1. n. []

Mud used to drill a well from surface to a shallow depth. Guar gum or salt gel are commonly used offshore as spud mud. Onshore spud mud is usually a water-base mud containing bentonite clay that is flocculated with lime. In a large-diameter surface hole, a flocculated clay-based mud can remove large gravel cuttings encountered at shallow depths and is simple and inexpensive.

See related terms: carrying capacity,  flocculation,  guar gum,  lime mud,  mudding up,  native clay,  native-solids mud