Drilling mud Equipment

Environmental protection is being given more and more attention in whatever projects. Some corporation in the business of river and later cleaning has a main business is to make the polluted river and lake clean again. The method they are always using is the separate the solids out from the water step by step, then the produced water would be clean enough to flow back to the river or lake.

The dredging boat is the most used to get the slurry out from the bottom of the river or lake. That is the very first step. Then the slurry would be guided to a pool or tank. There a coarse screen would be located to separate the very large size is the slurry like the tree remains, beer cans and something else.
Then the treated slurry would be pumped into a solids and liquid separation system. Simpler than the oil gas drilling mud solids control system, the mud system is designed with the coarse shaker which is fixed with gap screens. As we know, the solid separation is a step by step procedure, after separation by the shaker screen, the slurry would also be fed to the desander unit and desilter unit. After treated by the desilter, the solids with size large than 20 microns would be removed out.
The separation procedure after the desilter is much difficult as the solids is really fine. The operator always need add flocculate agent into the slurry to make a flocculation block which could be easily separate out. A machine with name filter press is always be used to remove the flocculation block out from the slurry. The capacity of the filter press is really small, so, in one project, always several units filter press would be used. The mud cake out from the filter press would be very dry.
In general condition, after separation by the filter press, the water can be guide back to the river and lake.

Everyone in the industry of solids control no doubt would know the use of the shaker screen. Shaker screen is a type of wear parts during the drilling fluids solid control system. The design of the shaker screen would be different as per the different shaker. There are many famous brand of solids control. Just like the brand mentioned in this article, the Mongoose Shaker is coming from the Swaco which is a Schlumberger subsidiary company.

Swaco has a well know and widely used shaker model with name Mongoose which is designed to dual motion vibrating track as both linear motion and elliptical motion. The shaker realize the dual motion vibrating by using 2 units 2HP motor and an extra 0.6 HP motor. The vibration motion could be changed during the operation.
The screen fixed on this model shaker is the Mongoose original screen which is composite material screen frame and this is a patent product. Each Mongoose shaker is fixed 4 panels of this type screen with size of 585x1165x40mm.
Besides the screen fixed on the own shale shaker model, the shaker screen manufacturer always learn and manufacture the replacement shaker screen for other brand, so that they could get orders for screens. As a leading manufacturer of solids control equipment, GN Solids Control could manufacture many types replacement shaker screen for famous brand like Derrick screen, Mongoose screen, Cobra screen etc.
GN’s replacement screen for the Mongoose screen has two options. One is the composite material frame, while the other is steel frame which could be sold to the area where Swaco has apply for the patent. GN’s steel frame replacement screen for Mongoose screen is size accurately same and no rubber seal on the back side of the screen. It is completely interchangeable with original screen on size.
GN has a model GNZS594 shale shaker is designed to install this replacement screen for Mongoose screen, which means the customer would buy the shale shaker from GN and install the original Mongoose screen; or buy the replacement screen from GN and install on the Mongoose shaker.

 Many people use the decanter centrifuge for their dewatering system. For the oil and gas industry, GN could provide one model of 22” big bowl which could be used for the drilling fluids ultra fine solids particles separation which is also called the dewatering procedure.

GN 22” Big Bowl Centrifuge Basic Parameters as below:

The bowl is diameter 22 inch and length 71 inch with GN’s model number GNLW553.
The designed maximum speed for this bowl is 3000rpm, and the recommended working speed is 0 to 2500 rpm. Due to the large horse power of the motor, this model is designed variable frequency drive for stable start and smoothly operation.
The G force for this unit is maximum 2719 at 3000 rpm, and the popular working G force is up to 1888 which could remove the solids particles down to 5 microns, even finer.
The 400GPM treating capacity could meet large flow rate requirement and save cost for using several smaller capacity units.

The features of the GN 22” Big Bowl

The material of the 22” bowl is duplex stainless steel 2205 and the producing technology is centrifugal casting which could get a much better balance for the bowl.
Complete the screw propeller edge is protected by replaceable tungsten carbide tiles with the thickness of 4mm which is much better than 2mm tungsten spray welding. This guarantee the long life time of the screw, extend the non breakdown time and save customer’s maintenance cost.
All the liquid discharge port plates are adjustable; the operator could control the discharged solids dryness and liquid cleanness by adjusting the liquid port plates.
To avoid the dry solids gathering at the collection box and block the solids discharge port, GN’s decanter centrifuge has the solid blocking ring over the discharge port, when running the centrifuge, the solids discharged out from the bowl would get onto the blocking ring first, then drop off and delivered out of the collection box.
When feeding the slurry through a screw pump, the flocculation chemicals could also be fed at the same time, and then the ultra fine solids would produce the flocculate block which could be easier removed out by the centrifuge. GN’s 22” big bowl is a equivalent of Derrick DE7200 and Swaco CD600.

