WARP Fluids Technology

Treated micronized weighting agents are

your assurance of reduced drilling risk and lower well costs
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Features
WARP
*
Fluids Technology
particles are 10 times smaller
than drilling-grade barite
Low-viscosity fluids with low
plastic viscosities and yield point
and low-shear-rate viscosity,
with no risk of barite sag
Lower friction factors: up to 10% in
cased hole and 25% in openhole
WARP micron-sized weighting
agents pass more efficiently
through shaker screens and
openhole-completion screens
Non-damaging to
producing formations
and completion hardware
Lower dynamic and static fluid
loss with thinner filter cakes and
lower breakthrough pressures
Benefits
Reduces risk of static
and dynamic sag
Lower ECD values
Lower swab and surge pressures
Lower pump pressures
Improves cement-job quality
Faster pipe-running and
tripping speeds
Improves MWD/LWD data quality
Lowers rotary torque and
friction factors
Increases solids-removal efficiency
and lower dilution/maintenance
Reduces risk of
completion-screen plugging
Lower downhole fluid losses
WARP Fluids Technology gives you
high fluid weights and low rheologies
with no barite sag

A P P L I C A T I O N S
Extended-reach wells, reservoir dril -
ling fluids, through-tubing drilling,
managed-pressure drilling, slim-hole
and coiled-tubing drilling, high-
temperature and high-pressure wells,
casing-pressure-remediation fluids,
packer fluids, logging and testing fluids,
casing drilling, screen-running fluids,
and cement-displacement fluids.

P R O B L E M S
In a conventionally weighted fluids,
it is difficult to program the rheologi-
cal properties sufficiently low enough
for effective ECD management in
narrow-mud-weight drilling windows
but high enough to prevent barite
sag and settlement.

S O L U T I O N S
The micron-size particles used in WARP
Fluids Technology from M-I SWACO*
for increasing fluid density have excep-
tionally low settlement rates that
enable low-rheology fluids to be pro-
grammed. Now drilling-fluid rheology
is uncoupled from barite sag for all
water- and oil-base drilling- and
completion-fluid systems.

E C O N O M I C S
The micron-size particles improve
solids-removal efficiencies and reduce
product consumption. Reduced surface
losses, combined with lower ECD val-
ues and reduced downhole losses
means fluid costs are significantly
reduced. Overall well costs are reduced
through improved drilling efficiency
and reduced non-productive time.
WARP Fluids Technology offers cost-
effective alternatives to high-density
completion brines.

E N V I R O N M E N T A L
The micron-size particles of WARP
Fluids Technology require less main -
tenance, further enhancing its envi-
ronmental performance. Completion
fluids formulated with WARP Fluids
Technology are environmentally more
acceptable than many high-density,
clear-brine systems.
Every manual on drilling-fluid engineering tells us that micron-size particles
are detrimental to drilling fluids. With too many fines in the fluid, the rheology
increases, often with detrimental effects. The technology behind WARP Fluids
Technology lies in grinding the weighting material to extremely fine particle
sizes from 0.1 to 10 microns, with the majority measuring 1 micron. By treating
these extremely fine particles, there is no rheology increase.
The treated micronized
weighting agents of WARP
Fluids Technology a new
concept in drilling-fluid design
Here are just a few examples of how
the micronized weighting agents of
WARP Fluids Technology can solve
todays drilling problems:
Low-rheology drilling and
completion fluids for
extended-reach drilling
Weight materials that do not settle,
even with very low rheologies
Better management of ECD and
downhole losses while drilling
and cementing
The specially treated micron-size weighting materials unique to WARP Fluids Technology
are 10 times smaller than drilling-grade barite. Their ultra-small size, combined with their
proprietary treatment, ensures that fluids formulated with WARP Fluids Technology have
exceptionally stable properties.
