spud mud — Oil & Gas Glossary

Mud used to drill a well from surface to a shallow depth. Guar gum or saltgel are commonly used offshore as spud mud. Onshore spud mud is usually a water-base mud containing bentoniteclay that is flocculated with lime. In a large-diameter surface hole, a flocculated clay-based mud can remove large gravel cuttings encountered at shallow depths and is simple and