Editorial Technical Reference

Mud tanks (drilling fluid tanks)

Drilling fluid tanks · Function (storage, mixing, treatment), structure (horizontal, vertical, trailer-mounted), capacity and compartments, agitators, mud guns and manifolds, coating and transport

Mud tanks hold, mix and treat the drilling fluid that circulates through a well, and carry the shakers, desanders, mixing hoppers and pumps of a solids-control system. Settle three things before asking for quotes: what each tank does and how many compartments the circulation system needs, the capacity the well program and resupply time demand, and the agitators, mounting, coating and transport form for the site.

Drilling mud tanks — storage, mixing, treatment and trip tanks — for oil and gas, horizontal directional drilling and piling, as individual tank bodies or integrated solids-control tank systems, skid- or trailer-mounted. Mud pumps, mud mixing hoppers, shale shakers and centrifuges as separate machines, and fixed storage tanks for other liquids are outside this page; mud pumps and mud mixing hoppers have their own pages.

CNFX editorial research · Sources checked October 11, 2026 · 4 sources

01

Set each tank's function and the system capacity

GN Solids Control classifies drilling mud tanks by function as storage, mixing and treatment tanks, and by structure as horizontal, vertical and trailer-mounted tanks. It supplies individual tank bodies or complete tank systems designed as integrated packages, for solids-control systems and liquid mud plants in oil and gas drilling and for trenchless mixing and storage. [1]

In US offshore operations, 30 CFR 250.458 requires the operator to keep drilling fluid and materials at the site as needed for well control, sized on drilling conditions, rig storage capacity, weather and delivery time, to record daily inventories, and to suspend drilling if stocks fall short. Section 250.456 requires the returning fluid to be within 0.2 lb/gal (1.5 lb/ft³) of the fluid going in before pulling pipe without circulating, and a mechanical, volumetric or electronic device to measure the fluid needed to fill the hole. [3] [4]

Editorial calculation: one cubic metre is about 6.29 barrels, so a system holding 120 m³ of active and reserve mud stores about 755 bbl; size the reserve to the resupply time your site faces, as the rule above requires offshore. [3]

Give the supplier the drilling application and rig, total active and reserve volume, number of compartments and their functions (sand trap, degasser, desander, desilter, suction, trip, mixing), equipment to mount on each tank, agitators and mud guns, manifolds and valves, walkways and handrails, coating system, structure (skid, trailer, vertical), transport limits, electrical supply and hazardous-area rating, and quantity.

02

Check agitators, fabrication and coating

GN's JBQ mud agitators keep the mud uniform and solids in suspension; the range runs from 3 to 22 kW with output speeds of 60 rpm at 50 Hz and 72 rpm at 60 Hz through a 25:1 reducer and impellers from 700 to 1,200 mm, with single- and double-impeller versions. Units of 5.5 kW and below use a cycloid reducer; 7.5 kW and above use a worm-gear reducer. [2]

GN states that its engineers provide strength calculations and 3D simulation for tank bodies, cut plates up to 42 mm thick on a CNC laser cutter, form corrugated plate automatically, shot-blast before welding and sandblast after, and paint to a standard meeting severe marine anti-corrosion requirements. [1]

03

Compare what suppliers offer

No manufacturer record has been reviewed for this product yet. Send your specification and CNFX will match it against manufacturer records.

Ask each supplier for the tank general arrangement with compartment volumes, plate thickness and strength calculation, agitator sizing, coating specification and transport dimensions. [1] [2]

04

Trace what each part controls

This is a functional reference built from the sources cited; it is not a full specification.

PartWhat it controlsFix in the order
Tank body and compartmentsCapacity; flow path. [1]m³; compartments.
AgitatorsSuspension of solids. [2]kW; impeller.
Mounted solids-control equipmentMud treatment. [1]Equipment list.
Structure (skid, trailer, vertical)Transport; footprint. [1]Form.
CoatingCorrosion life. [1]System.
Volume measurementFluid inventory. [4] [3]Level device.

