Density of Barite: The Weighting Agent Standard
Barite is the mineral that makes heavy mud possible: dense, soft, chemically inert barium sulfate ground to powder and stirred in by the tonne.
API specification: SG 4.20 minimum
| API drilling grade barite | SG 4.20 minimum |
| Pure barium sulfate | SG 4.48 |
| Bulk density, powder | about 2,400 kg per cubic meter |
| Hardness | 3 to 3.5 Mohs, soft and non abrasive |
| Alternative weighting agents | hematite SG 5.0, calcium carbonate SG 2.7 |
Notes for design and site
The gap between the 4.20 specification and pure mineral density reflects real ores carrying quartz and other gangue. Softness is why barite won: it adds weight without sandblasting pumps and drillstring. When formation damage matters, acid soluble calcium carbonate takes its place at the cost of a much lower ceiling on achievable mud weight.
Related Calculators and Reference
- Mud Weight and Pressure Gradient Calculator: convert these densities into downhole pressures.
- Equivalent Circulating Density: what the formation feels while pumping.
- American Petroleum Institute: source of drilling fluid specifications.