Drilling mud additives such as caustic soda, caustic potash, and soda ash are added to drilling muds to help maintain elevated fluid pH ranges of 10 to 12pH. In water based drilling mud systems, highly alkaline conditions are needed to flocculate bentonite, increase mud viscosity, and catalyze the reactivity of lignosulfonates and other “thinning” agents. These additives are also used to neutralize acid gases that are commonly encountered in geological formations during drilling and become entrained in the drilling mud.