API barite
75 m top size
1-micron
colloidal
WARP particle
API barite
d
50
~25 m
Comparison of barite and WARP particles
Lower torque and friction factors
for long reach wells
Ultra-fine shaker screens that
improve solids-removal efficiency
without sacrificing valuable products
for environmental performance
Oil-base completion fluids for
water-sensitive hydrocarbons
Compared to conventionally
weighted drilling and
completion fluids,
there is no comparison
When evaluated against convention-
ally weighted fluids, both water-base
and invert systems formulated with
WARP Fluids Technology deliver more
added-value benefits:
Reduced sag tendencies make fluids
using WARP Fluids Technology ideal
for horizontal and extended-reach
wells. With dramatically reduced
particle diameters, compared to
conventional weighting agents,
settling velocities are reduced by a
factor of 10,000. This makes WARP
Fluids Technology an excellent
option for all lower and intermedi-
ate portions of long-reach-horizontal
sections and for completion and
workover fluids.
Lower plastic viscosity is another
advantage of WARP Fluids Technology
over a conventionally weighted fluid
with the same yield point. This
effectively reduces ECD for drilling
narrow mud-weight windows.
Owing to higher allowable pump
rates and non-laminar flow regimes,
fluids formulated with WARP Fluids
Technology enhance bit hydraulics,
thereby improving hole cleaning,
with associated increases in ROP
and tripping and casing speeds.
Improved filtration properties are
the result of the ultra-fine particle
sizes of WARP Fluids Technology
contributing to enhanced filtration
control, minimizing the risk of
differential sticking.
Improved solids-separation effi-
ciency results in less dilution, opti-
mum product performance and
reduced costs. The fine particle
size of the weighting agent in WARP
Fluids Technology allows weight
material to easily pass through
500-mesh shaker screens, removing
virtually 100% of drilled cuttings
on the first pass.
The lower fluid viscosities at the
shakers improve screening efficiency
while reducing fluid discharge asso -
ciated with cuttings. The improved
solids-separation efficiency also
improves the tolerance of the fluid
to low-gravity solids.
0.1
10 Volume fraction
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8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
1 10 100
Particle diameter (micron)
Typical Particle-Size Distribution
WARP
d
10
0.6
API barite
d
50
1.6
d
90
3.8
The average size of particles in WARP Fluids Technology are less than 2 microns and nearly all the
particles are less than 5 microns about the same size as human red blood cells. For the first
time since weighting agents were first used in drilling fluids more than 80 years ago, WARP Fluids
Technology overcomes many of the deficiencies of barite. It is the weighting agent for solving
21st-century drilling problems.
Improved pressure drops in narrow
annuli allow greater flexibility
for optimizing flow rates and
pump pressures
Improved torque in open and cased
hole by as much as 25% compared
to offset wells drilled with conven-
tional weighting agents. Lower
friction factors allow for greater
horsepower at the bit, better
drilling rates and less drag while
running pipe.
Non-damaging to production
formations. Of the sections drilled
using WARP fluids, 66% are in 8-in.
and smaller sections. With correctly
sized bridging materials, WARP fluids
are non-damaging to the producing
formation and deliver full flowback
through completion screens.
When the stakes are high,
WARP Fluids Technology
keeps rheologies and
problems down
The low rheological profile of a
fluid enhanced with WARP Fluids
Technology actually improves hole
cleaning by effectively removing
any cuttings buildup on the lower
side of the hole.
In addition, the low rheologies of
WARP Fluids Technology clear the way
for better control and management of
equivalent circulating density, which
is especially critical when a very nar-
row margin exists between the pore
and fracture pressure. In fact, ECD
values are actually reduced and
pump pressures are lower with
WARP Fluids Technology, also
reducing pressure spikes while
tripping and running casing.
These and other advantages make
WARP Fluids Technology the ultimate
choice for reducing drilling risk and
well costs for a wide array of critical
drilling applications, including:
Horizontal and
extended-reach wells
Coiled-tubing and
through-tubing rotary drilling
Managed-pressure drilling
Reservoir drill-in fluids
Wells with narrow
operating windows
HTHP wells
Casing drilling
Inhibitive fluids
Wells with risk of barite sag
Drilling waste management
Critical cementing operations
The boundaries of extended-reach
and horizontal drilling in green
and brown field development are
extending outward. API-grade barite
has served the industry well for the
last 80 years or more as the natural
product of choice to increase the den-
sity of fluids. In practice, drilling-fluid
viscosity was controlled to ensure
that the barite remained suspended,
preventing it from settling out in the
wellbore. That was fine in the past,
but now well trajectories are becom-
ing increasingly complex, forcing
an inevitable compromise between
the rheological requirements for
barite suspension and hydraulics
for well control.
