mud recycling

GN Solids Control has successfully delivered an advanced HDD Mud Recycling System to a prominent drilling company in the Middle East. This achievement underscores GN Solids Control’s commitment to providing cutting-edge solutions for the drilling mud industry. The system, a 2-tank configuration, is designed to efficiently manage drilling mud and ensure optimal performance during Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) operations, as well as other trenchless activities like Trenchless Boring Machine (TBM) projects, piling, and pipe jacking.

One of the key components of this system is the inclusion of a shale shaker, which plays a pivotal role in the initial phase of drilling mud processing. It effectively removes coarse particles and solids from the drilling mud, enhancing its longevity and performance. To further enhance the mud quality, GN Solids Control has integrated a combo-type mud cleaner, facilitating a 3-stage separation process. This step ensures that even finer particles are efficiently removed, resulting in mud that meets the stringent requirements of HDD operations.

To ensure a seamless workflow, the system is equipped with feeding pumps that efficiently transport the mud through various stages of the recycling process. A powerful mixing pump is also incorporated into the system, enabling the addition of necessary additives and chemicals to optimize the drilling mud’s properties. This comprehensive approach to mud management ensures that the drilling process remains efficient and cost-effective.

Moreover, GN Solids Control has integrated an electric control system that oversees and regulates all aspects of the recycling system. This automation simplifies operation and allows for precise control over mud properties and system parameters, reducing the margin for error and enhancing overall productivity.

GN Solids Control’s dedication to providing tailored solutions for HDD and trenchless drilling operations demonstrates their expertise and commitment to the industry. With this newly delivered HDD Mud Recycling System, the Middle East drilling company can expect improved drilling performance, reduced environmental impact, and increased efficiency, ultimately contributing to the success of their projects and their reputation in the industry.

GN Solids Control will ask for pictures and / or videos of the raw waste sludge to design and implement the different phases of clients’ project for the waste management coming from the Oil & Gas sector.

GN Solids Control offers 2-phase separation and 3-phase separation treatment on oil base mud (OBM), oil sludge treatment solution, tank cleaning, vessel cleaning, etc…

The 2-phase separation treatment: It is for liquid and solids separation. Most clients only need to reduce the solids waste and recover the usable drilling fluids for reuse. In this situation, they will choose 2-phase separation system.
It is more popular and the process is relative easier. Oil base mud and water base mud is used for different drilling sections. The separation equipment for OBM and WBM is different. The major separation equipment for OBM cuttings is vertical cuttings dryer. It can reduce the oil on cuttings to 5% and less.

If for water base mud, high G drying shaker is used to reduce the liquid content.

After vertical cuttings dryer and High H drying shaker, decanter centrifuge is used to remove the fine solids in the recovered fluids which comes from cuttings dryer with high content fine solids content. The purpose of the centrifuge application is to reduce the mud weight to make it suit for reused. After high speed centrifuge separation, the fluids will go back to solids control mud system for drilling activities. Some time, will use chemical dosing system for flocculation.

Another option is more complex, it is 3 phase separation: it means the separation of solids, water and oil. GN Solids Control have both 2-phase and 3-phase centrifuge. 3-phase centrifuge can only allow slurry with less than 3% solids contend. In this case, clients have to use 2-phase centrifuge before 3-phase centrifuge. But while treating the sludge with less ultra fine particles, clients can use 3-phase decanter centrifuge or disc centrifuge to separate oil and water.

This week, GN Solids Control is assembling 2 sets of mud cleaning system for SINOPEC HDD rigs. The 2 mud cleaning system are designed for different size HDD rigs, one system is with 1000GPM handling capacity, while the other one is designed for 500GPM handling capacity.

500GPM mud system is the most popular size SINOPEC bought from GN Solids Control. Till now, they have over 30 sets mud recycling system from GN Solids Control for their international HDD and piling projects.

The 2 mud recycling system are painted with clients’ special requested color. GN Standard color is green, while the SINOPEC system is yellow. The 500GPM mud system is equipped with very high standard. It is composite with all the 4-stage solids control equipment for drilling mud treatment.

1. The 1st stage solids control equipment shale shaker. There is a 3-panel shale shaker which is with big screen areas for capacity up to 500GPM. The shaker model is GN703F, which is the most hot sale shale shaker made by GN Solids Control.

2. The 2nd stage solids control equipment desander, and the 3rd stage solids control equipment. It is a 3-in-1 mud cleaner which is composite of a big area underflow shale shaker GNZS703F, and 1×10 inch desander cone plus 8×4 inch desiltere cone.

