You have certainly heard the following terms in the news lately: well drilling, well drilling supplies, drilling fluids and drilling mud, to name a few. We’ve all heard them, but do we know exactly what they mean? Let’s take a minute to get back to the basics!
What is well drilling?
Essentially, it is the drilling of a hole in the ground in order to extract a natural resource either ground water, natural gas or petroleum. For the most part, well drilling involves very sophisticated and expensive equipment.
What is drilling fluid?
Drilling fluid, which is often called drilling mud, is used to help in the drilling of boreholes in the earth. Drilling fluids are usually divided into three categories: water-based, non-aqueous and gaseous drilling fluids.
Early days:
In the early days of oil drilling, actual mud was circulated down and back up the well hole; the purpose of the mud was to act as a coolant for the equipment and to remove the bits of drilled-out rock from the hole.
Evolution:
With time, and improvements in well drilling supplies, equipment and technologies, the holes went deeper and the pressures increased; mud and water were no longer sufficient. Drilling fluid slowly evolved from plain mud and water to substituting the water for more dense materials and oil.
Function:
- Drilling fluid cuts down on the friction, preventing the formation fluids from entering the well bore and lowering the heat of drilling, hence reducing the risk of friction-related complications.
- The mud also acts as a carrier for the materials being drilled; materials become suspended in the mud and are carried up the drill to the surface.
- Drilling fluid re-circulates during the drilling process; as it rises to the surface, it passes through screens that trap the materials from the borehole. The mud is then cycled back into the system transporting it to the head of the drill bit; this recirculation process cuts down on waste by reusing some of the mud.
Depending on the well and the type of soil encountered, different types of drilling fluids will be used at various sections in the hole. PVC Plus Drilling Products offers solutions for various types of drilling problematic through superior products and service. For more information concerning well drilling supplies and drilling fluids contact your local PVC Plus Drilling Products location or call us at (877) 221-9832 toll free. Contact PVC Plus.
http://www.agwt.org/info/pdfs/welldrilling.pdf
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-drilling-mud.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drilling_fluid