Abstract:In this paper, acrylic acid (AA), 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS), and methacryloxyethyl trimethylammonium chloride (DMC) wereSusedSasSmonomers, based on the aqueous solution explosion polymerization process, a low molecular weight zwitterionic polymer viscosity reducer for drilling fluids was synthesized by using environmentally friendly tetramethylthiuram disulfide (TMTD) instead of sulfhydryl compound as the chain transfer agent. Taking the room temperature viscosity reduction rate as the evaluation index, the optimum synthesis conditions of the viscosity reducer have been determined: the monomer concentration was 55 wt%, the addition of TMTD was 0.75 wt%, the addition of oxidation-reduction initiator was 3 wt% of the monomer concentration, the neutralization of (AA+AMPS) was 50%, the addition of AMPS was 5.5 wt%, and the addition of DMC was 4.5 wt%. Under this condition, the number average molecular weight of the synthesized zwitterionic polymer viscosity reducer is 914 g/mol, and its viscosity reduction rate in the fresh water base slurry is 91.53%, and it has good temperature resistance, which can meet the temperature resistance requirement of 180 ℃. This research provides a green and environmentally friendly option for the synthesis of low molecular weight zwitterionic viscosity reducer.