3. The 4th stage solids control equipment decanter centrifuge. There is a 18 inch middle big bowl centrifuge. The centrifuge model is GNLW452D. It is a big bowl centrifuge but it is middle speed, The GNLW452D is an economic centrifuge model with big bowl but middle speed. So it is widely used in HDD, CBM, water well drilling and other trenchless rigs.

Besides mud recycling, GN Solids Control 500GPM mud recycling system also have the function of mixing. It can continue prepare quality new mud for the mud system. The mixing pipelines are connected to all mud tank compartments. So operators can choose to mixing from any of the tank compartment.

Last week, GN Solids Control finished a mud decanter centrifuge dewatering system for a TBM engineering company in China. The decanter centrifuge dewatering unit will be used to treat waste slurry from TBM drilling.

big bowl decanter centrifuge

The decanter centrifuge used in the dewatering system is a special model with very huge bowl: GNLW764A-VFD. The bowl size of the centrifuge is 760mm (30 inch) . The bowl length is up to 3328mm. It is a high speed 2-phase decanter centrifuge for liquid and solids separation. The cut point of the centrifuge is 2 ~ 5 microns. It is a dual motor centrifuge. The main drive motor used in the decanter centrifuge is 160Kw, and back drive motor is 90kw.

The chemical dosing unit used in the centrifuge dewatering unit is a very big size GNDW-6000L. The chemical dosing capacity of the unit is 6000L per hour in order to suit the big bowl centrifuge handling capacity.

The GNLW764A-VFD 30 inch big bowl decanter centrifuge is fixed inside a 40ft container, there are windows and door with access to discharge soil by screw conveyors.The GNDW-6000L chemical dosing unit is fixing on another 40ft container and lies on the top of the centrifuge container. It can minimum the footprint to save space.

Mud cleaner is the most popular separation equipment in oil rig drilling mud solids control system. Drilling mud cleaner is used after solids control shale shaker. It includes desander mud cleaner, desilter mud cleaner, and combo type 3-in-1 mud cleaner. 3-in-1 mud cleaner is also widely known as combo type shale shaker. GN Solids Control makes various models of combo type shale shaker.

A package of drilling mud desander cleaner and desilter cleaner are ready for dispatching to a oilfield service company in China. The desander mud cleaner and desilter mud cleaner for this project is combined with 2-panel small size shale shaker.
The desander mud cleaner model is GNZJ752F-3S. It is includes a 2-panel under flow shale shaker, and No. 3 × 10 inch desander cones.

The desilter mud cleaner model is GNZJ752F-12NF. It is includes a 2-panel under flow shale shaker, and No. 12 × 4 inch desilter cones.

API RP13 confirmed shaker screens are used for the mud cleaners.

Besides the 2 models desander mud cleaner and desilter mud cleaner. GN Solids Control makes other models mud cleaner. Below are the major types of mud cleaner GN Solids Control can make:

1) Desilter mud cleaner and desilter mud cleaner without downstream drying shale shaker. It is the most economic mud cleaner. Its design is compact and price is low. Typical model is GNWS-2SF / GNWS-3SF and GNWS-12N / GNWS-16N for 1000GPM or 1500GPM handling capacity.

2) Desilter mud cleaner and desilter mud cleaner with GNZS752 Series Mini Shale Shaker Screen. There is a small size shale shaker under the hydro cyclone separator. Typical model is GNZJ752F-1S / GNZJ752F-2S and GNZJ752F-8NF / GNZJ752F-12NF

3) Desilter mud cleaner and desilter mud cleaner with GNZS703 Series 3 Panel Shale Shaker Screen. It is combo type shale shaker.  Typical model is GNZJ703F-S2SF / GNZJ703F-S3SF and GNZJ703F-D8NF / GNZJ703F-D12NF / GNZJ703F16NF.

4) Desilter mud cleaner and desilter mud cleaner with GNZS594 Series 4 Panel Shale Shaker Screen. It is combo type shale shaker.  Typical model is GNZJ594F-S2SF / GNZJ594F-S3SF and GNZJ594F-D8NF / GNZJ594F-D12NF / GNZJ594F16NF.

A customized drilling mud processing system is is ready for shipment at GN Solids Control Beijing factory. It mud cleaning system is composted of a mud cleaner, a mixing hopper, and a centrifugal pump for mud mixing and transfer.
The drilling mud cleaning and mixing system is designed and made by client’s request to suit his drilling mud situation. Normally, mud cleaner is equipped after a pre-seperation shale shaker. But in this mud cleaning system, the first separation equipment is mud cleaner.

