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M-I Swaco

M-I Swaco drilling fluids systems and additives

Powering performance in well construction

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Solving today’s drilling fluid challenges with a legacy of innovation

With origins dating back to 1940, operating in various disciplines of the drilling fluids business, the name M-I Swaco includes Magnet Cove Barium Corp (Magcobar), IMCO Drilling Fluids, and Salt Water Control Company (SWACO). Over the decades, M-I Swaco has pioneered advanced drilling fluid systems and solids control technologies that help operators achieve safer, more efficient wells worldwide. Acquired by SLB (then Schlumberger) in 2010, M-I Swaco is the core integrated drilling fluids product family within SLB—delivering solutions that increase performance, efficiency, and lower costs. Our expertise spans a wide range of demanding environments, including HPHT, deep water and ultradeep water, shale gas, heavy oil, and depleted wells.

Advancing well construction performance with fluids and solids control solutions

Across the well construction life cycle, operators rely on drilling fluid systems that maintain wellbore stability, manage solids effectively, and optimize performance. SLB drilling fluids and solids control technologies help preserve fluid integrity, prevent fluid losses, while our completion fluids and tools enable cleaner wellbores and more efficient transitions into production. These reduce operational risk, ensure well integrity, and support consistent performance in demanding drilling and completion environments.

M-I Swaco First Office, Magnet Cove Barium Corp, Malvern, Arkansas, 1940s 
First Magnet Cove Barium Corp (Magcobar) office, Malvern, Arkansas, 1940s—site of major barium reserves essential for oil and gas, glass, and chemical industries.
M-I Swaco Underground mining operations at Malvern, Arkansas, in the 1950s
Magcobar miners extract barite underground, Malvern, Arkansas, 1950s. Barite became vital for drilling muds as demand rose with deeper oil wells.  
M-I Swaco ATC automatic tank cleaning Tananger Norway 2016
M-I SWACO ATC automatic tank cleaning technology in Tananger, Norway, 2016. Within the first six months of its release, M-I SWACO cleaned 900 tanks on more than 100 vessels.
M-I Swaco Aurora 2014
Introduced in 2014, the Aurora product line offers advanced production chemicals and services designed to minimize environmental impact in sensitive ecosystems, including the Arctic and coral reefs.
M-I Swaco dual-deck shaker MD-2 2015
Drilling fluid specialist operates MD-2 dual-deck shale shaker, 2015. Introduced in 2013, the MD-2 delivers high capacity and efficiency for space-limited drilling rigs, remaining an industry favorite. 

Find the right technologies to support your well construction and completion needs

Solids control technologies

High-efficiency surface equipment that preserve drilling fluid quality, improve cuttings removal, and reduce dilution and waste handling in complex wells.

Shaker screens

Durable, high-capacity screens engineered to optimize solids separation efficiency and extend screen life across a wide range of drilling environments.

Centrifuges

High-performance centrifuges designed to recover valuable drilling fluid, control low-gravity solids, and support stable wellbore conditions while reducing costs.

Drilling fluids solutions

Comprehensive water-based and oil-based drilling fluid systems and performance additives engineered to maintain wellbore stability, manage pressure, reduce fluid losses, and optimize drilling performance across complex formations.

Completion fluids

Formation-compatible clear brines and additives engineered to control reservoir pressure, minimize formation damage, and support reliable completion operations.

Wellbore cleaning tools

Specialized mechanical cleaning that remove debris, improve displacement efficiency, and deliver clean, completion-ready wellbores across all hole sizes and well conditions.

Reservoir drill-in fluids (RDFs)

Low-damage, formation-friendly drill-in fluids engineered for openhole completions that require fluid compatibility and minimal impairment to reservoir productivity.

Filtercake breakers

Chemistries designed to remove filtercake uniformly and efficiently, ensuring cleaner production pathways in openhole completions.

Intervention fluids

Specialized fluids that support safe and effective well intervention operations by reducing debris, managing flow path cleanliness, and enabling efficient workovers.