Tunnel Boring MachinesAdditives for Tunnel Boring Machines

SNF provides solutions for underground projects, from soil to slurry mud conditioning, transportation, and waste management. ย Our products ensure that tunneling operations run at peak efficiency while minimizing waste.

Tunnel Boring Machines

Subcontractors specializing in tunnel boring machines use specific soil conditioners and drilling fluids to conduct their projects.ย  The success of excavation at optimal costs depends on the properties of the foam or bentonite components to achieve targets such as:

  • Advance Rates
  • Cutterhead Lubrication and Torque Reduction
  • Reducing Cutterhead Wear
  • Carrying Cuttings from the Cutterhead to the Surface
  • Ensuring the Stability of the Advancing Face
  • Preventing Water Ingress
  • Avoiding Fluid Loss to the Ground
  • Facilitating Spoils Disposal or Drill Mud Treatment

In TBM projects with mud (Mix Shield or Variable Density) or foam (Earth Pressure Balanced Shield), there is a growing demand for innovative additives to improve productivity while reducing environmental impact.ย  SNF is at the forefront of innovation by offering cost-effective products that meet the most advanced requirements.


SNF Products for Tunneling and Drilling

Dispersants and Thinners

Product CategoryDescription
FLOSPERSEโ„ข CTProducts used for drilling mud viscosity reduction, shelf-life extension, and mud circulation improvement.

Dust Control Products

Product CategoryDescription
FLOSETโ„ข CEFull range of liquid solutions used in open shield, for dust control on conveyors, and when excavation takes place in very hard ground.

Lubricants

Product CategoryDescription
FLOSETโ„ข CEPremium liquids used in horizontally directed drilling as friction reducers between pipes and ground.

Mud Treatment

Product CategoryDescription
FLOSETโ„ข CEA wide range of coagulants and flocculants for drilling mud treatment with a filter press or centrifuge.

Plugging Agents

Product CategoryDescription
FLOSETโ„ข / FLOSORBโ„ข CEReady to use water-absorbent, and water-swellable liquids designed to prevent fluid loss or water infiltration.

Thickeners and Conditioners

Product CategoryDescription
FLOSPERSEโ„ข CTLow molecular weight polymers are used as shale inhibitors, clay inhibitors, and for solid particle dispersion.
FLOSETโ„ข CEPremium liquids designed for EPB foam conditioning, front excavation confinement, and mud transportation.

Top

MODIFICATEURS DE RHร‰OLOGIEย 

Additifs fluidifiants par cisaillement qui contrรดlent les propriรฉtรฉs rhรฉologiques et d'รฉcoulement des fluides de forage afin d'amรฉliorer le transport des dรฉblais, la suspension, le nettoyage du puits et la stabilitรฉ du forage.

AGENTS VISCOSIFIANTS (WBM ET OBM)ย 

Large gamme de PHPA ร  haut poids molรฉculaire pour les fluides de forage ร  base dโ€™eau (WBM), ainsi que de viscosifiants OBM ร  base de latex, utilisables depuis le tubage de surface jusquโ€™aux environnements HPHT et dans des saumures allant jusquโ€™ร  saturation.

CONTRร”LE DES PERTES DE FLUIDEย 

Polymรจres linรฉaires et structurรฉs offrant dโ€™excellentes performances en contrรดle des pertes de fluide, contribuant ร  la maรฎtrise de la filtration et ร  la stabilitรฉ du puits depuis le tubage de surface jusquโ€™aux profondeurs HPHT et dans des environnements ร  salinitรฉ รฉlevรฉe.

INHIBITEURS DE SCHISTESย 

Polyamines liquides ou solides, ร  haute performance et respectueuses de lโ€™environnement, conรงues pour prรฉvenir lโ€™instabilitรฉ et le gonflement des formations schisteuses sensibles.

DISPERSANTS ET FLUIDIFIANTSย 

Les dispersants ร  base de polyacrylates de faible poids molรฉculaire rรฉduisent la viscositรฉ des boues et contribuent au contrรดle de la force du gel.

