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Deeper drilling depths and high pressure high temperature (HPHT) wells require good well planning at minimum cost and unproductive time. Polymer nanocomposite has emerged as a promising additive to enhance the thermal stability of conventional water–based muds (WBMs). In this study, polypropylene–silica nanocomposite (PP–SiO₂ NC) was synthesized using hot–emulsion sol–gel method. The performance of the PP–SiO₂ NC in WBMs was critically examined and compared with that of partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (PHPA). Different characterization techniques were used to examine the morphology, structure information and thermal stability of the PP–SiO₂ NC. The effect of 0.3 g, 0.6 g, 0.9 g, 1.2 g and 1.5 g each of PHPA and PP–SiO₂ NC towards rheological properties, lubricity, filter cake thickness, and filtrate volume of WBM before and after thermal aging tests were studied. In addition, salt …