Drilling Mud Treatment Process
XBSY drilling mud treatment is the circulating solids control train: return mud in, conditioned mud back to the pits. We size shale shakers, degassers, hydrocyclones or mud cleaners, decanter centrifuges, pumps and mixing to your GPM, WBM/OBM program and rig class. Send circulation rate, mud type and target density — we return a lineup and price.
Process train we package
- Primary screening — ZS shale shakers take coarse cuttings off the flowline before they load the rest of the train.
- Gas removal — Vacuum or centrifugal degassers strip entrained gas so the cyclone feed pump does not gas-lock and mud weight is readable.
- Desanding & desilting — Hydrocyclones or a mud cleaner drop sand and silt; mud cleaner underscreen keeps barite in weighted mud.
- Fine solids & barite recovery — LW decanter centrifuges (5,000+ delivered, CCS/DNV). Higher G to strip LGS; lower speed to keep weighting material.
- Pumps & mixing — Centrifugal pumps, mixing hoppers and agitators move and condition mud between stages.
Need water-based cuttings after the shaker? Quote the WBM drill cuttings treatment package with mud type and cuttings rate. OBM cuttings go to the oil-based drilling waste train.
Solids Control System vs Equipment
A solids control system is tanks, manifolds, electrics and the machines as one package — sized to circulation GPM and the mud program. Solids control equipment is the shaker, centrifuge or pump on tanks you already have. Send flow rate, WBM or OBM, and tank layout; XBSY will line up either.
What the package is for
- Keep the mud program — Cut drilled solids before they raise PV and force dilution or extra barite.
- Protect downstream units — The shaker takes cuttings off the flowline so hydrocyclones and the centrifuge are not running trash.
- Hold mud weight readable — Degasser after the shaker when the mud is gas-cut, so the cyclone feed pump does not gas-lock and the mud-weight cut is honest.
- Waste is a separate quote — Cuttings dryer and WBM/OBM packages sit after this circulating train, not on the flowline as extra solids-control stages.
Solids Control Equipment by Stage
Same drilling mud treatment process as above, unit by unit. Four solids stages on circulating mud. Degasser is gas handling, not a solids cut. Screen mesh, cone count and bowl speed follow your GPM and mud program — not a textbook cut point for every well.
On the pits
- Primary screening (shale shaker) — First solids stage on the flowline. ZS linear, elliptical, dual-track and negative-pressure decks; 1165×585×40 mm composite frame screens. API mesh is selected to circulation rate and ROP, not a fixed 74 μm cut.
- Gas handling (vacuum degasser / centrifugal degasser) — After the shaker when mud is gas-cut. Strips entrained gas so the cyclone feed pump does not gas-lock and mud weight is readable. It is not a solids-removal stage.
- Desanding & desilting (hydrocyclones / mud cleaner) — 10-inch desander cones take sand-size solids; 4-inch desilter cones take silt-size solids. A mud cleaner puts a fine-mesh underscreen under the cyclone underflow when you need barite back in weighted mud.
- Fine solids / barite recovery (decanter centrifuge) — LW250–LW750. Run slower to keep barite; higher G to strip low-gravity solids. Bowl and speed are selected to mud weight and GPM, not a single 2–7 μm claim.
- Cuttings and waste — separate quote — Cutting dryers, WBM drill cuttings treatment or oil-based drilling waste after this circulating train. Add a barite recovery system on high-density programs.
Solids Control Equipment Range — XBSY
XBSY supplies the solids control equipment for new rigs, retrofits and export packages — modular skids, explosion-proof electrics, API Q1 manufacturing. Annual capacity: 500+ large centrifuges, 500+ shale shakers, 10,000+ pumps, 100+ packaged systems.
Core solids control equipment
- Shale shaker — ZS-S dual-track elliptical, ZS/FD & ZS/PAN negative-pressure shakers; 4-panel and 5-panel layouts; 1165×585×40 mm standardized composite frame screens.
- Decanter centrifuge — LW250 through LW750 series; VFD intelligent, fixed-speed, and FHD full-hydraulic drives; 5 000+ units delivered; CCS/DNV type approval.
