drilling mud
1
6.0
- noun
- Specialized
:
barro de perforación
- In order to keep the drill bit cool, they circulated the drilling mud through the borehole.
- heavy drilling mud
- pump drilling mud
- oil drilling mud
Examples
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A third concern is that stopping the circulation of the drilling mud could cause the well's walls to collapse.
Blog text (11) -
Among the new research initiatives is work with inverted drilling mud from oil well sites, being done by Donna Chaw of Olds College in Alberta.
Academic text (2001) -
You are clear to approach and receive drilling mud.
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It's an art, the way he guides that block, the way he can tell when the drilling mud is just right.
Fiction book (1990) -
So what we were seeing close to the wellhead and remember with the top kill, a lot of of drilling mud was used.
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Well, I'm told to be ready to start taking on drilling mud about 1800.
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They said much of the drilling mud may also have escaped from the well into the rock formation outside the wellbore.
Blog text (14) -
The New York Times report cited below made it sound like the pumping was paused because too much of the drilling mud was escaping with the oil and gas.
Blog text (17) -
Drilling muds and cuttings are of environmental concern because of their potential toxicity and the large volume that is discharged during drilling.
Academic text (2009) -
Oil leaks and spills, spills of drilling mud, and other contaminants affect the North Slope land and aquatic ecosystems, endangering fish, birds, and animal species.
Academic text (2007)
Synonyms
1
5.7
A mix of water, clay, and chemicals that cools and lubricates the drill, removes cuttings, and stabilizes the hole walls
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'drilling' (making holes) combined with 'mud' (wet earth or slurry) yields 'mud used in drilling operations'. The function of that substance (to lubricate/cool the bit and remove cuttings) follows naturally from the constituents and common collocational logic, so a B1 learner who knows both words can reasonably infer the MWE.
Etymology
Drilling mud is a very literal compound: drilling (making a deep hole) and mud (a thick watery mix). Workers pump this muddy liquid down the hole to cool the drill, carry out pieces of rock, and keep the hole walls open, so today drilling mud means the special fluid used to help and protect the drill and the well.