For offshore drilling, solids control is also very key issue during whole well drilling.
Solids control system for offshore
Solids control system for offshore request all equipment designed suitable for marine condition. Including the motor, the surface coating, some special device during whole drilling.
But offshore drilling solids control is holding same theory and working principle. When the drilling mud exiting to shale shakers via a flowline under gravity, the solids control process begins. Then the mud flows into degasser, mud cleaner, decanting centrifuge.Of course we also need the mixing pump, mud agitator, pill tank, and so on. All auxiliary equipment are similar as onshore oil drillings.
Drilling Mud Equipment – Linear Motion Shale Shaker
Linear motion is the most popular vibrating motion in the world. Linear motion shale shaker install 2 sets of vibrating motion motor to supply a G force from 6.5 to 7.5 which is adjustable. The shaker screen can be wedge type screen or hook type screen with different screen installation type. It normally install from 20 mesh to 120 mesh depending on drilling condition. The shaker deck is heat treated for better strength. There are 2 panels, 3 panels, 4 panels and even more panels of shaker with different shaker screen area. AIPU has 2 panels shaker for HDD or other low mud flow drilling requirement, 3 or 4 panels for standard option, 6 or 8 panels for high mud flow or better shaker performance.
Drilling Mud Equipment – Desander / Desilter
Desander is the second phase of drilling mud equipment to separate sand about 50 – 70 microns and above. Desilter is the third pahse of drilling mud equipment to separate silter about 20 microns and above. Both desander and desilter get a same principle, the mud goes into cyclone with a proper pressure 0.25 – 0.4 Mpa, the centrifugal force will help the mud rotate alone the cone wall, heavy solids particals drop through nozzle and drop onto shaker screen. The clean fluids part over flow on top and drop into next tank compartment. Normally there will be a shaker to dry solids particles after desander or desilter cone nozzle to dry solids and reduce fluids lose.