EXTENSEURS DE BENTONITEย 

Extenseurs polymรฉriques fortement anioniques, disponibles dans une large gamme de poids molรฉculaires, permettant dโ€™augmenter la viscositรฉ des systรจmes de boues non dispersรฉes.

MATERIAUX DE PERTE DE CIRCULATION (LCM)ย 

Les polymรจres superabsorbants utilisรฉs comme LCM agissent en colmatant et en comblant les zones de pertes partielles ou totales lors des opรฉrations de forage, aussi bien en eau douce quโ€™en environnements fortement salins.

LUBRIFIANTSย 

Produits spรฉcialisรฉs conรงus pour assurer une lubrification durable et une protection contre l'usure des trรฉpans, des tiges de forage et des outils de fond de puits en rรฉduisant le frottement des fluides de forage et de complรฉtion.

AGENTS ANTIMOUSSEย 

Additifs qui prรฉviennent et รฉliminent la formation de mousse afin de maintenir les propriรฉtรฉs du fluide de forage pour des opรฉrations de forage rapides et sรปres.

CONTROLE DES PERTES DE FLUIDEย 

Additifs de contrรดle des pertes de fluide pour la cimentation, capables de tolรฉrer toutes les salinitรฉs et des tempรฉratures de fond de puits allant jusquโ€™ร  400 ยฐF (204 ยฐC). Ils sont compatibles avec tous les types de ciments utilisรฉs dans les puits pรฉtroliers et gaziers.

CONTROLE DE LA MIGRATION DES GAZย 

Additifs permettant de contrรดler la migration des gaz et de prรฉvenir une rรฉsistance mรฉcanique insuffisante ou une mauvaise adhรฉrence du ciment, mรชme ร  faibles dosages.

RETARDATEURSย 

Homopolymรจres linรฉaires, polyacrylates et copolymรจres sulfonรฉs, disponibles dans diffรฉrentes gammes de poids molรฉculaires, permettant de contrรดler le temps de prise du ciment sur plusieurs heures.

DISPERSANTSย 

Dispersants ร  base de polyacrylates de faible poids molรฉculaire amรฉliorant les propriรฉtรฉs dโ€™รฉcoulement des coulis de ciment en rรฉduisant la viscositรฉ et en empรชchant lโ€™agglomรฉration des particules, tout en contribuant au contrรดle de la force du gel.

ADDITIFS DE SUSPENSIONย 

Ces produits sont conรงus pour amรฉliorer la capacitรฉ de suspension des coulis de ciment en maintenant le ciment et les autres particules solides dispersรฉs dans la phase liquide. Les additifs de suspension empรชchent la sรฉdimentation des solides et rรฉduisent la quantitรฉ de fluide libre, assurant ainsi une mise en place correcte du ciment.

FLUIDES D'ESPACEMENT ET FLUIDES DE PACKERย 

Ces fluides spรฉcialisรฉs sont conรงus avec des propriรฉtรฉs spรฉcifiques pour dรฉplacer efficacement le fluide de forage et prรฉvenir la contamination du ciment, permettant ainsi une mise en place optimale du ciment.

MATERIAUX DE PERTE DE CIRCULATIONย 

Les polymรจres superabsorbants utilisรฉs comme LCM permettent de bloquer et de combler les zones de pertes partielles ou totales lors des opรฉrations de cimentation.

AGENTS ANTIMOUSSEย 

Des additifs qui prรฉviennent et รฉliminent la formation de mousse permettent de maintenir les propriรฉtรฉs de la boue de ciment pour un meilleur placement du ciment et une meilleure isolation des zones. Les agents antimousse garantissent une densitรฉ de boue prรฉcise, une faible porositรฉ, une rรฉsistance รฉlevรฉe et un minimum de dรฉfauts dans la gaine de ciment.

STABILISATEURS DE PUITSย 

Polymรจres linรฉaires et structurรฉs assurant une stabilisation efficace des puits sensibles grรขce ร  la formation dโ€™un gรขteau de filtration mince et homogรจne, agissant comme une barriรจre protectrice ร  lโ€™interface avec la formation.