Drilling Mud Cleaner

Drilling Mud Cleaner

The reason why the client do not use shale shaker is that, they said the solids content in the mud is not much high. And mostly are fine solids. In this case, the drilling mud can be separated by mud cleaner directly. It is to save cost. As once the shale shaker is running, clients need to replace shaker screen periodically. It is a continue cost for operation. While delete the shale shaker, the system can meet client’s request. It can save the cost of shale shaker, and furthermore, the can reduce wearing spare parts shaker screen cost.

But if the solids content is high, or the particle side is big, which is over the hydracyclone separation point and its mud handing capacity, it is better to use a shale shaker before the mud cleaner. At one hand, the shale shaker can reduce the flow rate which feed to the mud cleaner. At another hand, after the shale shaker separation, the solids content will be reduced, and the big size particle are total removed based on the shaker screen API size and cut point. It can increase the hydraucyclone separation efficient, and also to avoid the fast wear out the hydraucyclones. 10 inch desander cone and 4 inch desilter cone are the most popular cyclone sizes used for drilling fluids separation system. Operator can choose the to use only desander cone or desilter cone, or both based on the mud condition and their budgetary. Desander and / or desilter cone quality depends on the handling capacity of the whole system.

Drilling Mud Centrifuge

Drilling Mud Centrifuge

Feeding pump for mud cleaner is centrifugal pump. The centrifugal feed pump is located on tank slope for compact design and for maximize the total tank usable volume.

After the mud recycling and mixing system, a drilling mud decanter centrifuge is used for fine solids separation. As there will be more and more fine and ultra fine solids after some circulation of the system. Decanter centrifuge will be used to reduce the mud weight.

The TBM construction and Pipe Jacking construction drilling will generate a lot of waste water slurry which contains big percentage of sand and stones. In order to accordance with environment protection regulations and save water, project operators have to separate the TBM drilling mud, to reduce the waste and reuse the water.

GN Solids Control can design and make full package of waste water slurry separation plants. The major separation equipment in GN slurry separation plant includes: shale shaker, desander, desilter, bottom drying shaker, etc… And there are accessory items for a one-stop turn-key solution: centrifugal pump for feeding desander / desilter mud cleaner, mud tank, electrical control system, etc.

The TBM construction and Pipe Jacking construction drilling are often took in urban areas, . In this case, the TBM drilling slurry separation usually requires compact design to suit for small working area. And the TBM drilling slurry separation need to reach high treatment efficiency to treat big volume slurry. GN Solids Control TBM Slurry Separation Plant is specially designed to meet the above demands. GN Solids Control TBM and Pipe Jacking drilling slurry separation system is with a very compact foundation by optimal designing. The TBM and pipe Jacking slurry treating system can work at different height levels.

In order to meet the different requirements of different clients and different projects, clients can choose more than a set GN Solids Control TBM Slurry Separation Plant and connect them by pipelines to use them as a big flow rate handling capacity. Plus, the combination of standard modular is for fast and easy assembly. Clients can choose different modules and select the quality they need to reach the flow rate they want to reach. GN Solids Control TMB and Pipe Jacking Slurry Separation Plant to move conveniently among different work sites.

GN Solids Control TBM and Pile Jacking Slurry Separation Plant advantages:
1) Full function compact package design for One -stop Turnkey Solutions
2) Modular, pre-assembled and small footprint units for easy and fast transportation from one location to another
3) 5-Phase Separation System for finer solids separation and to get more clear water

A set of GNMS-1000D mud recycling system and a 18 inch decanter centrifuge is ready for shipment. They will be shipped for a trenchless drilling project. GNMS-1000D is a Mud Treating & Recycling System. The mud cleaning system is designed and manufactured according to the needs and requirements of customers. GNMS-1000D mud recycling system is specially designed to treat the drilling mud in mining industry, piling machine, HDD (horizontal directional drilling) and other trenchless drilling activities. The treatment capacity of GNMS-1000D mud recyling system and cleaning system is up to 240m³/h.

