US Patent 8183180 - Drilling fluid including graphene

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8183180.html

This patent from William Marsh Rice University includes some broad claims for gas and oil drilling fluids in which graphene is used to help prevent the penetration of the drilling fluid into rock formations and reduce wear on drilling tools. Claim 1 reads:

1. A drilling fluid comprising a graphene,

wherein the graphene is selected from the group consisting of chemically converted graphene, chemically converted graphene prepared by a reduction of graphite oxide, chemically converted graphene functionalized with a plurality of aryl groups, graphene functionalized with a plurality of aryl groups, graphene functionalized with a plurality of alkyl groups, functionalized graphite oxide, graphite oxide that has been functionalized through esterification or amidation of carboxylic acid groups, graphite oxide that has been functionalized with a plurality of alkyl groups, graphite oxide that has been functionalized with a plurality of aryl groups, reduced graphite oxide, and combinations thereof.