What is drilling mud made of?

A typical water-based drilling mud contains a clay, usually bentonite, to give it enough viscosity to carry cutting chips to the surface, as well as a mineral such as barite (barium sulfate) to increase the weight of the column enough to stabilize the borehole.

What is bentonite clay used for in drilling?

The most common use of bentonite is in drilling fluids. The bentonite in the flush fluid lubricates and cools the cutting tools whilst protecting against corrosion. As the drilling fluid generates hydrostatic pressure in the borehole, it hinders fluid and gas penetration.

What is mud viscosity?

The property of a mud-laden fluid to resist flow due to internal friction and the combined effects of adhesion and cohesion; e.g., a Marsh funnel (used to measure the viscosity of mud) will discharge 1 quart (0.95 L) of water in about 36 s, whereas an equal volume of an average drilling mud is discharged in 40 to 55 s …

What is montmorillonite clay?

Montmorillonite is a very soft phyllosilicate group of minerals that form when they precipitate from water solution as microscopic crystals, known as clay. It is named after Montmorillon in France.

Is Multani Mitti and bentonite clay same?

Indus Valley Bio Organic Multani Mitti is a pure natural clay powder originated from earth’s nature. It is also known as Indian Healing Clay, Fuller’s earth clay or Bentonite Clay. Multani Mitti gently exfoliates and deep cleanses the pores of the skin sucking all dirt, oil and impurities out of the skin.

What is NDF mud?

Nonaqueous, water-internal (invert) emulsion muds in which the external phase is a synthetic fluid rather than an oil. This and other more minor changes in formulations have made synthetic fluids in muds more environmentally acceptable for offshore use.

What is polymer mud?

Polymer mud was initially developed to improve the drilling. efficiency. Acrylamide (PAM), a polymer flocculation agent, was firstly used in the drilling mud as early as 1958. PAM was called total flocculent because it can flocculate drilling cuttings and bentonite[2].

What is a Viscosifier?

Viscosifier Polyxcd POLYXCD is a premium quality biopolymer powder designed to provide maximum solids suspension and hole cleaning in vertical and highly deviated wells as well as horizontal directional drilling applications.