- Mud cleaner — QJ compact cleaner-integrated shaker layouts with configurable desander/desilter cyclone counts.
- Desander & desilter — 10-inch and 4-inch hydrocyclone assemblies for sand- and silt-size solids.
- Vacuum degasser & centrifugal degasser — ZLCQ/ZCQ/ZSCQ series, 240 m³/h capacity class.
- Cutting dryer — LL series (LL700, LL915B, LL915S dual-drive) for oil-based and water-based cuttings.
- Centrifugal pump — SB series (standard and dual mechanical seal) and 2500SB (Nabors-class Mission-type replacement); shear pump (WJQ), spray pump.
- Mixing hopper — ZHP jet, YD mobile, XLH cyclone mixing hoppers for polymer and additive hydration.
- Mud agitator — Direct and gear-driven agitators for mud-tank homogenization.
- Shaker screen — Composite frame screens (1165×585×40 mm), hook-strip panels, and pre-tensioned screens to API RP 13C.
ZS Series Shale Shakers — Key Solids Control Equipment
The ZS-series shale shaker is the first-stage solids control equipment in every XBSY system. Designed for high-G screening with standardized frame screens, these shakers are widely deployed in CNPC, Sinopec, and international fleets. Three main families cover different operational requirements:
ZS shale shaker families
- ZS-S series (dual-track elliptical / variable elliptical) — Two excitation sources allow easy switching between planar-elliptical and variable-elliptical motion, adapting to different downhole conditions. 5-panel design, 3.4 m² screen area, >5.5 mm amplitude, >7G vibration intensity.
- ZS/FD & ZS/PAN series (negative-pressure) — Pulsed vacuum under the last screen panel to dry cuttings and cut mud loss. Overflow collection for high-solids, low-density mud that would otherwise run off the deck.
- QJ mud cleaner / cleaner-integrated shaker — Compact cyclone-over-shaker layouts; cyclone size (250/300 mm desander, 100/125 mm desilter) and count configurable per site requirements.
ZS shale shaker technical specifications
| Parameter | ZS/S-5K (Dual-Track) | ZS/FD-5K (Negative-Pressure) |
|---|---|---|
| Vibration trajectory | Planar elliptical / variable elliptical | Planar elliptical |
| Vibration motor power | 2.2 + 1.94 kW | 2.2 + 1.94 kW |
| Screen specification | 1165 × 585 × 40 mm (composite frame) | 1165 × 585 × 40 mm (composite frame) |
| Number of screens | 5 | 5 |
| Total screen area | 3.4 m² | 3.4 m² |
| Vibration amplitude | >5.5 mm | >5.5 mm |
| Vibration intensity (G-force) | >7 G | >7 G |
| Deck angle adjustment | Dual-screw synchronized lift | Dual-screw synchronized lift |
| Negative-pressure fan motor | N/A | 4 kW |
| Power supply | AC 380V / 50Hz | AC 380V / 50Hz |
| Explosion protection | Ex d IIB T4 Gb | Ex d IIB T4 Gb |
| Weight (single unit) | 2 980 kg | 2 980 kg |
| Dimensions (L × W × H) | 3 235 × 1 900 × 1 580 mm | 3 235 × 1 870 × 2 495 mm |
Patented innovations: Quick screen tensioning (invention patent ZL201410313895.4), dual-screw synchronized deck lift (patent 20222179936&5), pulsed negative-pressure vacuum system (utility model 20222270945&7), and overflow collection solution (utility model 20222197124L7).
LW Series Decanter Centrifuges — Core Solids Control Equipment
The LW series decanter centrifuge is the fine-solids / barite-recovery unit on an XBSY solids control system. 5,000+ bowls delivered, LW250–LW750. CCS and DNV type approval on the LW range. Rotating assembly: duplex stainless (SAF 2205/2304) centrifugal casting, NDT, solution heat treatment, dynamic balance better than G2.5.
Drive types
- VFD intelligent (variable frequency) — PLC and color touchscreen: bowl speed, current, torque, bearing temperature, vibration, differential. Auto wash, fault trip, optional remote data. High-G LGS strip or lower speed for barite recovery — set to the mud program.