GN solids control is the first one China based API certified manufacturer for drilling fluids processing decanter centrifuge. To meet customers’ requirement from different industries for different purpose, by now, GN has released a relative complete series centrifuges which have been proved good performance on site.

This article is to give a brief introduction on how to choose GN’s decanter centrifuge according to different purpose. GN now has models of GNLW363 fixed speed and VFD, GNLW452 fixed speed and GNLW453 VFD, GNLW553 VFD.

1. For barite recovery, GN always recommends the model of GNLW452 with RPM 1800, designed maximum RPM is 2200. This is the lowest RPM model GN hold. GN also has the model GNLW363 with RPM 2200.
2. For general drilling mud solids control, the model of GNLW452 is proposed for high gravity solids separation. The customer could also choose the model of GNLW 363 with RPM 2700. If the customer has a cuttings dryer in the system, then GN firmly propose latter model.
3. For solids separation application to the low solids content drilling mud or the low gravity solids. It always is difficult to separate the solids thoroughly, then a centrifuge with high centrifugal force would be need. High speed centrifuge always has large centrifugal force could perform well for this application. GN always recommends the model of GNLW363 with RPM 3200.
4. For some of the mud recycling system, the operators always choose 2-centrifuge system for solids separation. One middle speed and then one high speed. For this application, GN’s solution is 1 unit GNLW452 with speed of 1800 and 1 unit GNLW363 with RPM 2700 or 3200.
5. GN could also provide centrifuge unit with several belt pulleys for different speed, the customer could adjust the RPM by changing the belt pulley.
The best solution for all this different working condition is to get a VFD model with different RPM in same unit centrifuge. GN could provide VFD model for 14”, 18” and 22” bowl with different capacity.

The above mentioned large size decanter centrifuge are all used for oil gas industry. GN also has a model of GNLW223 with capacity 6 cubic meters which is a very popular model for core drilling. This model is both fixed speed and variable speed available.
Any questions, you may contact with GN or send Email to us for more information.

GN’s drilling mud recycling system is always equipped to the drilling rig and provided together to the end user. Just like the China domestic rig manufacturer of SJ from Sinopec and RG from CNPC who always get the drilling mud recycling system from GN solids control to equip with their drilling rig, the provide to their customer together. Not too long time before, GN finished on set solids control system for 750 HP drilling rig for Sinopec SJ’s Turkey project.

750 HP rig in China would also be referred as ZJ30 which could drill to depth of 3000 meters. The drilling mud recycling for this rig is configured as below:
4 units’ mud tanks systems include 1 recycling tank, 2 active mud storage tanks and 1 mixing tank. On the first tank for sand trap, there is also a compartment used for trip tank. When the drilling pipe need to be pulled out and changed, the drilling mud in the trip tank compartment would be pump back to the drill hole for protecting the well wall and keep stable downhole pressure.
This mud recycling system is a 3 stages design with shale shaker, mud cleaner (de-sander & de-silter). 2 units of GNZS703E-HB shale shaker have the total capacity of 240 cubic meters. The customer could adjust the feeding rate to each of the shaker by getting a flow divider. 1 unit of mud cleaner is with 2 pcs 10” de-sander cyclones and 12 pcs 4” de-silter cyclones.
On the mud storage tank, the mud agitators and mud guns would be equipped to prevent the solid particles sedimentation down to the tank bottom. Each tank would be equipped 3 units agitator and mud gun.
This system adopts the 55kw centrifugal pump for transferring the mud to the hydrocyclones and the mixing pump is the same model as consideration of future easy maintenance and repaire. The trip tank also is equipped with trip pump for pumping the mud back to the downhole.
All the electric parts like the motor and control panel are explosion proof standard especially for application in oil drilling ndustry. GN could provide complete line for oil drilling rig mud recycling system ranging from 350HP to 2000HP, welcome for contact on the inquiry and solution.

