Drilling with foam and polymers has many advantages and may improve drilling in certain ground conditions. Some benefits include:

1. Ability to clean the hole with low annular velocity. Using a quality foam with the correct mixture may allow for sufficient hole cleaning with the annular velocity as low as 150 feet (46 m) per minute.

2. Utilizing a strong foam/polymer mixture, low stability formations can be drilled with minimal borehole erosion. This mixture reduces the need for high annular velocity and will suspend the cuttings during rod changes. The polymer will form a filter cake on the borehole wall, reduce hole collapse and inhibit swelling of clays.

3. Foam injection also aids when drilling in boreholes where water intrusion creates high back pressures. The foam mixture will reduce the head pressure lowering the peak unloading pressure and the operating pressure.

A heavy foam mixture will create the best cutting carrying capabilities and low quality foams will have a tendency to break down quickly in the hole allowing cuttings to fall out of the solution.

Note: When finished drilling with foam, it is necessary to rinse all drilling tools with fresh clean water and lubricate them properly. Prolonged exposure to the atmosphere creates a corrosive reaction between the steel and the foam. Corrosion stress risers are a common cause of drilling tool failures.