1. Core Types

• Drilling Fluid Additives

  Key products include viscosifiers (e.g., bentonite, polyacrylamide), fluid loss control agents (e.g., carboxymethylcellulose), lubricants (e.g., mineral oil-based lubricants, synthetic esters), shale stabilizers (e.g., cationic polymers, potassium chloride), and defoamers. These additives are formulated to maintain the rheological properties of drilling fluids, protect wellbore integrity, minimize friction between drill pipes and formations, and prevent formation damage.
• Completion & Workover Fluid Additives

  Main categories cover corrosion inhibitors (e.g., imidazolines, quaternary ammonium salts), scale inhibitors (e.g., polyphosphates, organic phosphonates), bactericides (e.g., glutaraldehyde, isothiazolinones), and clay stabilizers. They are used in well completion and workover operations to protect downhole equipment from corrosion, inhibit scale formation in pipelines, and suppress bacterial growth that causes reservoir plugging.
• Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) Additives

  Critical types include surfactants (anionic, nonionic, and cationic surfactants), polymers (e.g., partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide, xanthan gum), alkalis (e.g., sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate), and foam agents. These additives reduce oil-water interfacial tension, improve oil mobility in reservoirs, and expand the swept volume of injection fluids, thereby increasing crude oil recovery rates.
• Production Stimulation Additives

  Key products consist of fracturing fluid additives (crosslinkers, breakers, friction reducers, clay stabilizers) and acidizing agents (acid corrosion inhibitors, iron control agents, retarding agents). They are applied in hydraulic fracturing and acidizing operations to enhance reservoir permeability, create efficient oil flow channels, and boost well production.
• Pipeline Transportation Additives

  Main types include drag reducers (e.g., polyethylene oxides, polyalphaolefins), pour point depressants (e.g., polyacrylates, maleic anhydride copolymers), corrosion inhibitors, and wax inhibitors. These additives reduce energy consumption during crude oil transportation, prevent wax deposition and freezing, and protect pipeline inner walls from corrosion and erosion.

2. Application Scenarios

• Drilling Phase

  Drilling fluid additives are mixed into drilling mud to stabilize the wellbore (preventing shale collapse), control fluid loss into the formation, lubricate drill strings to reduce wear, and carry drilling cuttings to the surface. They are essential for safe and efficient drilling in both onshore and offshore oilfields, especially in high-temperature, high-pressure (HTHP) and shale formations.
• Completion & Workover Phase

  Additives are incorporated into completion fluids to protect newly drilled wells, prevent corrosion of casing and downhole tools, and avoid formation damage during well completion. During workover operations, they help restore well productivity by removing scale, bacteria, and other deposits that block oil flow.
• Primary & Secondary Oil Recovery Phases

  Basic additives (e.g., corrosion inhibitors, scale inhibitors) are used to maintain stable production by protecting equipment and pipelines. In secondary recovery (water flooding), polymers are added to injection water to increase viscosity, improve sweep efficiency, and displace more crude oil from reservoirs.
• Tertiary Oil Recovery (EOR) Phase

  Surfactant-polymer (SP) flooding, alkali-surfactant-polymer (ASP) flooding, and foam flooding are common EOR technologies relying on specialized additives. These formulations are widely applied in mature oilfields to extract residual oil that cannot be recovered by primary or secondary methods, significantly extending oilfield service life.
• Crude Oil Transportation Phase

  Pipeline transportation additives are injected into crude oil to reduce flow resistance (drag reducers), lower freezing points (pour point depressants), and inhibit corrosion and wax deposition. They are critical for long-distance transportation of crude oil, especially in cold regions or for high-wax, high-viscosity crude.

3. Development Trends

• High Performance & Targeted Formulations

  With the development of deep-sea, HTHP, and unconventional oilfields (shale oil, heavy oil), there is a growing demand for additives with extreme environmental adaptability. R&D focuses on high-temperature-resistant, salt-tolerant, and shear-stable products—such as modified polymers for EOR and nanomaterial-based drilling fluid additives—to address complex downhole conditions.
• Environmental Friendliness & Sustainability

  Stringent environmental regulations worldwide drive the shift toward green, low-toxicity, and biodegradable additives. Manufacturers are developing bio-based surfactants, eco-friendly corrosion inhibitors, and recyclable drilling fluid additives to minimize environmental impact during oilfield operations and reduce wastewater treatment costs.
• Digitalization & Precision Application

  The integration of digital technologies (e.g., big data, AI, and sensor monitoring) enables precise formulation and application of additives. By analyzing reservoir data, production parameters, and fluid properties in real time, oilfield operators can optimize additive dosage, reduce waste, and improve operational efficiency—forming a "smart chemical management" system.
• Multifunctional Integration

  There is a trend toward developing multifunctional additives that combine multiple properties (e.g., corrosion inhibition + scale prevention + lubrication) to simplify formulation systems, reduce costs, and improve compatibility. For example, integrated drilling fluid additives that simultaneously stabilize shale, control fluid loss, and lubricate drill strings are increasingly popular.
• Focus on Unconventional Oilfield Development

  As conventional oil reserves decline, unconventional oilfields (shale oil, heavy oil, oil sands) become key targets. This drives R&D of specialized additives, such as high-efficiency viscosity reducers for heavy oil, fracturing fluid additives for shale formations, and environmental-friendly solvents for oil sand extraction, to unlock the potential of these resources.