Our customers around the world are happily discussing the advantages of using the MudCube as an attractive and smart alternative to traditional shale shakers for solids control in drilling operations. The MudCube-experience is based on the foundation of a more efficient option that offers better performance in terms of fluid loss on drilled cuttings, reduced waste volume, and improved environmental impact.
The traditional method of solids control involves shale shakers, mud cleaners, and decanter centrifuges gives way for the MudCube as a more efficient alternative.
The MudCube was initially seen as costly equipment, but the introduction of the second-generation MudCube in 2018 made its cost comparable to modern shale shakers while offering even better efficiency.
New customers such as Polyar SA, a leader in solids control equipment in Argentina, conducted a field trial with the MudCube. They deployed MudCubes on several wells to compare their performance with traditional shale shakers.
The trial compared the MudCube’s performance against traditional shale shakers in terms of fluid loss on drilled cuttings. The MudCube consistently showed significant improvements, reducing lost mud on cuttings by approximately 64% compared to primary shakers and around 48% compared to drying shakers.
The benefits of using MudCubes include reduced drilling fluid and additive consumption, decreased waste volume, and lower transportation of waste and drilling fluid. These savings lead to considerable cost reductions and environmental improvements.
The MudCube employs a rotating filterbelt with low-G micro-vibrations and vacuum/air-flow to separate drilling fluids from cuttings. This gentle separation process maintains the integrity and size of the cuttings, resulting in lower fluid losses compared to traditional shale shakers that use high-G vibrations.
The improved filtration process of the MudCube also contributes to a reduced environmental footprint of drilling operations. The results observed in Argentina are consistent with other MudCube operations globally, indicating the broader applicability of the technology.
Overall, the passage emphasizes that the MudCube offers significant advantages in terms of solids control, efficiency, cost savings, and environmental impact compared to traditional shale shakers.
