Silicate is used in the preparation of drilling muds in drilling operations to aid in the extraction of the drilled material.
In some oil fields, it is used to increase extraction efficiency. When pumped deep into the well, it reacts with the fatty acids present in the oil, saponifying them. The reduction in surface tension that results facilitates the extraction process.
A similar reaction is also used in the refining of vegetable and mineral oils. In the recovery of used mineral oils, silicate solutions are used to eliminate specific impurities and others, going through an aqueous phase.