BAKER HUGHES - Drilling Fluids Reference Manual

GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Mud Additive - Any material added to a drilling fluid to achieve a particular physical or chemical
attribute to the fluids properties.
Mudding Off - Commonly thought of as reduced formation productivity caused by the penetrating,
sealing, or plastering effect of a drilling fluid.
Mudding Up - Process of mixing fluid additives to achieve some desired purpose not possible with
the former fluid, which has usually been water, air, or gas.
Mud House - A structure at the rig to store and shelter sacked materials used in drilling fluids.
Mud Logging - A method of determining the presence or absence of oil or gas in the various
formations penetrated by the drill bit. The drilling fluid and the cuttings are continuously tested on
their return to the surface, and the results of these tests are correlated with the depth or origin.
Mud-Mixing Devices - The most common device for adding solids to the fluid is by means of the jet
hopper. Some other devices for mixing are eductors, paddle mixers, electric stirrers, fluid guns,
chemical barrels, etc.
Mud Pit - Earthen or steel storage facilities for the surface fluid system. Mud pits which vary in
volume and number are of two types, circulating and reserve. Mud testing and conditioning is
normally done in the circulating pit system.
Mud Program - A step by step procedural plan based on prior knowledge of all known drilling
parameters before actual drilling is initiated. When the unexpected arises in the actual drilling then
deviation from the mud program in may be required. These departures can be planned for in advance
and included in the program as contingency procedures should the mud program require altering.
Deviation from the mud program is normally encountered when drilling wildcat type wells.
Mud Pumps - Pumps at the rig used to circulate drilling fluids.
Mud Scales - See Balance, Fluid.
Mud Still- An instrument used to distill oil, water, and other volatile material in a fluid to determine
oil, water, and total solids contents in volume-percent. Should the fluid contain dissolved
components such as salts the volume of liquid fraction distilled will require adjustment.
Natural Clays - Natural clays, as opposed to commercial clays, are clays that are encountered when
drilling various formations. The yield of these clays varies greatly, and they may or may not be
purposely incorporated into the fluid system.
BAKER HUGHES DRILLING FLUIDS
REFERENCE MANUAL
REVISION 2006 15-32