27 APRIL 2024 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Drilling Fluid Maintenance ~ Solids Management by Ronald B. Peterson Drilling Products Specialist, Mountainland Supply Company We have been talking ”Drilling Fluid Maintenance” and have a way to go. This month, we’ll discuss “Solids Management” as a major consideration in Drilling Fluids Maintenance. In the process of drilling a hole, there are many things we encounter which are considered contaminants and affect the drilling fluid properties in many ways. Some of these contaminants are water of different qualities. The material dissolved in the water usually has an impact on the properties and behavior of the drilling fluid, and its ability to perform the desired tasks that were designed into it and we need it to accomplish. The major contaminant encountered will be the solids we drill through in the hole formations. They can be reactive or nonreactive; dry or dissolved in the water encountered; and will be at different levels of concentration. The key point to remember is the solids need to be removed from the circulating system as soon as possible. Let’s focus on how to quickly remove them from the drilling fluid system. The first line of defense is the pit system. It should be adequately sized with a flow pattern that maximizes the possibility for the major cuttings to be removed as soon as possible. If you are reverse circulation drilling, the cuttings may tend to be much larger and at a higher volume. The larger cuttings may be large enough to damage the shaker screens. The greater volume and resultant higher weight of the cuttings may also cause damage to the shaker screens. You may want to consider designing a dedicated settling pit into your drilling fluid system to minimize potential damage to the shaker screens. You could then arrange for the fluid to flow or be pumped onto the shaker. A double deck shaker is usually best with an approximately 80-mesh screen on top and approximately 140-mesh screen on the second deck. The fluid should then flow to the desander cones to remove the remaining larger solids. From the desander cones you will want to run it through the desilter cones. If you want to maximize the total solids removed from the system, you could then run it through a centrifuge. The thing you must remember is your solids control system needs to be sized to handle your circulating volume. It is a major factor, and you should remember never to overdrill your ability to clean the hole and handle the cuttings volume. I find I frequently hurry faster when I go slow. If you have any questions on drilling fluids or if you have another topic you would like addressed, remember this column is ours, help me make it of value to you. It needs to be an interactive tool and I need your feedback. Please send your suggestion to Michele (below) and she will get them to me. Ron Ron Peterson may be contacted via e-mail to michele@worldwidedrillingresource.com WTR Another First From INTRODUCING - The “KIT” Half Pint 1” - 3” pipe .82 inches Standard CP 2” - 36” Pipe 1.5 inches Fisheye 184-Degree Side & Down Views in One Picture 1.82 inches TDS Camera On Screen Temp. Conductivity/TDS PH Litmus test strips 406-853-7867 Making sure you have all the cameras necessary at your jobsite - no going back for a different look. All Well-Vu products come complete with a 30-month warranty. Say you saw this ad in WorldWide Drilling Resource® for an extra 6 months - Giving you a full 36-month warranty! wellvu.com
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