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Home > KOSUN News >
Why do drilling fluid mud tanks need to be cleaned?
Aug 04, 2025
Drilling fluid mud tank (referred to as "mud tank") is the core equipment for storing, circulating and processing drilling fluid in drilling operations. As drilling fluid continuously carries rock cuttings,
solid particles, chemical additive residues and other substances during circulation, deposits will form in the tank after long-term use. If these deposits are not cleaned in time,
they will cause the following multiple problems:
It affects the stability of drilling fluid performance
After the sediment accumulates at the bottom of the mud tank, it will form a "stratification" with the upper layer of drilling fluid, causing fluctuations in key parameters such as the density, viscosity and shear force of the drilling fluid. For instance, an excessive amount of solid particles will increase the density of the drilling fluid and raise the load on the drilling pump. The deposition of clay particles can lead to a decrease in viscosity, affecting the rock-carrying capacity, and eventually may cause wellbore instability, stuck pipe and other drilling accidents.
Reduce the operational efficiency of equipment and accelerate wear and tear
Mud tanks are usually equipped with agitators, circulating pumps, desanders/desilters and other devices. Sediment may entangle the impeller of the agitator, resulting in uneven stirring. When entering the circulating pump or processing equipment, it will accelerate the wear of the impeller and pipeline, and even clog the filter screen, increasing the probability of equipment failure and affecting the continuity of drilling operations.
Reduce the effective liquid storage volume and increase energy consumption
Sediment accumulation will occupy the space inside the mud tank, reduce the actual liquid storage volume, and may lead to insufficient drilling fluid, forcing frequent replenishment and increasing costs. Meanwhile, to maintain the circulation, pump equipment needs to overcome greater resistance, resulting in a significant increase in energy consumption.
Accelerate the corrosion of the tank and shorten its service life
The sediment may contain acidic or alkaline substances (such as residual pH regulators in drilling fluid). Long-term adhesion to the mud tank wall/bottom can cause local corrosion (such as pitting), especially in weak areas like the bottom welds of the tank, which may lead to leakage. In severe cases, the tank body needs to be replaced, increasing maintenance costs.
Meet the requirements of environmental protection and operation standards
Drilling fluid may contain heavy metals, petroleum substances and other pollutants. If the sediment is discharged along with the discarded drilling fluid, it will cause environmental pollution. In addition, some industry standards (such as the norms for oil drilling operations) explicitly require regular tank cleaning to ensure operational safety and environmental compliance.
In the face of all the above-mentioned problems, regular cleaning of drilling fluid mud tanks has become a necessary task. The traditional tank cleaning method mainly relies on manual cleaning as the core, supplemented by simple mechanical tools and basic equipment, and most operations are completed by human power. It has the characteristics of low equipment requirements, relatively low cost, but high labor intensity and relatively low efficiency. In response to this issue, Xi 'an Kexun Machinery has specially developed and produced an automatic tank cleaning device to address the numerous drawbacks existing in traditional tank cleaning methods. In the next issue, I will provide a detailed explanation of the automatic tank cleaning device of Kexun Machinery for everyone.