0
100 Fann reading
90
80
70
60
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40
30
20
10
0
400 300 200 100 500 600
Fann 35 Rheometer speed (rpm)
Conventional oil-base
drilling fluids
Plastic viscosity = 35 cps
Y
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ld
p
o
in
t =
1
7
lb
/
1
0
0
ft
2
Y
ield poin
t = 7 lb/100 ft
2
WARP* Fluids Technology
Lower Rheology of WARP Fluids Technology
Mud weight: 12.8 to 13 lb/gal (1.5 to 1.6 kg/L)
OWR 80:20
Plastic viscosity = 25 cps
WARPFluids Technology success stories
from around the world
WARP Fluids Technology has been successfully applied worldwide in a wide variety of critical drilling,
kill/barrier-fluid, extended-reach and horizontal drilling and HTHP applications.
Reduced ECD, torque,
drag and a world record
A world-record extended-reach well was drilled
offshore eastern Russia to a final depth of
38,320 ft (11,680 m) using a WARP/VERSACLEAN*
system with reductions in ECD up to 0.56 lb/gal
(0.07 kg/L) and significant reductions in torque
and drag. The liner was successfully run to
planned depth without incident.
An oil-base reservoir drill-in
and completion fluid
A client in Malaysia required an oil-base reser-
voir drill-in and completion fluid at 10.6-lb/gal
(1.27-kg/L) density that had to be compatible
with a crude oil that had strong emulsification
tendencies with water-base systems and that
allowed flowback through 150 expandable
screens. A WARP/ VERSACLEANsystem successfully
performed the job.
Preventing well-control incidents
in a narrow pressure window
After two well-control incidents in the UK sector
of the North Sea, a challenging pressure window
of 0.6 lb/gal (16.6 to 17.2 lb/gal) was set to drill the
final 6-in. section. A WARP/VERSACLEANsystem was
selected and the section was drilled without inci-
dent with the yield point as lowas 1 lb/100 ft
2
and plastic viscosity as low as 28 cP. In combina-
tion with PRESSPRO* RT software, the fluid systems
ECD never exceeded 17.1 lb/gal (2.05 kg/L) and the
4-in. liner was run to bottom and cemented
without incident.
Boosting cement-pumping
rate by 4X
A client in the Caspian Sea had a problematic
cementing operation to undertake. Using a con-
ventionally weighted fluid, pump rates of only
1 bbl/min were predicted without exceeding
the fracture gradient. Displacing to a 1.93 SG
WARP/VERSACLEANsystem prior torunning cas-
ing enabled a success ful cementing operation
to be under takenat a flow rate of over 4 bbl/min
with negligible losses.
Even after a week in the hole,
no barite sag
An extended-reach well drilled in the North
Sea had a low fracture gradient and a potential
for barite sag. A 15.4 lb/gal (1.8 kg/L) WARP/
VERSACLEAN system successfully drilled the
well within the ECD requirements. Torque
and drag were reduced, and no barite sag
was observed after 7 days static.
Client sees a 30% boost
in drilling performance
For the redevelopment program of a mature
reservoir in the North Sea, the 8-in. horizontal
section required non-damaging reservoir drill-in
fluids that could operate within a narrow-mud-
weight window: the WARP/ VERSACLEANsystem.
Instantaneous rates of penetration exceeding
400 ft/hr (122 m/hr) in a claystone section
which had averaged 120ft/hr (37 m/hr) was
higher than any of the delineation wells. Over
20,924ft (6,378 m) were drilled in 7 sections.
Despite two unplanned geological sidetracks,
the project cost remained on-budget, and dril -
ling performance was 30% better compared
to previous wells drilled in 2005, based on the
clients drilling metrics.
