Tulsa Rig Iron Launches National Drilling Mud Disposal Database

Published: 7/20/2026

Tulsa Rig Iron Launches National Drilling Mud Disposal Database

Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) mud disposal continues to be a point of concern across the industry.

As those who work in the sector know, there is a difference between disposing of HDD drilling mud and petroleum-based oilfield drilling mud. However, when many disposal sites hear the words “drilling mud,” they immediately think of oil-based mud, and red flags are raised.

The problem is two-fold:

  1. Educating people that HDD drilling mud is generally safe to dispose of. According to research studies, it can even be beneficial to ground soil conditions. However, if a contractor is drilling through an area that was historically contaminated, that becomes a separate conversation.

  2. Identifying available HDD drilling mud disposal locations across the United States.

Because HDD contractors often work outside of their normal home region, knowing where to dispose of drilling mud in unfamiliar areas can be a challenge. Tulsa Rig Iron felt that addressing this need would be beneficial to the industry.

Working with software purpose-built specifically for this project, Tulsa Rig Iron developed the National Drilling Mud Disposal Database. This database is free to use and is brought to you by Tulsa Rig Iron and their industry partners.

The database is crowd sourced and populated by HDD contractors themselves. The site uses the “take a penny, leave a penny” approach. Contractors are encouraged to upload known disposal locations in their working areas, knowing they may need that same type of information when working in unfamiliar regions.

Contractors can upload either a GPS pin drop or street address, along with basic location details. Tulsa Rig Iron will then review and confirm the location and add additional information such as operating hours, contact information, and other relevant details when available. Users can view the database in map form with pin drops or in a list form sortable by state.

First-time visitors must register to help ensure users are real people and not spam bots. Tulsa Rig Iron will continue maintaining the database to provide clean and accurate information.

A white paper section has been added with research regarding the environmental impact of HDD drilling mud, and additional categories, such as service companies, are planned for the future.

We encourage HDD contractors of all sizes to use this new industry resource. The database can be found by clicking HERE.