Mud system · Drilling
Hydrocyclones & Degasser
Cone shaped separators and a gas removal device on the mud tanks, after the shale shakers.
What it does
Centrifugal force throws solids out and down while cleaner mud leaves through the center. The desander takes the larger drill solids and the desilter, with more and smaller cones, the finer ones. The degasser pulls air and gases such as methane, H2S and CO2 out of the mud.
Basics
| Desander | Larger drill solids |
| Desilter | More, smaller cones for finer solids |
| Degasser | Vacuum or inclined plates |
| High gas | Mud gas separator to the flare |
Common failures
- Drill solids or gas left in the mud
Troubleshooting
- Symptom
- Gas in the returns
- Likely cause
- Entrained gas
- What to check
- Route through the degasser; with large gas volumes use the mud gas separator