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History
How we've gotten to where we are.
  • 1939
    Harry Brown and Willard Johnson seek new barite reserves in Magnet Cove, Arkansas, and apply the process of flotation to barite.
  • 1940s
    Brown and Johnson begin mining barite on Tennessee's Wolf River for glass manufacturers and barite-chemical producers. The Magnet Cove Barium Corporation begins producing the petroleum industry's first source for high-quality barite.
    Salt Water Control Inc. is founded.
    Dresser Industries purchases all the shares of the Magnet Cove Barium Corporation (shortened to "Magcobar").
  • 1960s
    International Minerals and Chemicals Corporation (IMC), a supplier of ground bentonite and barite to the drilling fluids industry, acquires three companies that supply drilling mud to the petroleum industry - May Brothers Lumber Company of Lafayette, Louisiana; Mud Control Laboratories of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Alamo Lumber Company of San Antonio, Texas. The unrelated lumber businesses of these companies is soon sold off.
    IMC begins operations under the name "IMC Drilling Mud."
    Dresser Magcobar acquires Salt Water Control and changes the name to SWACO.
    Halliburton acquires IMC and changes the company name to IMCO Services.
  • 1970s
    SWACO is spun off as a separate division of Dresser Industries.
  • 1980s
    Dresser and Halliburton merge Magcobar and IMCO Services to form M-I Drilling Fluids.
    SWACO acquires Geolograph Pioneer and changes the company name to SWACO Geolograph.
  • 1990s
    SWACO Geolograph becomes a division of M-I Drilling Fluids.
    Smith International purchases Dresser Industries' 64-percent interest in M-I Drilling Fluids.
    M-I forms Federal Industrial Products.
    M-I acquires Fremont Chemical.
    SWACO acquires Baker-Hughes Treatment Services.
    Anchor Drilling Fluids is acquired by M-I.
    M-I Algeria S.p.A. is formed as a joint venture between M-I Drilling Fluids and Sonatrach.
    M-I Drilling Fluids L.L.C. is renamed M-I L.L.C. to reflect providing a wider spectrum of integrated fluids and technology.
    M-I acquires Summit Drilling Fluids, expanding the company's reach into the Rocky Mountain region of the U.S.
    The Azeri M-I joint venture is formed.
    SWACO acquires Branath Oilfield Services of Calgary, a supplier of solids-control equipment throughout Canada.
    SWACO acquires DSR Companies of Alaska, a recognized leader in solids control, pressure control, and drill cuttings grinding and injection equipment and services.
    M-I acquires Fleming Oilfield Services, a supplier of drilling fluid products and services. The company has served the Canadian market for more than 22 years.
    SWACO acquires Mantovani & Vicentini S.R.L., of Italy, a premier filtration and solids-control company.
    SWACO acquires Safeguard Disposal Systems, Inc., which provides equipment, supplies and service for zero-discharge systems.
    Smith International purchases Halliburton's 36-percent ownership interest in M-I.
    M-I launches the INTEGRATED FLUIDS ENGINEERINGSM program.
    Smith International and Schlumberger form the world's largest drilling and completion fluids business in a joint venture comprised of M-I, SWACO and the non-U.S. business of Dowell Drilling Fluids.


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