The drilling fluids is nowadays widely used in drilling projects and under the strict regulation on environment protection, how to minimize the discharge of environmental hazardous waste solids and maximum the drilling fluids recovery is the mainstream topic among the industry.
The using of mud tank to store the drilling fluids coming back from the drill well has been widely accepted and recognized by all the drilling contractors. Without digging a mud pit on the ground greatly reduce the pollution to the soil. Especially for some limited job area, the mud tank would be the preferred choice for drilling fluids. The using of the various kinds of the solids control equipment highly speeds up the separation of solids in drilling fluids.

The closed loop drilling mud solids control system, if complete configuration, will include 2 parts. Drilling mud solids control and waste drilling cuttings treatment. The purpose of this 2 parts is same for minimize the discharge of environmental hazardous waste solids and maximum the drilling fluids recovery.
For solids control, after treated by the shale shaker, desander, desilter, even the decanter centrifuge. The ultra fine solids particles would be removed out from the drilling mud, and then active mud could be re-used.
The waste cuttings treatment part is functioned to recovery as much as possible the drilling fluids and make the cuttings dry enough for easy transportation to further environmental friendly treatment process. The cuttings out from the solids control shale shaker and desander, desilter would be transferred to drying equipment first. The drying equipment would be different according to water base mud or oil base mud is used. A high G force drying shaker would be better for water base drilling mud cuttings. The Verti G cuttings dryer, e.g. GNCD930 cuttings dryer could be used for both the water base and oil base cuttings drying. The drilling fluids out from the drying equipment would be pump into high speed decanter centrifuge for ultra fine solids separation.
By doing so, the drilling fluids would be maximum recycled and no discharge to outside of the tank system. The discharge drilling cuttings is dry enough for further treatment. Greatly guarantees the environment protection and high working efficiency.

Oilfield operation need various electrical equipment like control panels, electrical motors and so on. All these electrical equipment performing well make sure the entire project job done well. But the most import is a safe working environment on the oilfield as there is the risk of explosion any time during oilfield operaton.

As per the define of the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission), the explosion working environment is classified as gas explosive and dust explosive. When we talking about the explosion proof standard electrical equipment, we are talking about the equipment used in the various gas explosive working environment. And then according to the existence time of the gas explosive, the working environment is classified to 3 zones as below:
1. Zone 0 – Under normal operation condition, the gas explosive exists continuously. Always more than 1000 hours per year.
2. Zone 1 – Under normal operation condition, the gas explosive exists sometimes. More than 10 hours buy less than 1000 hours per year.
3. Zone 2 – Only under abnormal operation condition, the gas explosive exists. Always less than 10 hours per year.

The Zone 0 always represents some airtight space such the gas storage tank. On the oilfield, the Zone 1 represents the area around the drilling rig. And the area which includes the space for mud recycling system, mud pump, water tanks and other drilling field equipment. As per the minimum ignition power required, the gas explosive are classified as 4 degrades separately Ⅰ,ⅡA, ⅡB, ⅡC. This classification can also be treated as the equipment group. The equipment used in group Ⅰ is for mining industry. Group Ⅱ is for other industry working environment. The equipment used in group ⅡC can also be used in ⅡA, ⅡB which means the equipment in Group ⅡC has a higher explosion proof level.
GN could provide the solids control equipment with motor and control panel explosion proof certified. The explosion proof level is ExdⅡBT4 which could meet the demand of gas explosive Zone 2.

It is more often heard about dewatering unit in drilling industry but most of the persons in this industry are not very familiar with the dewatering unit. In this article, we may give a simple introduction on what is dewatering unit and the application.
Dewatering unit we can also call it ultra fine solids removing system. It always includes the polymer mixing system and fine solids separation system.

What is the composition of the dewatering unit

1. Automatic polymer mixing system.

GN dewatering unit automatic polymer mixing system is 2 tanks system. It is equipped with medical feeding system, water injection system, delivery system and mixing system, gauge system and electrical control system. This APM system has 2 screw conveyors, one is used to transfer the powder medicines to the hopper on the mixing tank, and the other screw conveyor is located under the hopper to deliver the powder into the pre-mixing tank. The pre-mixing tank would receive the powder from the screw conveyor and the water from the water injection pipe which could automatically inject the water as per the control of the control panel when the water flow gauge send the signal to the control panel. The mixing tank is divided into 2 parts and 2 compartments is same design and the function is also the same. According to the signal send to the control panel, one of the either compartments is mix the medicine while the other one is already full and to start the output of the flocculation.

