PHPA — partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide — is the most widely used shale-encapsulating polymer of water-based drilling, and it crosses industries: the same class serves oilfield mud, HDD bores, and water-well drilling. Ironstone supplies drilling-grade PHPA in dry and liquid forms, with a certificate of analysis for every batch.
PHPA is a long-chain, anionic polymer. Its chains attach onto the surfaces of reactive clay and shale — on the wellbore wall and on drilled cuttings — and form a coating that slows how fast water reaches the clay. The industry word for this is encapsulation. The results are cuttings that reach the shakers still firm instead of dispersing into the mud, a more stable hole in reactive formations, and a cleaner fluid. Because the chains are long, PHPA also raises viscosity, so some low-solids programs run it as a primary viscosifier.
Same polymer family; the difference is packaging, freight, and mixing. Dry powder has high active content and much cheaper freight per unit of polymer, but it must be added slowly through a hopper or eductor or it forms fish-eyes (undissolved lumps). Liquid emulsion mixes fast with basic equipment, but a large share of each drum is carrier fluid and water, so you pay freight on the whole drum — compare price per active polymer, not per liter. Our POLY-PLUS / EZ-MUD equivalents page covers the cross-brand class.
| Parameter | Dry powder | Liquid emulsion |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | White free-flowing powder | Milky viscous liquid |
| Molecular weight class | Very high (about 12–15 million) | High |
| Charge | Anionic, mild-to-medium | Anionic |
| Active / solids content | High active (powder) | About 33 – 40% solids |
| pH (1%) | — | 6 – 8 |
| Specific gravity | — | About 0.98 – 1.05 |
| Degree of hydrolysis | Stated on the certificate of analysis | Stated on the certificate of analysis |
Typical drilling-grade values. Degree of hydrolysis (anionic charge) varies by grade, so the certificate of analysis states it along with the exact figures for each batch.
Dosage depends on the job — a shale-encapsulation program, a low-solids viscosifier role, and an HDD clay bore each dose differently, and dry and liquid forms do not dose alike because active content differs — so it is set from the technical data sheet and pilot testing, not a single number. For shipping, dry powder moves as bagged cargo; liquid emulsion ships in drums or IBC totes as a liquid. We confirm the pack and any handling notes on the quotation.
Indicative CIF price on request; indicative FOB ranges appear in the monthly Price Letter. For a firm price, send your form, volume, and port on WhatsApp.