How Does A Drilling Rig Mud Pump Work?

Drilling for oil and gas exploration is an involved and complicated operation requiring specialized machinery to accomplish. Drilling rig mud pumps are one of the fundamental pieces of machinery needed for a successful drilling operation. Waters International supplies drilling rig mud pumps and other specialized boring equipment for the oil and gas exploration industry.

 A drilling rig mud pump is used to circulate drilling fluid or drilling mud into the bore hole to help cool, lubricate and clean the drill head as it bores into the ground. The drilling mud is also used to suspend and carry out drill cuttings from the drill head as it is brought in and out of the hole. This ensures that the drill does not clog and overheat, and makes the entire drilling operation smooth and safe.

Drilling rig mud pumps are usually reciprocating type pumps that basically work by drawing a fluid into a chamber or cylinder by the action of a piston, plunger or diaphragm, and then pushing it out to the needed direction through the use of one-way or check valves, resulting in the pulsed flow of the liquid in one direction. Ganging multiple pumps together increases the pump efficiency and provides a smoother liquid flow for better performance.

The action of the pump is used to draw out the drilling fluid from the bore hole, which is then filtered and cleared of impurities before being sent back in to cool and lubricate the drill head, and remove more drill cuttings. A failed pump will cause a disrupted flow of the drilling mud, which can cause the drill head to overheat or jam from cuttings and possibly even break. This can result in damage to the drilling equipment, and potentially cause injury to the drilling crew near the drilling rig.