Drilling Fluid

Name:
Drilling Fluid
Detailed information:
(drilling mud). A suspension of barytes and bentonite or attapulgite clay in either water or a petroleum oil. When circulated through oil-well drilling pipes, it acts as a coolant and lubricant and keeps the hole free from bore cuttings. To be effective, it must have a specific gravity of at least 2.0 and should be thixotropic, with appreciable gel strength. Lignosulfonates are used as thinners in the water-based type. Oil-based muds require thickening additives such as blown asphalt and metallic soaps of tall oil and rosin acids.