Desander
Encyclopedia
Drilling rig (petroleum)
This article lists the main components of a petroleum onshore drilling rig.Offshore drilling rigs have similar elements, but are configured with a number of different drilling systems to suit drilling in the marine environment....
equipment with a set of hydrocyclones that separates sand and silt from the drilling fluid
Drilling fluid
In geotechnical engineering, drilling fluid is a fluid used to aid the drilling of boreholes into the earth. Often used while drilling oil and natural gas wells and on exploration drilling rigs, drilling fluids are also used for much simpler boreholes, such as water wells. Liquid drilling fluid...
. Desander is installed after shakers and degasser but before desilter. Desander removes those abrassive solids from the drilling mud which cannot be removed by shakers. Desilting is employed in dams and lakes.
A centrifugal pump
Centrifugal pump
A centrifugal pump is a rotodynamic pump that uses a rotating impeller to create flow by the addition of energy to a fluid. Centrifugal pumps are commonly used to move liquids through piping...
is used to pump drilling fluid
Drilling fluid
In geotechnical engineering, drilling fluid is a fluid used to aid the drilling of boreholes into the earth. Often used while drilling oil and natural gas wells and on exploration drilling rigs, drilling fluids are also used for much simpler boreholes, such as water wells. Liquid drilling fluid...
through the set of hydrocyclones.
Desander for solids control
Desander have no moving parts. The larger the internal diameter of the desander is, the greater the amount of drilling fluids it is able to process and the larger the size of the solids removed. Desander (10 inches (254 mm) cone) are able to remove 50% of solids within the 40-50 μm (micrometre) range at a flow rate of 500 USgal/min, while desilter (4 inches (101.6 mm) Cone) are able to remove 50% of solids within the 15-20 μm range at a flow rate of 60 USgal/min. Micro fine separators are able to remove 50% of solids within the 10-15 μm range at a flow rate of 15 USgal/min. Desander is typically positioned next-to-last in the arrangement of solids controlSolids control
Solids control is a technique used for well drilling to provide prepared drilling fluids for drilling rigs. Drilling fluid maintenance cost, clean up, and disposal cost as well as the overall cost of boring can be reduced dramatically when proper solids control techniques are utilized...
equipment, with decanter centrifuge
Centrifuge
A centrifuge is a piece of equipment, generally driven by an electric motor , that puts an object in rotation around a fixed axis, applying a force perpendicular to the axis...
as the subsequent processing unit. Desander are preceded by gas busters, gumbo removal equipment (if utilized), shale shaker, mud cleaner
Mud cleaner
A mud cleaner is a combination of desanders and/or desilters to remove drilled solids from mud.-History:Although US Patent No.3,766,997 covering Mud Cleaner was issued on October 23, 1973 granted to J.K. Heilhecker and L.H...
(if utilized) and vacuum degasser. Desander is widely used in oilfield drilling.
See also
- See Drilling rig (petroleum)Drilling rig (petroleum)This article lists the main components of a petroleum onshore drilling rig.Offshore drilling rigs have similar elements, but are configured with a number of different drilling systems to suit drilling in the marine environment....
for a diagram of a drilling rig. - Silt fenceSilt fenceA silt fence, sometimes called a "filter fence," is a temporary sediment control device used on construction sites to protect water quality in nearby streams, rivers, lakes and bays from sediment in stormwater runoff...
- SiltSiltSilt is granular material of a size somewhere between sand and clay whose mineral origin is quartz and feldspar. Silt may occur as a soil or as suspended sediment in a surface water body...