MUD CIRCULATION & TREATING EQUIPMENT MUD SYSTEM OVERVIEW

MUD CIRCULATION & TREATING EQUIPMENT
MUD SYSTEM OVERVIEW

Overview

The rig uses many pieces of equipment to circulate and treat or condition the mud.

Mud Tanks

Mud circulation begins here, in the mud tanks, sometimes called pits. Crew members prepare the mud in these tanks and make it ready for circulation

Mud Pumps

The heart of the circulating system is the mud pump. Often, rigs have two pumps, one primary pump and one for back up. Or, if hole conditions required, the driller can compound or combine the two pumps to circulate large volumes of mud. In fact, on deep wells, the rig may have three or four compound pumps. The powerful pump, or pumps, pick up mud from the mud tanks and send it to the drill string and bit. The pump moves the mud into the discharge line, up to standpipe and into the rotary hose.

Standpipe & Rotary Hose

The standpipe takes the mud about half way of the mast. The rotary hose is attached to the standpipe. The rotary hose is strong, flexible hose that moves with the swivel as it goes up and down in the mast. From the rotary hose, the pump moves mud through the swivel and then down the kelly and drill string. On rigs with a top drive, the mud moves through a passage in the top drive and then into the drill string.

Bit & Annulus

The pump moves the mud down the drill string to the bit. At the bit, the mud jets out of the openings or nozzles in the bit. The jets of mud move cuttings away from the bit. Mud then continues up the annulus, carrying the cuttings with it.