Not just the longest well
but the highest producer
As part of the Statoil Late Life Project, a hori -
zontal extended-reach well was drilled using
WARP Fluids Technology to accelerate drilling
and prolong production. The well was success-
fully drilled to TD at 26,745 ft (8,152 m), with
a TVD 8,064 ft (2,458 m) and recording the
longest section drilled fromthe Statfjord C
platform. Production rates were 12,600 bbl/d,
making this well the highest producer in the
entire Statfjord field.
Speeding up the cement job
in a fragile formation
In a well drilled offshore UK in the North Sea,
it was calculated that the cementing operation
during the 5-in. liner run would exceed the
fracture pressure, leading to total losses with
anECD of 2 lb/gal (0.24 kg/L) greater than the
12.8 lb/gal (1.5 kg/L) density at the surface. The
reduction in ECD provided by the low rheology
WARP/VERSACLEAN fluid allowed the cement
displacement to proceed at 5bbl/min rather than
the 3 bbl/min calculated using a conventionally
weighted fluid; the plug was pumped within
two strokes of the anticipated volume.
Start: 10 days behind schedule
Finish: 18 days ahead
Offshore Holland, an 8-in. intermediate section
was drilled with a 14.3 lb/gal (1.7 kg/L) WARP/
VERSACLEANsystem, through the Zechstein salt
sequence at 61 inclination. The 8,248 ft (2,514 m)
was drilled in 8 days: 28 days ahead of the AFE
with no underreaming. At the start of the section,
the well was 10 days behind schedule and finished
18 days ahead. In 24 hrs, the well drilled ahead
2,657 ft (810 m), establishing a new drilling
record for an 8-in. section drilled in the North
Sea, and the 7- x 7
5
8-in. liner was the third
longest run by the client. Using 400- and
500-mesh XR* screens, dilution was 25% that of
a conventional fluid. The WARP/ VERSACLEAN sys-
tem was formulated with a yield point between
0 and 1lb/100 ft
2
and a 6-RPM dial reading of
1 unit, surpassing all client expectations.
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Dilution cut by half and
torque reduced by 28%
An extended-reach 8-in. section was drilled off-
shore Norway in the reservoir using a 13-lb/gal
(1.6-kg/L) WARP/VERSATEC* oil-base system and
WARP Fluids Technology. Dilution rates were
about half of those in offset wells, and torque in
the openhole was 28% lower than the offsets. A bit
change necessitated leaving the fluid static in the
well for five days, but the WARP/VERSATEC fluid
experienced no fluctuations in mud weight,
despite 6- and 3-RPM readings of only 3 and 2,
respectively, whencirculation resumed.
Lower torque and dilution
factors despite high heat
A 12-in. section of HTHP well was drilled in the
North Sea, using a 15-lb/gal (1.8-kg/L) oil-base
PARATHERM* system incorporating WARP Fluids
Technology; it proved stable to 330 F (166 C).
The low-shear-rate rheologies measured less than
3 Fann units at 3 RPM and ensured ECD values
were within 0.25 lb/gal (0.03 kg/L) of the surface
mud weight. Torque was reduced by 25%, and
dilution factors were three times lower than the
North Sea average.
Sustaining high casing pressure
with zero surface pressure
Sustained casing pressure is an ongoing issue
inthe Gulf of Mexico. High-density, 20.5-lb/gal
(2.5-kg/L) water-base fluids using WARP Fluids
Technology were pumped between the casing
annuli, and the surface pressure was reduced to
zero, enabling increased production pressures.
Several casing annuli have been treated using
WARP Fluids Technology since.
Coiled-tubing intervention
succeeds despite high pressures
In the Caspian Sea area, a high-pressure well
required a 17.5-lb/gal (2.1-kg/L) drilling fluid for a
coiled-tubing-well intervention. Using WARP Fluids
Technology, a neat oil-base fluid was formulated
with a plastic viscosity of 17 cP (mPa/sec) and a
yield point of 1lb/100 ft
2
; the systemsuccessfully
completed the job without incident.
