The influence of water on various clay rocks

One of the challenges of any laboratory dealing with drilling fluids is to develop a mud that is also environmentally friendly and, on the other hand, inhibits the clay layers to a maximum. The article presents the influence of water on various samples of clay rocks characterized by different geological age. The research was carried out using the Linear Swelling Meter. The geological age, the environment in which the clay rock was formed, the depth of burial – all these factors affect the swelling properties of individual clay rocks. Knowledge of the swelling properties of clay rocks allows the proper selection of drilling fluid system.