buffered mud — Oil & Gas Glossary
A type of mud that contains the three components that form a chemical buffer, whether by design or by coincidence. Buffering results from components that react with the added OH- ions (or added H+ ions) forming slightly soluble or slightly ionized compounds. Water is one component of a buffer and various ions are the other components, such as bicarbonates, carbonates,
Detailed Explanation
lignite, lignosulfonate, silicate and sulfide. Clay solids are buffers because of their ability to accept or donate H+ ions on their surface. The pH of a buffered mud will not increase as fast as expected after addition of caustic soda, for example.