Drilling Services
FROM the beginning of Mudex in 2014, innovation has been at the forefront of the company’s driving passion to bring new products to the market.
Many customers want simpler mud programs that run fewer products with a broader range of applications.
There is a big push from the drilling industry for one-drum and one-sack products and rather than have five or six products on site, customers want to run two to three products — or even less if possible.
This reduction helps to reduce waste and confusion with mud programs and also reduces costs.
Solids control equipment
As sister company to Mudex, Spinex has developed and patented a revolutionary centrifuge — The Mud Spinner – which is specifically designed for use in the diamond drilling market.
The prototype unit has been through significant field trials with great success and now the first production unit has gone into the field for the final testing before full production commences.
Four model designs are planned:
• Heli portable
• Underground unit
• Trailer/skid mounted
• Jack up sloop style unit with built in mud tanks
These units will outperform any other diamond drilling solids unit on the market for price, simplicity and effectiveness.
In conjunction with The Mud Spinner, Spinex is developing simple to use and low-cost mixing equipment and fluid injection units.
The injection unit is purposely built to feed the drilling fluids directly into the mud pump which will give the ability to do away with or minimise mixing equipment needed on site.
A standardised injection system will lead to reduced waste, and greater consistency with mud programs and an improvement in drilling performance.
More information can be found at www.spinex.com.au
New products
Rather than be a ‘ me too’ company and offer the same everyday products with an attitude of ‘this is our product line, what would you like to buy?’, Mudex has the philosophy of ‘Tell us what you want, and we will make it’.
Customers have been very vocal regarding what new products they would like to see in drilling fluids and what will help them to achieve the best results while also reducing their volume and costs.
Mudex engages with site staff at all levels to offer new and innovative products that are easy to use, cost-effective and work.
Many of the sites that Mudex deal with are using highly mineralised water for the makeup fluid used in the mud programs.
The company has developed a hostile environment polymer system designed to maximise core recovery and performance in diamond drilling operations.
These polymers will work in all water types from hyper saline water to water with low to high pH and extremely high mineralisation, such as calcium and magnesium with an emphasis on soluble aluminium and iron.
Lost circulation is a big issue for many sites and the cost of transporting water can be very expensive.
Mudex has developed some very novel and innovative lost circulation material that is a simple, convenient, fast acting and extremely cost-effective solution in most lost circulation conditions, including fractures and weak channels to underground crossflows and vugular formations.
The lost circulation product is formulated specifically for the diamond drilling market but may be utilised in any drilling programs.
Packaging
Mudex has recently invested in some very unique packaging equipment that allows it to offer multiple size and styles – it has everything from environmentally-friendly packaging to types that will handle the most arduous trips to remotes sites.
The company also supplies drum cradles which create a safer work environment by reducing manual handling and the risk of slips, trips and falls around the mud tanks.
The Mudex Mud Drum Cradle eliminates spills around the mud tank, and makes it easier for the drilling crew to deliver a consistent dosage of product while spending less time mixing muds.
To date Mudex has been very successful at reducing the cost of the drilling fluids by reducing the number of different products on-site, and by reducing the volume of product needed thereby reducing wastage.
The company prides itself in the ability to work closely with customers to deliver what is needed, and welcomes the opportunity to develop other products or equipment that can improve the safety, productivity and value of the drilling process.
For more information please contact: