Drilling mud Equipment

Recently, GN developed a new product that can be used in the oil tanks cleaning system for the water recycling. Operator use high pressure water, sometimes warm water, to flush the oil storage tank for tank cleaning. This work needs lots of clean water. If the water could be recovered and reused, then a great of money could be saved.

Main part of GN water recycling system
1. Tank cleaning machine – this is a machine that can produce high pressure to drive the water for flushing the inner wall of oil tank. At this time, this unit is outsourced by clients.
2. Clean water buffer tank – this tank is used to store the clean water, also the recycled water is flow back to this tank.
3. Solids remover – the dirty water contents water, oil and solid particles. In order to remove the solids in the mixture, GN designed 2 steps solids remover. First step is de-silter cyclone unit, and the second step is inclined plate clarifier.
4. Pumping system – this system is consisting of pump for water transferring, slurry transferring and settlement sludge discharging pump.
5. Electric control – this unit control all the pumps in the system.

Working principle of tank cleaning water recycling system
1. Clean water will be first fill into the buffer tank; the water transferring pump will feed the water to the high pressure tank cleaning machine for tank flushing.
2. The dirty water is transferred by the second pump to the de-silter cyclone for first step solids removing. A strainer will be installed between the oil tank and pump to filter the large size solids for protection of pump and cyclone.
3. The liquid overflow out of the cyclone will flow into the inclined plate clarifier; the special structure will speed up the solids settlement towards the bottom of the clarifier. The upper layer liquid will overflow back to water buffer tank for reuse.
4. The sludge discharged from the cyclone and bottom of the inclined plate clarifier will be collected in a small cuttings box.

All equipment in GN’s water recycling system for tank cleaning is installed on one skid with length same as 20 feet container. So it could be delivered easily by a flat bed trailer from one site to another.

Shale shaker is very common equipment used in the drilling mud recycling system. Its function is the first stage for remove the coarse solids in the drilling mud. Sometimes, we may see the double layers shale shakers are installed in the mud system. Below we would like to share some information on how the double layers shale shaker works in the mud recycling system.
Some mud system may has limitation on the footprint, thus, the operators would like to equip a shale shaker with high treating capacity but compact structure. The double layer shaker no doubt is the ideal choice.

For shale shaker application – when the unit is used as primary shale shaker, it is located at the very beginning of the mud system. As we know, the shale shaker unit has buffer box for mud feeding into the shaker unit. The mud overflow out from the buffer box would flow into the upper shaker screen panels with coarse screen for larger size solids separation. The lower screen panels would be much finer for small solids separation. Double layer shale shaker will have a relative larger capacity; in the meanwhile, it can remove out smaller
solids.
For Mud Cleaner application – Shale shaker can also be used as underflow drying shaker by combining with hydro cyclone unit. This type mud cleaner functioned as both shale shaker and cyclone unit. The lower screen with coarse mesh is for larger solids separation, and the upper screen with fine mesh is for drying the slurry discharged from the cyclone.
GN now has main two models of double layers shale shaker. One is coming from the shaker model of GNZS703. Its deformation GNZS706 double layer is for larger capacity shaker and GNZS705 for mud cleaner unit. The other is GNZS752; it can be upgraded to GNZS753 double layers. These double layer shale shakers are widely used in GN’s compact design mud recycling/de-sanding unit for area limitation project.

Normally, the drilling mud recycling system is consisting of mud recycling tank skid and mud mixing tank skid. On
the mud recycling tank skid, the solids control equipment like shakers, mud cleaner, and even decanter centrifuge unit will be installed for removing the cuttings and useless solid particles in the drilling fluids. After several times recycling, the useful mud materials will loss together with the cuttings, and then the mud engineer need add new mud materials into the drilling fluids to maintain the proper mud property for the drilling job. The mud mixing unit is the equipment used for adding the mud materials into the fluids.

What is the Function and Principle of the Mud Mixing Unit
The mud mixing unit is always installed at end of the mixing tank. Before starting the drilling, the driller need have sufficient drilling mud to keep a continuous drilling. Thus at the first, the mud mixing unit is used to make the drilling mud by mixing clean water and mud materials. With the drilling going on, once the mud property is not proper for the drilling process, new mud materials like barite or other polymers need to be added into the drilling fluids. The mud mixing unit is sucking the drilling mud from the mixing tank, and then pump the mud together with materials back again into the mixing tank. Normally, the mud agitators would be equipped on the mixing tank for fully blending.

