over the long term, the quality performance guarantee still stands.
FAQ
Q: What makes sodium formate and potassium formate different when you use them in oilfield work?
A: A1: Both do a steady job as drilling fluids. For most standard drilling jobs, sodium formate is the better deal for your money. Potassium formate can take a higher brine density (1.57 SG). It costs more to buy, though. Go with the one that matches your density needs and your budget.
Q: Can this sodium formate be used in cement spacer fluids?
A: A2: Yes. Making cement spacer fluid is one job it handles well. The density of the drilling mud stays close to the density of the cement slurry. While the cementing job runs, it also keeps clay from taking on water and going unstable, so nothing goes wrong.
Q: What is the shelf life of this product?
A: A3: Keep the product sealed. Store it somewhere dry and cool. Acids and oxidizing substances need to stay away from it. Stored this way, the full technical specs and the stable performance last as long as 24 months.
Q: Does the site need any special mixing equipment?
A: A4: No special equipment is needed. This product dissolves fast. Ordinary on-site mud mixing systems do the job. Centrifugal pumps and agitators blend it fast and evenly. Nothing extra gets added to the construction cost.
Q: Can sodium formate affect the viscosity of drilling polymers in any way?
A: A5: It hardly shifts polymer viscosity when you compare it with standard chloride salts. The environment it creates is mildly alkaline. That may keep polymers from breaking down. Run a small compatibility test with your own polymer mix. That way you get the best result.
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