Getting the most from your mud pumps

I’ve been working on a rig where the mud pump efficiency has been an issue lately. We keep running into problems with fluid viscosity at high elevations, which makes it tough during drilling. Anyone else experienced this? What adjustments have you found helpful in maintaining stable performance?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‍‌⁠‌‍‍​‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​⁠​⁠​‍​⁠​​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​‍⁠​⁠‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍⁠‌​​⁠​⁠‌⁠​⁠‍​‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‌​⁠‌‌⁠‍‍‌‌​‌‌⁠​⁠​⁠‍​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

I’ve dealt with similar issues at altitude and found that adjusting the water-to-bentonite ratio can help improve viscosity and stability. A little tweak there can make a big difference in pump performance. Have you tried that, or are you using a different mix?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‍‌⁠‌‍‍​‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‌​⁠​‌​⁠‌​​⁠​‍​⁠‌​​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​⁠​⁠​⁠​​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​⁠⁠‌​⁠‌‌​​‌‌‌​‍‌‍‍‍‌​⁠‌‌​‍‍‌​‍​​⁠‌‌‌‍​‍​⁠​​​⁠​​‌‌‌⁠‌‌​‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