05

Fill the specification fields with values for your design

A mud tank quotation needs values for your design. The table explains each field, gives published values where a reviewed source states them, and says what to obtain from the supplier.

FieldWhat it means and published valuesAsk the supplier for
Nominal CapacitySized to storage and resupply. [3]m³ per compartment.
Working PressureAtmospheric tank; manifold rating.MPa (manifold).
Design TemperatureMud and ambient range.°C.
Wall ThicknessPlate up to 42 mm cut in-house (GN). [1]mm.
Mud Agitator Power3–22 kW (JBQ). [2]kW.
Mud Agitator Speed60 rpm (50 Hz); 72 rpm (60 Hz). [2]rpm.
Electrical SupplyMotor supply and area rating.V; Hz; Ex rating.
Ingress ProtectionMotor and box rating.IP code.
Material GradeSteel grade.Grade.
Surface TreatmentShot and sand blasting; marine coating. [1]Coating system.
WeightEmpty weight.t.
Dimensions (L×W×H)Transport size.m.

06

Send the volume, layout and site data together

Paste it into your enquiry below or into an email to a maker, then replace every bracket.

Application: [oil and gas; HDD; piling]
Volume: [active m³; reserve m³]
Compartments: [functions]
Mounted equipment: [shakers; desander; desilter; hopper]
Agitators: [kW; count]
Structure: [skid; trailer; vertical]
Coating/electrical: [system; V; Ex]
Quantity: [tanks]

See manufacturer records Send an enquiry through CNFX

Companies listing drilling mud tanks

These companies list the product on their own websites. The listing does not verify a factory or tested performance.

GN Solids Control
Manufacturing site to be confirmed for the order

Lists mud tanks among its drilling-fluid solids control equipment and systems.

Product scope checked 2026-10-12

Current product source ↗

Mud tank listed · profile compiled by CNFX from public sources
Hebei Kingwell Machinery Co., Ltd.
Manufacturing site to be confirmed for the order

Lists mud tanks among its solids control equipment and mud systems.

Product scope checked 2026-10-12

Current product source ↗

Mud tank listed · profile compiled by CNFX from public sources
Xi'an Brightway Energy Machinery Equipment Co., Ltd.
Manufacturing site to be confirmed for the order

Lists mud tanks and mud tank systems for drilling rigs.

Product scope checked 2026-10-12

Current product source ↗

Mud tank listed · profile compiled by CNFX from public sources

Explore company information and manufacturing capabilities, then discuss the scope of your project with a relevant supplier.

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Buyer questions

What types of mud tanks are there?

GN Solids Control classifies them by function as storage, mixing and treatment tanks, and by structure as horizontal, vertical and trailer-mounted. [1]

What size agitators do mud tanks use?

GN's JBQ agitators run from 3 to 22 kW at 60 rpm (50 Hz) or 72 rpm (60 Hz). [2]

How much drilling fluid must be kept on site offshore?

US rules require quantities sized on drilling conditions, rig storage capacity, weather and delivery time, with daily inventories recorded. [3]

How close must returning mud weight be before pulling pipe?

Within 0.2 lb/gal (1.5 lb/ft³) of the fluid entering the hole, if the operator skips circulating. [4]

Sources and what still needs a direct check

Sources checked 2026-10-11. GN Solids Control's mud tank and mud agitator pages and US offshore drilling-fluid rules (30 CFR 250.456 and 250.458) are used to show what a mud tank specification covers; values for your order must come from the supplier's drawings and data.

  1. GN Solids Control — Drilling mud tanks ↗ Manufacturer product page Return to text ↑
  2. GN Solids Control — JBQ mud agitator technical parameters ↗ Manufacturer product page Return to text ↑
  3. 30 CFR 250.458 — What quantities of drilling fluids are required? ↗ US federal regulation Return to text ↑
  4. 30 CFR 250.456 — What safe practices must the drilling fluid program follow? ↗ US federal regulation Return to text ↑

Still to check yourself

  • Set tank functions.
  • Size active and reserve volume.
  • Size agitators.
  • Choose structure.
  • Set coating.
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