Re: Everything you ever wanted to know about drilling mud . . .

Hi, Brett -

A Google search for "Drilling Mud" found several articles; the one at [www.rigzone.com] seemed especially clear to me.  My dad was an oilfield chemist in the 1950's & '60's, on call 24/7 to "doctor" a well by adding appropriate chemicals when the mud became too thin to lift the cuttings out of the deep hole or too thick to allow the long string of pipe with the bit at it's lower end to turn easily.  I sometimes accompanied him on a weekend call, and have clear memories of the massive pumps and engines that powered the rigs, many still operated by steam well into the 50's.  The train in Olaf's photos is probably hauling 100# sacks of the bentonite clay, barium sulfate and other dry chemicals that were added to water at the well site to make the mud — maybe even a few sacks of my dad's own patented "Polytone" drilling mud conditioner.

- El Abuelo Histœrico, Greengo y Curmudgeoño de los Locomoturas Viejos y Verdes,
aka Der Grossväterlich DünkelOlivGrünDampfKesselMantelLiebHabender



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/2019 01:11PM by Russo Loco.