| CPC C09K 8/24 (2013.01) [E21B 21/003 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims | 

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               12. A method of operating a wellbore, the method comprising: 
            pumping a drilling fluid into a wellbore extending through an earth formation, the drilling fluid comprising: 
              a base fluid; and 
                  a viscosifier comprising: 
                  a first component comprising a reaction product of at least one acrylamide monomer and at least one sulfonated anionic monomer; and 
                    a second component comprising styrene-butadiene rubber; and 
                  operating a drill bit while pumping the drilling fluid in the wellbore; wherein the first component further comprises a branching agent; wherein the branching agent may constitute from about 0.1 weight percent to about 5.0 weight percent of the first component. 
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