Solids control equipment was treated as an Insurance policy against catastrophe prevention. Today, the more expensive drilling fluids require a low-drilled solids concentration. The new mud systems, being used, are expensive and these drilling fluids require lower concentration of drilling solids. Today’s environmental concerns dictate the removal of drilled solids to minimize the waste. Economics play a very important part; expensive drilling fluids can be reused if solids are removed in an efficient manner. And if the waste is minimized so is the disposal cost.
Solids control equipment was historically been justified as an Insurance policy against catastrophe prevention. Today, the more expensive drilling fluids require a low-drilled solids concentration. More and more solids control system equipped with decanter centrifuge to minimize the waste discharge.
There is usually 2 decanter centrifuge for a complete solids control mud system for drilling rigs.
1) The first centrifuge we call it barite recovery centrifuge. It is a middle speed decanter centrifuge, with G force around 700~1000, and the speed is usually around 2000rpm (2200rom for GNLW452 centrifuge). It used to remove barite from the clean drilling fluids from other solids control equipment. The recovered barite will not be discharge but turn back to the drilling rig mud system. The fluids phase from this decanter centrifuge will be collected in a tank and transfer to another decanter.
2) The other decanter centrifuge usually utilize high speed and G force around 1800~2300 (3200rpm for GNLW363 centrifuge). The centrifuge is used to separate fine solids from the low gravity solids mud.
The dual decanter centrifuge can minimize the solids discharge and lower the drilling cost.
GN can also make big bowl decanter centrifuge for slurry separation or waste management. Below is the complete GN centrifuge model. For more information, contact GN group.