ABSTRACT
In drilling processes, turning the bit is accompanied by the all-important function of the drilling fluid in effectively removing the cuttings produced. The viscosity and other properties of the mud are often adjusted to perform this function under variable conditions of rock composition, temperature, pressure and water encountered. Oil well drilling and the application of drilling fluids in the drilling process are now highly developed technologies. The microbiology of drilling fluids is a relatively small aspect of the overall technology involved, but even today the actual economic importance of microbial activity in modifying the composition of drilling fluids has not been fully appreciated. In the Niger Delta, Benka-Coker and Olumagin (1995, 1996) isolated drilling mud utilizing bacteria. While these bacteria have the advantage of treating drilling wastes biologically, they could also cause the breakdown of drilling mud.
