00:10
00:09
00:08
00:07
00:06
00:05
00:04
00:03
00:02
00:01
| a gadget; dingus; thingumbob. |
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
| drilling mud | |
| —n | |
| a mixture of clays, water, and chemicals pumped down the drill string while an oil well is being drilled to lubricate the mechanism, carry away rock cuttings, and maintain pressure so that oil or gas does not escape | |
drilling mud
mixture of clay, usually bentonite, and water used primarily in oil, gas, and water-drilling operations to carry rock cuttings to the surface and also to lubricate and cool the drilling bit. Special chemicals are added to the mud to compensate for the varying composition of the water and the formation being drilled and to increase the weight of the column. The drilling mud, by hydrostatic pressure, also helps prevent the collapse of unstable strata into the hole and the intrusion of water from water-bearing strata that may be encountered.
Learn more about drilling mud with a free trial on Britannica.com.