Xanthan gum — the biopolymer the industry calls XC or XCD polymer — is the strongest suspension viscosifier used in water-based drilling fluid. Ironstone supplies drilling-grade xanthan in standard and dispersible grades, with a certificate of analysis for every batch.
XC polymer is xanthan gum: a high-molecular-weight polysaccharide made by fermentation. Its value in drilling fluid is its strongly shear-thinning behavior — thin under the high shear inside the drill string and at the bit (so pump pressure stays manageable), and thick where the fluid moves slowly in the annulus and when the pumps stop. That low-shear thickness is what carries cuttings up the hole and holds barite and cuttings in suspension between connections. It is the first-choice viscosifier for HDD and low-solids fluids.
They are the same base biopolymer; the difference is qualification and treatment, not the molecule. Food grade is certified for purity and food safety. Drilling grade is controlled for mud performance — viscometer readings in salt brine, and particle treatment so it disperses in the field without lumping — and is tested against oilfield methods. Food grade is therefore not a specification substitute: it is qualified for a different job.
| Parameter | Typical value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Cream free-flowing powder | Visual |
| Moisture (loss on drying) | ≤ 13% | LOD |
| Particle size | 40 / 80 mesh (drilling) | Sieve |
| pH (1% solution) | 6.0 – 8.0 | — |
| Viscosity | ≥ 1200 cP in 1% KCl brine | Rotational (Brookfield/Fann) |
| Ash | ≤ 15% | — |
| Pyruvate / brine dial readings | Stated on the certificate of analysis | Lab QC |
Typical drilling-grade values. Viscosity is only meaningful with the test brine stated, so the certificate of analysis reports the exact figures and the test conditions for each batch.
Xanthan needs shear and controlled addition. Untreated powder hydrates fast at the particle surface, so if it is dumped into water faster than it disperses it forms “fish-eyes” — lumps whose outer surface has gelled and sealed dry powder inside. Add it slowly through a hopper or high-shear mixer, or use the dispersible grade where mixing is manual or done in the field. Dosage is set to the suspension and hole-cleaning target by pilot test; we include the technical data sheet with guidance when we quote.
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