Potassium hydroxide (KOH). It is used for pH stability and as an inhibitor for swelling shales.

Common Name: Potassium Hydroxide, Caustic potashApplications:Caustic potash is used to maintain or increase pH. Increasing pH with caustic potash precipitates magnesium (Mg2+) and suppresses calcium (Ca2+) in highhardness waters like seawater, reduces corrosion, and neutralizes acid gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S). It is used instead of caustic soda in inhibitive waterbase fluids and drillin fluids to reduce the sodium ion content and avoid dispersion of clays.Advantages:1. Widely available and economical source of hydroxyl ions to control pH.2. Concentrated chemical that is very effective at small treatment levels.3. Increases pH, which reduces corrosion of steel exposed to drilling fluids.4. Can be used in most waterbase drilling fluids.

Potassium Hydroxide