Mud Bucket System
An enclosure that surrounds a drill-pipe connection and uses fluid-driven actuators to open and close around it, capturing drilling fluid released when the connection is broken and draining it away.
- Patent /
- US 8,839,853
- Status /
- Patented product
- Product /
- Mud Bucket / "Mud Bug"
Built to solve a problem in the field. Patented because the solution did not exist.
US 8,839,853 · Machine Tech Services · Broussard, LA
The Problem
Breaking a drill-pipe connection releases drilling fluid onto the rig floor. That is a housekeeping problem, a safety problem and an environmental problem, and it happens on every connection.
How It Works
- 01
The system encloses the pipe connection so fluid released when the joint is broken is contained rather than spilled.
- 02
Fluid-driven actuators open and close the enclosure around the pipe, so the operation fits the rhythm of tripping pipe.
- 03
Captured fluid is drained away through the system rather than ending up on the floor.
Why It Matters
- Contains drilling fluid at the source instead of cleaning it up afterward
- Built for repeated rig-floor duty — serviceable and repairable, not disposable
- Known in the field as the "Mud Bug"
Need something like this built?
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