What Components are Included in the Mud Mixing Unit
1. Centrifugal Pump – the inlet of the pump is connected with the mixing tank for sucking the drilling mud from tank. And the outlet is connecting with pipe manifold that will transfer the mud to the hopper unit. As this pump is fixed with the mixing hopper, it is also called mixing pump. This pump is driven by an electric motor via direct shaft connection. By higher efficiency shearing purpose, GN will used belt driving for a shearing pump.

2. Mud Hopper – GN’s mud hopper is Ventri type connected with the pipe manifold via a T pipe. The mud materials will be added into the hopper and then immediately sucked into the drilling fluids as there is a vacuum produced by the high speed flow. For the hopper, GN uses the material of stainless steel for better anti corrosion performance and long life time. Inside the hopper, there is a bad beaker for quickly adding of powders. On the pipe manifold, there is a pressure gauge for the operator to inspect the working pressure of the mixing pump.
3. Control Panel – GN’s mud mixing unit is equipped with explosion proof control panel for application in Zone 1. The operation of the control is easy for only three buttons on the panel. One on, one off and one for emergency stop, accordingly, the signal lights is installed to reflect the operation.

GN’s mud mixing unit could be installed both at the end of the mixing tank or separately mounted on a small skid. This mud mixing unit can also be designed as a dual hopper dual pump type for larger capacity or in case one of them is broken down.

GN now has over 30 high configuration decanter centrifuge stocked for urgent request and prompt delivery. The decanter centrifuge is normal type equipment used in the drilling fluids recycling system for fine solids separation. As a leading manufacturer of solids control equipment in China, GN always makes the inventory plan for the main equipment that most requested by the clients, like the shakers, decanter centrifuge etc.

What are the basic technical parameters of the decanter centrifuge
1. Size: 14 inch of bowl diameter, 50 inch of bowl length, this length and diameter ration is fine for most of the application
2. Treating Capacity: Max. capacity of 200 GPM with recommended capacity of 132 GPM
3. Speed: Designed Max. speed is up to 3900RPM with recommended normal working speed of 3200 RPM.
4. G Force: 2062 @ working speed 3200 RPM, under this speed, the solids with size larger than 5 microns could be removed out.
5. Gearbox: Torch of 3500 N•M, gear ration 57:1
6. Motor Power: Dual motors as main and auxiliary drive, 37 KW + 11 KW

What is the configuration the decanter centrifuge in stock
1. Material: Bowl is made of Duplex stainless steel 2205, screw propeller is from SS 316.
2. Bowl Fabrication: Centrifugal Casting technology ensures better material distribution to maximum avoid casting defects.
3. Protection: Screw propeller is protected by the tungsten carbide tiles with uniformly thickness of 4mm, much better than spraying welding 2mm uneven surface. Solid discharge ports are protected by ceramic lining for long life time and less maintenance. Collection box has air spring for easy open and damping close to protect operator.
4. Bear Brand: Genuine SKF bearing for longer and reliable operation
5. Control Panel: Both fixed speed and VFD panels are available as per customers’ requirements. Main electric components are from ABB, Siemens or Schneider.
6. Certificates: CE certificate for main machine, DNV lifting certificate for frame base, ATEX/ IEC Ex certified electric motors and panels are available hazardous area application.

Sufficient inventory is a guarantee for customers’ urgent request and prompt delivery. Now is near the end of the year, and GN is starting the customers profit surrender plan. Call GN no hesitation and you can get a special discount.

Decanter centrifuge is a kind of equipment used very often in oil drilling separation process. Like in the drilling mud recycling system, the decanter centrifuge is located after the de-silter cyclone unit for ultra fine solids separation. Some operators will install the decanter centrifuge unit on the mud tank top, while, the decanter centrifuge is not used all the time during the drilling. Thus, some drillers take out the decanter centrifuge from the mud tank system and put it on a skid closed to the mud tank system for easy connection once needed.
Comparing with other solids control equipment in the mud recycling system, the decanter centrifuge is of high cost. This is also one reason it will be taken out from the mud tanks system, always, the driller will find a third party who owns the centrifuge unit to sign the lease agreement.

