GTD MUD PUMPS

Mud pumps are essential components of drilling rigs. GTD offer a range of heavy duty ‘Centrifugal’ and ‘Piston’ pumps. Choosing the right mud pump to match the needs of your operation is crucial, as there are benefits and considerations for each pump type.

Often a combination of two mud pumps is preferential when outfitting a rig to enhance the efficiency and flexibility of your drilling operations. The GTD team is here to advise and help you make the right decision for your operation.

DOWNLOAD SPEC SHEET

WHY WE NEED MUD PUMPS...

Mud pumps are indispensable in drilling shallow geothermal and water well boreholes. They circulate drilling mud that serves multiple critical functions: cooling and lubricating the drill bit, maintaining borehole stability, and carrying drill cuttings back to the surface. Mud pumps must deliver the necessary pressure and flow rate to push the drilling mud from the mud tank or recycling system, through the drill string, and then back to the surface. As the drilling depth increases, a more powerful pump is required-this is also true when dealing with drilling mud of higher viscosity.

SINGLE ACTION 4.5 x 5.5 TRIPLEX PISTON MUD PUMP

Model: MP1000PP

Flow: 264 gpm [1,000 lpm]
Head: 1,300' [400m]
Pressure: 580 psi [40 bar]
Feature: Ceramic Liners
Core Benefits: High Pressure & High Flow
Considerations: Purchase Price, Down time when rebuilding

See the MP1000PP triplex mud pump

SINGLE ACTION 5 x 6 TRIPLEX PISTON MUD PUMP

Model: MP1200PP

Flow: 317 gpm [1,200 lpm]
Head: 1,300' [400m]
Pressure: 580 psi [40 bar]
Feature: Ceramic Liners
Core Benefits: High Pressure & High Flow
Considerations: Purchase Price, Down time when rebuilding

See the MP1200PP triplex mud pump

SINGLE ACTION 6 x 6.5 TRIPLEX PISTON MUD PUMP

Model: MP2000PP

Flow: 528 gpm [2000 lpm]
Head: 1,300' [400m]
Pressure: 580 psi [40 bar]
Feature: Ceramic Liners
Core Benefits: High Pressure & High Flow
Considerations: Purchase Price, Down time when rebuilding

See the MP2000PP triplex mud pump

SINGLE STAGE 4 x 3 x 13 CENTRIFUGAL MUD PUMP

Model: MP-4x3x13CP-CrMo

Impeller: 13"
Flow: 317 gpm [1,200 lpm]
Head: 558' [170 lpm]
Pressure: 246 psi [17 bar]
RPM: 2400
High Chrome Alloy SA05 Impeller & Body
Core Benefits: High Flow, Long Lasting
Considerations: Lower Pressure

See the MP-4x3x13CP centrifugal mud pump

Making the right choice

We have a wealth of real-world local knowledge of ‘what works where’ – so do reach out to determine what would be the most appropriate Mud Pump setup to outfit your rig with. There are different setups and common configurations depending on your region.

Outside of Europe, we advise our customers to outfit their rigs with both a reciprocating ‘Piston Pump’ and a Centrifugal Pump. The Piston Pump, provides high pressure, excelling in overcoming drilling resistance and ensuring thorough mud circulation. Alternatively, the Centrifugal Pump can be utilised to deliver high flow rates at a lower pressure when necessary. This dual pump setup can handle a broad range of drilling conditions, enhancing the adaptability and productivity of the operations.

In Europe, it is more typical to have a dual pump setup comprising of a Single Stage Centrifugal pump and a Multi Stage Centrifugal pump. The Single Stage pump delivers a high-high flow rate at lower pressure, or if necessary, the Multi Stage pump is invaluable in scenarios which require higher pressures.

We recommend the compatibility, efficiency and reliability of the mud pumps listed, when installed on our rigs. They have been exhaustively tested and proven in both R&D and commercial drilling scenarios. If you have a specific or different mud pump preference, please reach out to us for advice on its integration and compatibility with a GTD rig.

MUD PUMP OPTIONS :

Reciprocating ‘Piston Pumps’:
These pumps use pistons to create pressure and circulate the drilling mud. With the pistons reciprocating within a cylinder, they draw in and expel mud with each stroke. Due to their positive displacement nature, piston pumps possess high-pressure capabilities. They generate significant hydraulic pressures to overcome resistance during drilling and ensure efficient mud circulation. Piston pumps are typically reconditioned, rather than replaced, so over time their higher purchase price is offset. It is advisable to take this reconditioning time into account to mitigate any servicing downtime.

Centrifugal Pumps:
For geothermal drilling operations requiring a balance of high flow rates and pressure, centrifugal pumps can be an excellent choice. These pumps work on the principles of centrifugal force. A rotating impeller with curved vanes, spins within the casing. The impeller's rotation creates centrifugal force, pushing the drilling mud radially outward. While these pumps produce high flow rates, they typically operate at lower pressure ranges than piston pumps.

SPECIFICATIONS

DOWNLOAD SPEC SHEET

Specs can be informative… Videos provide evidence…

It’s why we share real-world drilling footage to validate why our equipment is the No.1 choice for geothermal industry leaders. See for yourself below:

Why does a drill rig need a mud pump?

The mud pump circulates drilling mud down the drill string and back up the hole. That mud cools and lubricates the bit, keeps the borehole stable and carries cuttings to surface. The deeper the hole, and the thicker the mud, the more pressure the pump has to deliver.

Piston pump or centrifugal pump?

Triplex piston pumps are positive displacement: high pressure to overcome drilling resistance and clean the hole — our MP1000PP, MP1200PP and MP2000PP all deliver 580 psi (40 bar). Centrifugal pumps deliver high flow at lower pressure and last a long time; the MP-4x3x13CP gives 317 gpm at 246 psi.

See the MP-4x3x13CP centrifugal pump

Should I fit one pump or two?

Often two. Outside Europe we recommend a triplex piston pump plus a centrifugal pump, so you have pressure when you need it and high flow when you do not. In Europe a single-stage centrifugal with a multi-stage centrifugal is more common. GT rigs are configured for dual mud pumps.

Geothermal drilling rigs

Which piston pump should I choose?

By flow. All three are single-action triplex pumps with ceramic liners, rated to 580 psi and 1,300 ft of head: the MP1000PP moves 264 gpm (1,000 lpm), the MP1200PP 317 gpm (1,200 lpm) and the MP2000PP 528 gpm (2,000 lpm).

See the MP2000PP

What do piston pumps cost to run?

They cost more to buy, but they are reconditioned rather than replaced, so over time the purchase price is offset. Plan the rebuild time into your schedule to avoid servicing downtime.

Can I use a pump brand I already have?

We recommend the pumps on our spec sheet because they have been tested on our rigs in R&D and commercial drilling. If you prefer a different pump, talk to us about how it would integrate with a GTD rig.

Talk to a driller