1. n. [Drilling Fluids]

An oil mud designed and maintained with a minimum of colloid-sized solids, typically by omitting fatty-acid soap and lime, and minimizing organophilic clays and fluid-loss additives. Low-colloid oil mud, also called a relaxed filtrate oil mud, increases drilling rate. A disadvantage is that filter cake formed on sands is not tight, can quickly become very thick, and can cause pipe to stick by differential pressure.

Synonyms: relaxed-filtrate oil mud

Alternate Form: low-colloid oil mud

See related terms: differential pressure sticking,  filtration,  gilsonite,  oil-mud emulsifier,  organophilic clay