What Materials Are Included in GN’s Centrifuge Modular Package
1. Decanter centrifuge unit – GN has now 3 main decanter centrifuges for oil industry with bowl size of 14 inch, 18 inch and 22 inch. All these 3 types could be equipped with a PLC smart electric panel for all the remote operation. Both the electric motors and control panels provided are complying with the explosion proof standard. Either for Zone 1 or Zone 2 is available.
2. Electric Control Panel – All the above 3 sizes centrifuge has VFD control panel. The panel would be put on the skid, people could operate on the ground. The panel need is designed positive pressurized needing air blowing into the panel for cooling down and explosion purpose.
3. Telescopic Skid – GN’s telescopic is designed to comply with the DNV lifting certification for widely acceptance. The operator could adjust the skid height as per the actual site condition.
4. Screw Feeding Pump – one unit screw pump is fixing on the skid for feeding the slurry to the decanter centrifuge. This pump is also controlled in the aforementioned control panel.
5. Other Accessories – hose from feeding pump to the decanter centrifuge inlet, solids discharge chute for the centrifuge, liquid discharge port matching flange with nipple and the tools case.

GN’s modular centrifuge package is compact structure for easy location on jobsite. GN can also provide customized centrifuge skid by knowing the installation dimension of Customers’ existing centrifuge unit.

The business of today’s GN has been divided mainly into 2 scopes, one is the normal drilling mud recycling, and the other is the waste management including the waste coming from petroleum related and other separation industries. This blog is mainly talking on the drilling mud recycling system that used in non oil drilling industry.
In oil drilling, the drilling depth and safety regulation request large drilling mud storage and more solids control equipment. Thus, the mud recycling system is always equipped with degasser unit and large volume mud tanks.

Comparing with the mud recycling for oil industry, the unit for non oil drilling is more compact and less equipment needed.

• Trenchless/No Dig HDD project – The mud recycling system used in this type drilling is matching with a No dig rig. In some project for long distance pipeline and cables laying underground, it is inconvenient to dig an open groove on the ground as that will interrupt the normal traffic. The trenchless is an ideal choice. The mud recycling system for this project is always consisting of 3 stages separation as shale shaker unit, de-sanding and de-silting cyclone.
• Piling is the main method to install the bridge supporting pillar. A de-sanding unit with a small tank would be enough to remove out the coarse solids from the drilling fluids. The de-sanding unit is a composition of de-sander cyclone and shaker unit that can separate out the solids with size of 40-70 microns. Piling does not request very clean mud; less equipment involved makes the recycling unit for piling is very compact.
• GN also can manufacture the mud recycling system for tunneling project. For micron tunneling, GN has model available with capacity of 120m3/h, 240m3/h and 500m3/h. For large flow rate request, GN has the mud plant GNMS -3600M with treating capacity of 3600m3/H.

Besides, GN’s mud recycling system can also be used in water well drilling, coal bed methane exploration, dredge slurry separation and the mining flushing waster cleaning process.

Drilling cuttings would be produced when drilling. In order to recover and reuse the drilling fluids, the operator need remove the drilling cutting from the drilling fluids. The well known equipment to remove the cutting from drilling fluids is the solids control equipment. So, what is the cuttings dewatering system? And how it works to remove the cuttings in the drilling fluids?

The drilling fluids with cuttings coming from the well hole is fed to the shale shaker unit via the elevated pipeline, this the method used in oil rig package. For some other drilling project, like the no-dig horizontal directional drilling, the used drilling fluids would be collected into a pit on the ground, and then the fluids would be transferred by a slurry pump to the shale shaker unit.

Shale shaker unit is the first stage for removing the coarse size cuttings in the drilling fluids. And then the de-sander and de-silter cyclone could remove out the cuttings with size down to around 20 microns. The used drilling fluids treated by the de-silter cyclone are already clean enough to be reused. However, the cuttings with size less than 20 microns would build up to make a heavy mud which is not suitable for normal drilling application.
The dewatering system is especially equipped to remove the ultra fine solids that even cannot be separated by the decanter centrifuge unit. A decanter centrifuge like GN’s 22 inch model GNLW553 can remove the cutting with size down to 5 microns. For the even finer cuttings, we need a flocculation process to gather the ultra fine solids so that the decanter centrifuge could remove out. The polymer mixing system is a critical part of the dewatering system, GN’s polymer mixing system is designed with powder hose conveyer, automatic dosing system, mixing tank and diaphragm pump for transferring the polymer to the drilling fluids. For better flocculation process, always one acid tank and one alkali tank is equip to make the suitable PH value.
Sometimes, the drilling fluids are mixture of water and oil, GN is also able to provide the oil water separator system for recovering the water and oil.
GN now has already have the design of the complete system for drilling cutting dewatering system, for more
information, please feel free to contact with us.