High-density packer fluid:
Another role for WARP technology
Another application in the Caspian Sea area
required high-density, stable, oil-base packer fluids
as an additional hydraulic barrier fluid. This was
easily accomplished using high-density WARP
Fluids Technology which delivered low viscosity
with no gelation and no particle settlement.
Exceeding expected ROP,
keeping below fracture pressure
Offshore Norway, a 3,189-ft (972-m), 5
7
8-in.
through-tubing rotary-drilling section was direc-
tionally drilled at 78 from the 7-in. liner using
a VERSATEC oil-base system that incorporated
WARP Fluids Technology to 16,630 ft (5,068.8 m).
The low-shear-rate rheol ogy (3 RPM Fann reading
of <3 units) ensured that sufficient flow rate was
delivered to the bit without exceeding the fracture
pressure. ROP was 10% higher than expected, and
dilution factors were reduced by half, resulting in
the fluid costs being 18% under budget.
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WARP Fluids Technology achievements
Recognized with
prestigious award
WARP Fluids Technology
receives the Offshore Energy
Achievement Award in
December 2005.
Southern North Sea record
WARP Fluids Technology drills
810 m in a 24-hr period on an
8-in. interval offshore Holland
a client record for Southern North
Sea. The 7- x 7
5
8-in. liner was the
third-longest run by the client
andreached TD without incident.
Overall drilling performance
was regarded as the best in the
Zechstein salt formation.
World record ERD
in East Russia
WARP Fluids Technology drilled a
world-record ERD in East Russia
reaching a measured depth of
38,320 ft (11,680 m) and 8,530 ft
(2,600 m) TVD.
Highest producer
in Statfjord field
WARP Fluids Technology drills a
record 8-in. extended-reach well
offshore Norway on Statfjord C
platform and was categorized
as one of the most difficult wells
to drill and complete. The daily
production rate of 12,600-bbl/d,
making it the highest producer
in the entire Statfjord field.
WARP Fluids Technology
keeps your drilling
waste management
and environmental
programs clean, too
WARP Fluids Technology allows solids-
control equipment to be run much
more aggressively than with conven-
tionally weighted fluids because the
weighting-agent particles are so much
smaller than the drilled solids. For flu-
ids formulated with conventional API-
grade barite, the particle size is very
close to that of the drilled solids which
invariably become incorporated into
the drilling-fluid system. In these
instances, reducing the screen size
to250-mesh or finer removes barite as
well as unwanted low-gravity drilled
solids, resulting in higher fluid costs.
The small particle size of WARP Fluids
Technology ensures that extremely
fine-mesh screens may be employed
on the primary shaker. Meshes as
fine as 500 have been used success-
fully, removing the majority of the drill
solids on the first pass. Not only does
the very thin viscosity of these fluids
aid screening, it also reduces environ-
mental impact and fluid volumes lost
over the shakers, which in turn results
in dilution rates as much as 35% lower
than conventionally weighted systems.
Conventional Weighting Materials
API Barite
Higher rheologies to control barite
settlement and sag
Problematic ECD management in sec-
tions with narrow pressure windows
Horsepower limitations in extreme,
horizontal wells
WARP Fluids Technology
Near-zero sag and settlement in
inclined and horizontal sections
Fluid rheology may be low and
independent of sag. No mud-weight
variation.
