I am sure that many of the readers of National Driller magazine have at one time or another talked to a CETCO Drilling Products employee or one of our reps. Perhaps it was on the phone, or at one of the many open houses or tradeshows that we attend. The number of products available to drillers is constantly growing and, therefore, they face a never-ending learning curve. We spend a large amount of time educating customers on the use of bentonite drilling fluids, and polymers and additives, as well as grouts and sealants. This column addresses some of the frequently asked questions we receive.
A. Coated tablets have a coating that takes 30 minutes to dissolve prior to the bentonite making contact with the water. The coating ensures that the bentonite does not start to swell in this time, allowing the tablets to sink long distances in the water column prior to swelling and possibly bridging.