A mud gun is a nozzle-like device connected to a pump that circulates drilling mud and prevents solids from settling in the mud tank. It agitates the tank and aids in the removal of clippings and debris, but the viscosity of the mud is critical.
A mud gun is a device used to agitate drilling mud on a drilling rig. More of a nozzle than a gun, a mud gun is connected to a pump to circulate drilling mud and keep solids from settling in the mud tank. The mud is mixed by being sucked into a hose by a powerful pump and expelled back into the mud tank by being pushed through the nozzle of the mud gun. The process is similar to how a jet of water works on a pressure washer.
Drilling mud is a moist substance that looks like thick clay and is used to cool the drill head and carry drilling waste to the surface in water well drilling and oil or gas drilling operations. The mud is recycled by passing it through several filters or screens as it is circulated down the borehole and back into the mud tanks on the rig. In order to keep the mud as smooth as possible, a mud gun is used to keep the tank agitated and mixed. Mud is made by mixing water or oil with a clay-like substance that also contains numerous other chemicals in a large tank called a mud tank on a drilling rig.
The type of mud used when drilling depends on the type of drilling being performed. The mud gun is the same whatever type of mud is used. Often made by adding some type of nozzle onto a piece of hose, the mud gun works much like placing a thumb on the end of a water hose. This applies pressurized sludge into the tank, causing a mixing action. Agitation of the mix also aids in the removal of clippings from the mix as it is filtered through the various screens in the tank.
The viscosity of the mud is very critical, with a thin mix being unable to keep the debris suspended from the drill head until it reaches the surface and can be screened by the mix. A mix that is too thick can waste profits and can even slow down drilling productivity. Another function of the mud gun is to keep the drilling chips suspended so they can be removed on the first pass through the screens. Cuttings that are not removed on the first pass through the screeners may break into smaller pieces that are more difficult to remove from the mix.
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