Friction Reducers (FRs / HVFRs)ย 

SNFโ€™s high-performance friction reducers and HVFRs lower pumping pressures, enhance fluid flow, and improve operational efficiencyโ€”reducing total water and energy consumption during hydraulic fracturing.

Linear / Crosslinked Gelsย 

Delivering consistent viscosity and superior proppant transport. SNFโ€™s linear and crosslinked gels are formulated for excellent stability, controlled cleanup, and performance across a wide range of formations.

Permanent Clay Stabilizersย 

Prevent formation damage and maintain long-term well productivity. Our permanent polymer-based stabilizers effectively minimize clay swelling and migration.

Scale Inhibitorsย 

Protect wellbore and surface equipment from mineral scaling. SNFโ€™s scale inhibitors extend asset life and preserve production efficiency throughout stimulation and flowback.

Acid Gelling Aidsย 

Enhance acid placement and control leak-off during matrix stimulation. SNF's acid gelling aids improve fluid performance and overall treatment effectiveness.

Coiled Tubing Friction Reducersย 

Achieve smoother, more efficient coiled tubing operations. These friction reducers lower surface pressures and optimize fluid flow during continuous pumping applications.

Pipeline / Disposal Well Drag Reducersย 

Increase throughput and reduce pumping costs in pipeline and disposal well systems. SNF's drag reducers maintain stability and efficiency over long distances.

Surfactantsย 

Promote improved hydrocarbon recovery and flowback. SNFโ€™s surfactants reduce interfacial tension and enhance fluid compatibility across a wide range of conditions.

Biocidesย 

Control bacterial growth that can lead to corrosion, souring, or plugging. SNFโ€™s regulated biocide solutions maintain fluid integrity and equipment reliability.

pH Adjustersย 

Optimize crosslinker and breaker efficiency through precise pH control. SNFโ€™s adjusters ensure consistent fluid chemistry and predictable performance.

Corrosion Inhibitorsย 

Extend the life of your tubulars and equipment. SNF's corrosion inhibitors provide strong protection against the harsh environments of stimulation operations.

Breakersย 

Deliver clean, controlled gel breakdown for improved formation permeability. SNFโ€™s breakers ensure complete cleanup and maximum flow restoration.

Oxygen Scavengersย 

Protect polymers and metal assets from oxidation and corrosion. FLOJETโ„ข O2 delivers fast, dependable oxygen removal for safer, longer-lasting fluid systems.

RHEOLOGY MODIFIERSย 

Shear-thinning additives that control the rheological and flow properties of drilling fluids to improve cuttings transport, suspension, hole cleaning, and wellbore stability.

VISCOSIFIERS (WBM and OBM)ย 

Wide range of high molecular weight PHPA for WBM and latex-based OBM viscosifiers for use in drilling surface casing to HPTH depths and up to saturated salts.

FLUID LOSS CONTROLย 

Linear and structured polymers that are excellent fluid loss control additives for filtration control and wellbore stability from surface casing to HPTH depths and up to saturated salts.

SHALE INHIBITORSย 

High-performance and environmentally friendly liquid or dry polyamines that prevent instability and swelling of sensitive shale formations.

WELLBORE STABILIZERSย 

Linear and structured polymers that are excellent stabilizers of sensitive wellbore by creating a thin and uniform filter cake that works as a barrier on the formation face.

Dispersants & Thinnersย 

Low-MW polyacrylates dispersants reduce mud viscosity and help control gel strength.

BENTONITE EXTENDERSย 

High anionic with a wide range of molecular weights polymeric extenders helps increase viscosity in non-dispersed mud systems

LOST CIRCULATION MATERIALS (LCM)ย 

Superabsorbent polymers LCM work by blocking and filling partial and total loss zones during drilling operations for freshwater and high salinity environments

LUBRICANTSย 

Specialized products designed to provide long-lasting lubrication and wear protection for drill bit, drill pipe, and downhole tools by reducing the friction of drilling and completion fluids.

DEFOAMERSย 

Additives that prevent and break down foam formation to maintain drilling fluid properties for fast and safe drilling operations.

FLUID LOSS CONTROLย 

Cement fluid loss control additives that can tolerate all salinities and up to 400ยฐF (204ยฐC) downhole temperature. ย Also, work for all types of cements used in the oil and gas wells.