In the just past MinExpo 2016 exhibition for especially for mining industry, GN showed the 9 inch decanter centrifuge there and many visitors came to GN booth showing great interesting to this unit.
9 inch is the smallest size model in GN’s decanter centrifuge production line. GNLW223 is the typical model number of this size, now both the fixed speed and VFD model available. At this time, all GN’s decanter centrifuge is electric driven; however, GN is researching the FHD model that is more preferred as less energy consumption.

GN 9 inch decanter centrifuge unit can run normally at 3800 RPM for long time working condition, while the designed maximum RPM is 5000. GN’s dynamical balance testing instrument can test the decanter centrifuge at actual working speed, even the maximum designed RPM. This ensures the stable working performance.
GNLW223 series decanter centrifuge is mainly used for small capacity solids removal project. Diamond core drilling is a typical industry that will use this type decanter centrifuge. With a high working speed, the centrifuge unit would remove the ultra fine solids like less than 5 microns from the drilling fluids. Ceramic tiles are inlayed for protection of the screw propeller, which extends the working lifetime. For the customer who prefers the FHD model, GN also provides only the mechanical part like bowl assembly and bearing seat, customer could equip the hydraulic driving system and electric control system locally.
Some mining operators would ask put a shaker unit before the decanter centrifuge, thus the coarse solids could be removed firstly. Then the slurry with fine solids will be fed into the centrifuge. The function of the shaker is to remove most of the large size solids, which will greatly reduce the working load of the centrifuge. It is also a protection on the centrifuge unit.
Now GN already developed the compact solids removal unit including mini shaker and 9 inch decanter centrifuge. This system also has mixing system for adding bentonite into the fluids. Its compact structure make it could be helicoptered to lift to a remote area for working.

GN was founded as a manufacturer of solids control equipment that used in drilling industry. Drilling fluids was used to lubricate and cool down the drill bit, and it can also bring out the drilling cutting from inside of the drilling hole. The working principle of solids control equipment is to remove the solid phase from liquid phase by various methods, mostly using screen technology and centrifugal separation. Thus the solids control equipment are more and more used in some other industries where need separate the solid from liquid.

High pressure water for mining is one of the industries that can use the solids control equipment to increase the working efficiency. The mining worker will use the high pressure water gun to flush the mineral ore, thus the mixture of ore, silt and water will collected in a pit. High pressure washing will reduce the silt content on the ore, thus the more pure ore could be obtained.
Ore and water slurry would be firstly fed to a coarse shaker for large size solid particles separation. Then de- sander and de-silter would be used for much finer solids separation. The extreme fine ore particles may use decanter centrifuge to separate. Decanter centrifuge is an ideal choice for slurry separation, as the centrifuge is working by centrifugal force, water, silt and ore particles have different specific gravity, which would make the separation much easier.
The worker will get different ore from each stage of solids control equipment. The more important is large volume water is recovered. This greatly reduces the consumption of water. The recovered water could be used again and again.
Nowadays, GN solids control is not only a manufacturer of solids control equipment, but also a separation solution provider. For a example, GN developed the centrifuge for food and beverage industry.

Some oil refineries store the crude oil in cylinder tank and clean the tank regularly. The tanks are cleaned and the oil sludge would be taken out with solids in it. The sludge cannot be discharged directly to environment, as it has large content of valuable oil, moreover it will pollute the environment.
Can the solid and oil could be separated and recycled. Absolutely they can. The solids and oil are 2 types of material with different density, which makes the solids easily separated by the decanter centrifuge. GN has a sludge treatment system is especially for oily sludge separation. This system is consisting of 3 parts: storage, mixing and separation.

The whole system is mounted on one skid, at one end of the skid. A square tank is used to collect and store the oily sludge. Always this tank compartment will be equipped with an agitator to prevent the solid sedimentation. As the solids in the sludge are really fine that cannot be removed out by only use the decanter centrifuge. The flocculation agent is needed to gather the fine solids and become large size block. GN’s sludge treatment system has automatic dosing system for flocculation agent mixing. The configured mature chemicals will be fed into the tank, once blocks got, the sludge will be transferred via a pump to the decanter centrifuge for separation.
Solids discharged out of the centrifuge will be collected by the screw conveyor and delivered to some catching box waiting for further treatment. The liquid coming out from the centrifuge includes water and oil, as the oil tank is cleaning by using the high pressure flushing water. This water and oil mixture has to be further treated by an oil water separator or a 3 phase decanter centrifuge.
Decanter centrifuge is the key equipment in the oily sludge treatment system. GN has already enriched the centrifuge production line from 9 inch to 30 inch. The centrifuges could be respectively for mining slurry separation, oily waste treatment, and dewatering system even some other industry like civil waste water treatment.