Abstract: At present,the silicate based drilling fluids are generally considered to be one of the most prospective water based drilling fluid systems.Domestic and international research findings on silicate based drilling fluids are summarized in this paper.The effect of silicate content,types of organic additives,pH values and the silicate ratio(SiO2:Na2O) on the properties of silicate based drilling fluids is elaborated emphatically.Meanwhile,a newly developed silicate based drilling fluid——the SILDRIL system is discussed in detail,including its formulation,properties and applications.Therefore,this article will pave the way for better application of silicate-based drilling fluid.