2. Feeding System

GN’s dewatering system has 2 screw pumps used for transferring the flocculation and the slurry to the decanter centrifuge. The chemicals and the slurry meet at the feeding pipe of the decanter centrifuge and the flocs also produced here. Then the slurry with large size flocs gets into the centrifuge together and there for separation.

3. GNLW553-VFD dewatering centrifuge for separation

GN dewatering unit choose GNLW553 various frequency drive model as the separation centrifuge. The control panel is designed as four various frequency drive for the centrifuge main motor, back motor and two feeding pumps for slurry and medicals. After the separation of the centrifuge, the large size flocs would be removed out, then the ultra fine solids is separated out.
GN’s dewatering unit is also equipped with pre-separation system. The separation includes the shale shaker and mud cleaner which could remove the large size solids then make the drilling fluids could be fed into the centrifuge for dewatering process.

 

GN’s engineer just finished the commissioning in West Africa for 4 units GNLW363 centrifuge. Besides the centrifuge, this customer also ordered the screw pump and screw conveyor from GN Solids Control.
All most all the countries within the territory of West Africa or near the Gulf of Guinea have rich oil reserves. It is proven that the oil reserves at gulf of Guinea have more than 80 billion BBL, which accounts for about 10% of the world’s total reserves. In past several years, a large percent of the world’s oil production increase belongs to Africa.

GN solids control has established contact with many oil industry customers coming from the West Africa countries. Some of the customers already placed order to GN even repeated orders.

Applications of GN Decanter Centrifuge

GN’s decanter centrifuge could be used for various applications, from primary solids control system barite recovery to ultra fine solids separation to drilling waste cuttings management, then to dewatering unit system. Barite recover always need a centrifuge with RPM 1600 to 2000, GN has a model of GNLW452 is especially for solids control barite recovery. Some of the drilling contractors would also equip one unit high speed centrifuge after the GNLW452 for ultra fine solids control separation.

GN could provide centrifuge with both fixed speed control panel and VFD control panel. Just like this West Africa customer, they bought GNLW363G-VFD for their waste cuttings management. GN’s VFD control panel for centrifuge could be designed as 3 various frequencies for main and back drive on centrifuge, and the third VFD is for the feeding pump. With the VFD control panel, GN’s largest model of centrifuge GNLW553 would be used as dewatering centrifuge for waster base drilling fluids colloidal size particles separation. By using VFD panel, the user could adjust the feeding rate and RPM according to specified slurry material and working conditions. Comparing with the fixed speed model, the VFD model has a more wide application.

Drilling fluids is now widely used in oil, gas drilling and other drilling projects. By using the solids control equipment, the drilling fluids could be recycled many times for cost saving and environment protection. This article would give a simple introduction on the function of the drilling fluids.

What is the function of the drilling fluids

1. Flushing bottom of the well – the high pressure drilling fluids get out from the drill bit would flush the bottom of the well then make no obstacles for drilling process.
2. Carry cuttings – the drilling fluids would take the drilling cuttings out to the ground surface for mud cleaning process.
3. Balance formation pressure – due to very deep drilling, the drill bit may go through different formations such as rock formation and ground water formation. The drilling fluids here functioned to prevent the ground water getting into the drilling well. This would protect the geological structure.
Besides, the drilling fluids could also function to cool down and lubricate drill bit, protect borehole wall and provide downhole power.

To fully obtain the drilling fluids advantages, there are several requirements on the drilling fluids.

1. The drilling fluids should meet demand for drilling mud recycling
Drilling cycle request the drilling fluids low pump pressure (low fluid viscosity), excellent ability to carry cuttings (dynamic force is high), low starting pump pressure (low static shear force), good lubrication performance, low friction (less solids particles)
2. Maintain the stability of borehole
It is requested to use drilling fluids column to balance the formation pressure. And when drill oil and gas layer, the drilling fluids is also needed to balance the pressure of the oil and gas. That would request a stable density of the drilling mud.
3. Oil and gas protection
After drilling oil and gas layer, drilling fluid contacts with oil and gas. To prevent drilling fluid damaging the oil and gas layer, the drilling fluids should be small filtration, thin mud cake, low solid content and low filtrate of hydration etc.
4. Protect the nature environment
Drilling fluid often contains oil and crude oil, diesel oil and a large number of chemical agents. In order to prevent the possible impact on nature environment, non-toxic, harmless drilling fluids should be used.