Since 1994
A manufacturer, not a trader. Bentonite at Bhuj, polymers at Domjur.
Pileman® Trenchless: bentonite for HDD in fresh water
Sodium bentonite with a water-soluble polymer, for horizontal directional drilling in fresh water, in almost all soil types including sand and rock.
Description
Pileman® Trenchless is sodium bentonite with a water-soluble polymer, made for horizontal directional drilling in fresh water. It gives a shear-thinning, thixotropic mud: it pumps easily, sets into a gel when circulation stops so the cuttings stay suspended, and lays a thin, low-permeability filter cake on the bore wall. For brackish water, use Pileman® BH.
What goes wrong on site
What you see on site
What this does about it
- Mud breaks out at the surface: a frac-out.
- A thin, low-permeability filter cake helps prevent it.
- Cuttings settle and the hole does not clean.
- Gel strength and yield point are calibrated to the strata, so the cuttings float out.
- Pump pressure climbs on a long, wide bore.
- The polymer raises the yield and keeps pump pressure low.
- The bag count creeps up on a big job.
- High yield: fewer tonnes of powder per cubic metre of slurry.
Technical properties
- 145 bbl/shtYield
- 60″+Marsh funnel viscosity
- 28 ml minimumFree swelling volume
- 9–10.5pH, 3% dispersion
- 20 mlFiltrate loss, under 100 psi after 30 min
- 20 lb/100 ft²10 s gel strength
At 45 kg per m³ of fresh water. Free swelling volume and pH (3% dispersion) are properties of the powder as supplied.
Packing 25 kg bags, stretch-wrapped on wooden pallets, or 1,300 kg jumbo bags.
Not sure of your water?
Send us the water analysis or the bore details. The technical desk reads them and replies within 1 working day.
Made by us. Checked by others.
ISO 9001:2015
All our plants are quality management system certified.
One Star Export House
Recognised by the Government of India. We ship through Mundra and Kandla.
Own mine, Kutch
The clay in every bag comes from our own reserves in Kutch.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Pileman® Trenchless used for?
Horizontal directional drilling in fresh water: pipeline, road and river crossings, utility and fibre-optic ducts, and long or large-diameter bores. It is sodium bentonite with the polymer already mixed in the bag, and it suits almost all soil types, including sand and rock.
How much goes into one m³ of slurry?
45 kg in 1,000 litres of fresh water, ready to use 15 to 20 minutes after mixing. Hard water (mostly non-chloride salts): pre-mix soda ash (light) into the water, then use Pileman® Trenchless. Brackish water up to 16,000 ppm takes Pileman® BH.
What does a yield of 145 bbl/sht mean?
It is how much slurry one short ton of powder makes: 145 barrels. More slurry from the same tonnage means less to buy, ship and store.
Can it be used in sand and rock?
Yes. It suits almost all soil types, including sand and rock. The slurry keeps cuttings suspended and carries them out of the bore. Send us your ground report and the technical desk will confirm the grade.
How does it help reduce the risk of a frac-out?
It lays a thin, low-permeability filter cake and barely penetrates the strata, which keeps the bore stable, and pump pressure stays low on longer drives. No fluid removes the risk on its own: depth of cover, flow rate and hole cleaning matter as much.
Why do shear-thinning and thixotropy matter?
A shear-thinning mud thins while it is pumped and thickens again when flow slows, so it pumps easily yet carries cuttings. A thixotropic mud sets into a gel when circulation stops, holding cuttings instead of letting them settle. Pileman® Trenchless does both.
Does it suit long, large-diameter bores?
Yes. The polymer raises the yield and controls pump pressure while high volumes of slurry are displaced on large-diameter drilling, and pump pressure stays low on longer drives. Its low sand content also saves pump-liner erosion.
How is Pileman® Trenchless supplied?
In 25 kg bags, stretch-wrapped on wooden pallets, or in 1,300 kg jumbo bags. For pricing, lead time and shipping to your port, ask for a quotation.
Which test methods and standards apply?
Pileman® Trenchless meets API 13A and OCMA DFCP-4 specifications where relevant, and is made under an ISO 9001:2015 quality system. Every test method is listed on its data sheet.
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