GAS MITIGATION CONTROLย 

Additives that can control gas migration and prevent poor set strength and inadequate cement bond with a small dosage.

RETARDERSย 

Linear homopolymers, polyacrylates, and sulfonated copolymers with a variety of Mw ranges assist in controlling the cement setting time to several hours.

DISPERSANTSย 

Low-MW polyacrylates dispersants that improve the flow properties of cement slurries by reducing viscosity and preventing particle clumping, and help control gel strength.

SUSPENSION ADDITIVESย 

Products engineered to improve the suspension capability of cement slurry by keeping cement and other solid particles dispersed in the liquid phase. Suspension additives prevent solids sag and reduce free fluid for proper cement placement.

SPACERS & PACKER FLUIDSย 

Specialized fluids designed with specific properties to efficiently displace the drilling fluid and prevent cement contamination to allow optimal cement placement.

LOST CIRCULATION MATERIALS (LCM)ย 

Superabsorbent polymers LCM work by blocking and filling partial and total loss zones during cementing operations.

DEFOAMERSย 

Additives that prevent and break down foam formation to maintain cement slurry properties for better cement placement and zonal isolation. Defoamers ensure accurate slurry density, low porosity, high strength, and minimal defects in the cement sheath.

Rรฉducteurs de friction (FR / HVFR)ย 

Les rรฉducteurs de friction haute performance et les technologies HVFR de SNF permettent de rรฉduire les pressions de pompage, dโ€™amรฉliorer lโ€™รฉcoulement des fluides et dโ€™optimiser lโ€™efficacitรฉ opรฉrationnelle. Ils contribuent ainsi ร  rรฉduire la consommation globale dโ€™eau et dโ€™รฉnergie lors des opรฉrations de fracturation hydraulique.

Gels linรฉaires / gels rรฉticulรฉsย 

Offrant une viscositรฉ maรฎtrisรฉe et un transport optimal du proppant, les gels linรฉaires et rรฉticulรฉs de SNF sont formulรฉs pour garantir une excellente stabilitรฉ, un nettoyage contrรดlรฉ et des performances รฉlevรฉes sur une large gamme de formations.

Stabilisants dโ€™argiles permanentsย 

Ces solutions permettent de prรฉvenir les dommages ร  la formation et de prรฉserver durablement ย la productivitรฉ des puits. Les stabilisants permanents ร  base de polymรจres de SNF rรฉduisent efficacement le gonflement et la migration des argiles.

Inhibiteurs de tartreย 

Les inhibiteurs de tartre de SNF protรจgent les รฉquipements de fond et de surface contre la formation de dรฉpรดts minรฉraux. Ils contribuent ร  prolonger la durรฉe de vie des actifs et ร  prรฉserver lโ€™efficacitรฉ de la production tout au long des phases de stimulation et de flowback.

Agents de gรฉlification pour acidesย 

Les agents de gรฉlification pour acides de SNF amรฉliorent le placement de lโ€™acide et le contrรดle des pertes de fluide lors des opรฉrations de stimulation matricielle. Ils renforcent les performances des fluides et optimisent lโ€™efficacitรฉ globale des traitements.

Rรฉducteurs de friction pour coiled tubingย 

Ces rรฉducteurs de friction sont conรงus pour rendre les opรฉrations de coiled tubing plus fluides et plus efficaces. Ils permettent de rรฉduire les pressions en surface et dโ€™optimiser lโ€™รฉcoulement des fluides lors des applications de pompage en continu.

MINING FLOCCULANTSย 

SNFโ€™s FLOPAMโ„ข product line has been specifically designed to treat Oil Sands tailings streams. It can be used in thickening and end-of-pipe applications for rapid, clean water recovery and solid consolidation

Rรฉducteurs de traรฎnรฉe pour pipelines et puits de rรฉinjectionย 

Les rรฉducteurs de traรฎnรฉe de SNF permettent dโ€™augmenter les dรฉbits tout en rรฉduisant les coรปts de pompage dans les systรจmes de pipelines et les puits de rรฉinjection. Ils garantissent une stabilitรฉ et une efficacitรฉ durables, mรชme sur de longues distances.