1000GPM Mud Recycling Unit

A double deck shale shaker is used in the GNMS-1000D mud cleaning system. There are 2 sets of 10 inch desander cone assembly on top of the double deck shale shaker to use as a mud cleaner. The advantages of a single deck mud cleaner is that, it has the function of both shale shaker and cleaner and the footprint if small while with the compact design. The dirty mud will be fed to bottom shaker deck, which is mounted coarse shaker screen. The centrifugal pump is located on the tank slope to feed for the desander cleaner. Besides GNMS-1000D mud recycling system, GN Solids Control makes other capacity drilling mud cleaning system for trenchless drilling rigs: D Series Mud Recycling Models: 1) GNMS-200D mud cleaning system with handling Capacity: 200GPM, 50m3/h 2) GNMS-500D mud cleaning system with handling Capacity: 500GPM, 120m3/h 3) GNMS-1000D mud cleaning system with handling Capacity: 1000GPM, 240m3/h 4) Other models can be customized according to clients special request. GNLW452 is an economic standard decanter centrifuge. It is a 18 inch big bowl centrifuge. But the bowl diameter and bowl length ration is only 2. And the max. Bowl speed of the GNLW452 centrifuge is 2200RPM. It is a single motor decanter centrifuge with fixed speed control. VFD control is available if requested by clients. The centrifuge is widely used for trenchless drilling mud treatment, and oil & gas drilling mud barite recovery.

GN Solids Control is focusing on the full package of drilling mud processing system. As GN Solids Control makes full line drilling mud processing equipment. They know well about the equipment. GN Solids Control can offer professional proposal of drilling mud treatment system and mud mixing unit. All processing equipment and the tank volume should be match to each other.

For example, if the total shale capacity is max. 160m3/4 or 200m3/h, but the desilter and desilter capacity is 240m3/h. And feeding centrifugal pump and mixing pump are 55kw or above. The system is not reasonable. As the 1rst stage separation equipment, the shale shaker capacity should be bigger than the next step separation equipment. Otherwise, if the mud flow is big, the shale shaker will overflow. Or if the mud flow is small for the shale shaker to handle, but the desander and desilter pump are too big, it will cause pump suction air. And the hydrocyclone separation performance is not good in condition the feed flow is too small. The client need to increase shale shaker capacity, or decrease pump and mud cleaner capacity to suit for the mud pump capacity.

Every jobsite is different. Every client has his preferable. In order to offer a suitable mud system design to suit for the job site situation, as well as client’s special requirements. Below are some questions to let GN Solids Control knows more about clients request.

1) what is the rig horse power of the system for, or what is the mud pump horse power or capacity? The whole mud system handle capacity should suit to the mud pump capacity.
2) What is the total tank volume the client prefer?
3) How many tanks the client prefer?
4) What is the max. Tank size (L × W × H) the client can accept to suit for their local shipping regulations?
5) What processing equipment they prefer to equip inside the system? Shale shaker, mud cleaner, desilter, desilter, mud cleaner, vacuum degasser, decanter centrifuge, etc..Which processing equipment they want?
6) What is the Voltage and hz for the mud system?
7) What is the explosion proof standard, CNEX, ATEX, or international IECEx standard?
8) Additional requirement and any special requirements if there, like do they want trip tank, pill tank, water tank, etc…

GN Solids Control is one of the well-known International Brand for drilling Mud Solids Control System & Drilling Waste Management system. GN Solids Control offers the one stop solution for Solids Control treatment of oil gas drilling, CBM drilling, HDD, and water well drilling as well as the construction drilling mud treatment etc.

Nearly all drilling mud processing equipment containers shaker screen separation. Replacement shaker screen is a major wearing spare parts for drilling mud system. And it is a big and continue cost. GN Solids Control is specialized in high quality replacement shaker screen for various popular shaker models. GN Solids Control has his own R&D department for shale shaker screens. Clients can also contact GN Solids Control to make customized shaker screen.

Most solids control equipment manufacturer only make some kinds of processing equipment. Like some companies make shale shaker, mud cleaner and agitators, but they are not capacity to make decanter centrifuge or cuttings dryers. Some companies are only capacity to make centrifuges for various industries, they cannot make solids control separation equipment, like shale shaker, mud cleaner, degasser, etc…While some companies are only make pumps, they cannot make separation equipment. And there are some companies only make mud tanks, they are not capacity to make solids control separation equipment by themselves.

GN Solids Control is focusing on full line solids control equipment for various drilling mud. GN Solids Control is specialized in drilling mud liquid and solids separation. All the separation equipment are made by GN Solids Control. In this case, GN Solids Control knows more about the separation equipment, and can offer more reasonable proposal.

Furthermore, electrical control system is another essential point for separation equipment, especially VFD smart control panels for decanter centrifuges. GN Solids Control has his own electrical control department. GN Solids Control electrical engineering business department has comprehensive ability to provide solution for explosion-proof electrical control. GN is able to provide the electric control system, explosion-proof electrical enclosure design and development, fabrication, site installation, program debugging, and other services.

GN Explosion Proof Certification: GN Solids Control electrical control products have been certified by China National standard CNEx, International standard IECEx and European standard ATEX certificate, which enable GN’s products to meet high level market requirements.