Seawater-ground slurry flocculation: 28% less bentonite
An overseas port project mixed slurry with seawater at about 32‰. Conventional mud flocculated out in the salt and could not form a film on the wall; bentonite consumption was high and remote resupply pushed costs up.
Project overview
- Region
- Overseas
- Project type
- Port works
- Project scale
- Overseas port piles mixed with seawater at about 32‰ salinity
Construction challenges
The main construction challenges encountered on this project.
Challenge 1Salt flocculation
At about 32‰, conventional mud flocculated out and could not film the wall.
Challenge 2Wall protection
Without a film, walls were under-protected — collapse and slurry loss rose.
Challenge 3Material cost
Seawater make-up burned through bentonite, and remote resupply was costly.
Solution & materials
Materials and mix ratios used step by step on this project, for reference by similar works.
| Stage | Material | Function | Ratio / dosage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salt resistance | HDS-9 SeaShield | Blocks salt degradation, restores filming in seawater | 0.5%–0.8% |
| Base slurry | BENT-N sodium bentonite | Seawater make-up base (28% less via compounding) | 6%–8% |
| Rheology | CMC-N | Viscosify & control loss, steady the wall | 0.3%–0.5% |
| Maintain | Compound top-up | Tune with per-shift testing | As required |
Implementation notes
The project switched to an HDS-9 SeaShield salt-resistance scheme: BENT-N base slurry compounded with HDS-9 and CMC-N for stable rheology. The mud stopped flocculating in 32‰ seawater and filmed the wall again. With staged top-ups and per-shift testing, bentonite use fell 28% at 35‰ salt tolerance, and hole quality met specification.
Delivered results
Site photos
Related products
NPT-HDS-9- Salt tolerance ≥ 35‰
- Prevents seawater flocculation
- Reduces bentonite dosage
NPT-BENT-N- Yield ≥ 18 times its mass
- Low iron and sulphur
- Consistent batch to batch
NPT-CMC-N- High-viscosity grade
- Dissolves fast
- Low ash content
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