What is drilling mud in geology ?
Drilling mud : definition
Drilling mud is a mixture of water, clays (bentonites) and baryte that is injected into petroleum drilling. The heavy weight of this mud column compensates for the pressure of the hydrocarbons and prevents their premature rise, and also prevents the collapse of the walls of the borehole. The high density of the sludge (up to 2.5) also enables the fragments torn down from the bottom of the hole by the bit to be raised and thus to obtain a good knowledge of the nature of the terrain crossed by the drilling.