Better management of ECD and
control of losses
Lower drillstring torque for
superior bit horsepower
Lower dilution factors and lower
well costs
Reduced discharge volumes and
environmental impacted factors
and cost AFT
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Sized Calcium Carbonate
Mud weights limited at higher densities
Limited ECD management and
rheology control at higher densities
All-in-one drilling and completion fluid
Lower rheologies for the same density
Better management of ECD and
control of losses
Complete flowback through
sand screens
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High-Density, Solids-Free Brines
High costs
Personnel safety and handling concerns
Disposal issues
Environmental concerns
No heavy metals
No environmental concerns
No particle settlement or sag
No personnel safety or handling issues
Easy cleanup and disposal
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The Clear Advantages of WARP Fluids Technology
Over Conventional Weighting Materials
9
(1.1)
10
(1.2)
11
(1.3)
12
(1.4)
13
(1.6)
14
(1.7)
Maximum density, lb/gal (kg/L)
15
(1.8)
16
(1.9)
17
(2)
18
(2.2)
19
(2.3)
20
(2.4)
Water-base WARP Fluids Technology (barite)
Oil-base WARP Fluids Technology (barite)
ZnBr
2
/CaBr
2
K/CsCOOH
Water-base WARP Fluids Technology (CaCO
3
)
Oil-base WARP Fluids Technology (CaCO
3
)
CaBr
2
KCOOH
NaBr
CaCl
2
NaCOOH
NaCl
KCl
Maximum density of WARP Fluids Technology
to common completion brines
WARP Fluids Technology facts
WARP Fluids Technology is field-proven in over 190
sections worldwide:
Maximum angle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Highest density. . . . . . . . . . . . . 18.4 lb/gal (2,200 kg/m
3
)
Lowest density . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.4 lb/gal (1,010 kg/m
3
)
Maximum BHT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 405 F (207 C)
Longest 12-in. interval . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,839 ft (2,999 m)
Longest 8-in. interval . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,011 ft (3,661 m)
Longest 6-in. interval . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,128 ft (1,563 m)
Longest measured
depth well . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38,320 ft (11,680 m)
Smallest sand-
screen completion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 m expandable
Number of horizontal sections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Number of sections <8 in. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Number of sections >8 in. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Completion fluids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
1-micron WARP particle
compared to human blood cells 10 m
This is the one technology
you should know about
We would welcome the opportunity
to talk with you face-to-face about
this technological development
that could save you a lot of time
and money. Just call your local
M-I SWACO representative and
ask for information and proofs
about WARP Fluids Technology.
For completion fluids, WARP Fluids Technology wins out over conventional weighting agents
Above 13 lb/gal (1.6 kg/L), solids-free com-
pletion and workover fluids are limited to
mixed calcium chloride, calcium bromide
and zinc bromide, or mixed potassium
and cesium formate brines. These are
inherently expensive and environmentally
hazardous, carry the potential for scaling,
and require special corrosion products.
The only other alternatives are specially
formulated barite- or calcium- carbonate-
weighted fluids that are prone to sag
and settlement.
In WARP Fluids Technology, the
micron-sized particles behave as solids-
free fluids with no settlement, no reser-
voir damage and complete flowback
through gravel-pack and sand-screen
completions all with no environmental
or disposal hazards. In addition, you now
have the option of high-density oil-base
completion fluids for a complete oil-base
drilling and completion fluid train, mini-
mizing spacers and the potential for
emulsion blocks.
Casing
pressure
control
Cement
displacement
fluids
Coiled-tubing drilling
Replacing or
complimenting MPD
High-density
spacers
Extended-reach
drilling
Slim-hole and
small-bore drilling
Horizontal
drilling
Through tubing
rotary drilling
Openhole
screened completions
Multilateral drilling
Reservoir fluid drill-in
and completion fluids
Kill fluids
and
barrier fluids
Reservoir fluid
drill-in fluids
Logging
and
testing fluids
High-
density
ZnBr
2
brine
alternatives
Casing
drilling
Packer
fluids
Casing pressure
remediation
High temperature
and high pressure
Applications for WARP Fluids Technology
P.O. Box 42842
Houston, Texas 77242-2842
Tel: 2815611300
Fax: 2815611441
www.miswaco.com
E-mail: questions@miswaco.com
Technology Centers:
HOUSTON, TEXAS
Tel: 2815611300 Fax: 2815611441
ABERDEEN, SCOTLAND
Tel: 441224334634 Fax: 441224334650
STAVANGER, NORWAY
Tel: 4751577300 Fax: 4751576503
2010 M-I L.L.C. All rights reserved. *Mark of M-I L.L.C.
FBR.2301.1003.R2 (E) 2.5M Litho in U.S.A.
This information is supplied solely for informational purposes and M-I SWACO makes no
guarantees or warranties, either expressed or implied, with respect to the accuracy and use
of this data. All product warranties and guarantees shall be governed by the Standard Terms
of Sale. Nothing in this document is legal advice or is a substitute for competent legal advice.