drilling fluid
Noun
Meaning
a mixture of clays and chemicals and water; pumped down the drill pipe to lubricate and cool the drilling bit and to flush out the cuttings and to strengthen the sides of the hole
Source: WordNetSynonyms
Hypernyms
Examples
Construction has already contaminated the Trinity Aquifer with mud and 36,000 gallons of drilling fluid, turning Blanco County residents’ well water cloudy and brown.
The “mud”, or drilling fluid, lubricates and cools the drill, brings the cuttings to the surface and stabilises the hole.
Other typical applications include the production of mastic asphalts for sidewalks, bridges, car-parks and urban roads as well as drilling fluid additives for the oil and gas industry.
The function of a drilling fluid is to lubricate drill bits, to bring rock cuttings to the surface, and to maintain pressure on the formation during drilling of the well.