MINING COAGULANTSย 

SNFโ€™s FLOQUATโ„ข product range is designed to help with water quality when straight flocculation is not enough to achieve needed results.

Tensioactifsย 

Les tensioactifs de SNF favorisent une optimisรฉe des hydrocarbures et un flowback plus efficace. En rรฉduisant la tension interfaciale, ils amรฉliorent la compatibilitรฉ des fluides sur une large gamme de conditions opรฉratoires.

Biocidesย 

Les biocides de SNF permettent de contrรดler efficacement la prolifรฉration bactรฉrienne susceptible de provoquer la corrosion, la sulfuration ou lโ€™obstruction des systรจmes. Conformes aux exigences rรฉglementaires, ces solutions prรฉservent lโ€™intรฉgritรฉ des fluides et assurent la fiabilitรฉ durable des รฉquipements.

FILTRATION AND MECHANICAL DEWATERING AIDSย 

SNFโ€™s FLOPAMโ„ข product line is engineered for vacuum filtration and centrifuge applications, helping operators reduce cycle times, achieve drier cakes, and produce cleaner filtrate or centrate for improved process efficiency.

Ajusteurs de pHย 

Les ajusteurs de pH de SNF assurent un contrรดle prรฉcis du pH afin dโ€™optimiser lโ€™efficacitรฉ des agents de rรฉticulation et des breakers. Ils contribuent ร  une chimie des fluides constante et des performances fiables et prรฉvisibles sur le terrain.

Inhibiteurs de corrosionย 

Les inhibiteurs de corrosion de SNF contribuent ร  prolonger la durรฉe de vie des tubulaires et des รฉquipements en offrant une protection renforcรฉe contre les environnements sรฉvรจres rencontrรฉs lors des opรฉrations de stimulation.

SAGD FLOCCULANTS AND COAGULANTSย 

SNFโ€™s HYPERFLOCโ„ข product line features advanced chemistries tailored for warm and hot lime softening in SAGD operations. These high-temperature-tolerant polymers deliver lower dosage requirements while maintaining critical boiler water treatment KPIs for consistent and reliable performance.

Breakers (agents de rupture)ย 

Les breakers de SNF assurent une rupture propre et contrรดlรฉe des gelsafin dโ€™amรฉliorer la permรฉabilitรฉ de la formation. Ils garantissent un nettoyage efficace et une restauration optimale des dรฉbits.

Piรฉgeurs dโ€™oxygรจneย 

Les piรฉgeurs dโ€™oxygรจne protรจgent les polymรจres et les รฉquipements mรฉtalliques contre lโ€™oxydation et la corrosion. FLOJETโ„ข O2 assure une รฉlimination rapide et fiable de lโ€™oxygรจne, contribuant ร  des systรจmes de fluides plus sรปrs et plus durables.

SAGD FILTER AIDS AND ANTIFOULANTSย 

SNFโ€™s HYPERFLOCโ„ข product line is engineered to withstand the high temperatures of SAGD processes, helping minimize plant downtime caused by backflushing or cleaning cycles.

DRAG REDUCERSย 

SNFโ€™s FLOJETโ„ข DR drag reducers are high-performance emulsion polymers engineered to enhance flow assurance and pipeline efficiency by significantly reducing frictional pressure losses, pumping energy requirements, and fluid degradation across a broad range of water conditions.

DUST SUPPRESSIONย 

SNFโ€™s FLOSETโ„ข RDC product line offers chloride-free, environmentally responsible dust suppression solutions specifically formulated for haul roads, tailings areas, and administrative sites, helping improve air quality and site safety.

CHENGDAO FIELD (CHINA)

Case Study Content

CAPTAIN FIELD (UNITED KINGDOM)

Case Study Content

MILNE POINT (ALASKA, UNITED STATES)

Case Study Content

GRIMBEEK (ARGENTINA)

Case Study Content

SIRIKIT (THAILAND)

Case Study Content

ASAB & BAB (UNITED ARAB EMIRATES)

Case Study Content