By adding a lignosulfonate preferably magnesium lignosulfonate to water and subjecting the mixture to shear a viscous fluid is created. The lignosulfonate increases the viscosity of the water at least to the point where the fluid is viscous enough to maintain the cement in a solution without free water yet not so viscous as to prevent the pumps from moving the viscous fluid slurry and thereby damaging the pumps. The fluid is sufficiently viscous to enable the fluid to conduct the cement slurry through the wellbore and into the formation without duning or otherwise allowing the cement to settle out. Additionally the fluid continues to remain viscous and retain the cement in slurry at temperatures in excess of 225° F.

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