- VFD variable frequency — Inverter-controlled drum and conveyor speed adjustment; suited for variable mud density and complex well conditions such as shale gas and HPHT wells.
- Fixed-speed (utility frequency) — Constant drum speed with belt-pulley ratio change for speed adjustment; simple operation and economical for conventional drilling.
- FHD full-hydraulic — Hydraulic drive for both drum and conveyor; auto-adjusts pressure to mud load; imported hydraulic components with 10+ year service life; first full-hydraulic oilfield centrifuge developed in China (2016).
LW VFD intelligent centrifuge specifications
| Parameter | LW355×1435B | LW450×1150B | LW450×1670B | LW550×1900B | LW650×2000B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowl diameter (mm) | 355 | 450 | 450 | 550 | 650 |
| Bowl working length (mm) | 1 435 | 1 150 | 1 670 | 1 900 | 2 000 |
| Max. drum speed (rpm) | 4 000 | 3 400 | 3 400 | 3 000 | 2 000 |
| Working drum speed (rpm) | 3 400 | 3 200 | 3 200 | 2 800 | 1 800 |
| Separation factor (G) | 2 298 | 2 580 | 2 580 | 2 415 | 1 180 |
| Differential speed (rpm) | 5–50 | 5–50 | 5–50 | 5–50 | 5–50 |
| Max. throughput (m³/h) | 40 | 60 | 60 | 70 | 75 |
| Main motor (kW) | 37 | 37 | 45 | 75 | 75 |
| Aux. motor (kW) | 11 | 11 | 18.5 | 22 | 22 |
| Weight (kg) | 4 000 | 4 200 | 5 400 | 6 400 | 9 100 |
XBSY also manufactures the LWY355 FHD full-hydraulic centrifuge for offshore platforms (CNOOC 981/982, KX-1, and others) and the LW630 large-displacement centrifuge for high-volume barite recovery and oilfield waste treatment applications.
Cutting Dryers & Drilling Waste Treatment Equipment
Downstream of the main solids control system, XBSY LL series cutting dryers and integrated waste treatment systems handle cuttings drying, liquid recovery, and environmental discharge compliance.
LL series cutting dryer specifications
| Parameter | LL700 | LL915B | LL915S (Dual-Drive) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screen basket I.D. (mm) | 700 | 915 | 915 |
| Half-cone angle | 30° | 30° | 30° |
| Max. separation factor (G) | 396 | 424 | 424 |
| Main motor (kW) | 22 | 55 | 45 + 11 |
| Wet-cuttings throughput (t/h) | 20–40 | 30–50 | 30–50 |
| Cuttings types | Water-based | WBM standard / OBM optional | Water-based & oil-based |
| Discharge moisture (%) | <5–8 | <5–8 | <5–8 |
| Weight (kg) | 2 800 | 5 500 | 5 000 |
The LL915S dual-drive cutting dryer represents the fourth generation: independent motors drive the screen basket and scraper blade separately, with dual VFD control of main-shaft speed and differential speed, adapting to both oil-based and water-based cuttings in a single unit.
Integrated waste treatment systems
- WBM drill cuttings treatment — Flocculation + filter press, or flocculation + centrifuge + dual-drive cuttings dryer; CNPC, Sinopec and CNOOC projects. Send mud type and cuttings rate.
- Oil-based drilling waste treatment system — Screw conveyor → cutting dryer → centrifuge (single or dual) process; 70+ sets deployed in CNPC Xinjiang, Tarim, Southwest, Great Wall Drilling, COSL Malaysia, COSL Uganda, and other projects.
- Multi-function drilling waste reduction system — Combines cutting dryer, high-speed intelligent centrifuge, dosing, and solid-liquid separation for zero-discharge compliance.
Pumps, Mixing & Auxiliary Solids Control Equipment
Every solids control system relies on feed pumps, mixing equipment, and agitators to move and condition drilling fluid between separation stages.
Pump and mixing equipment
- SB series centrifugal (sand) pumps — Standard and dual mechanical seal versions. The dual-seal pump uses twin tungsten carbide seal faces, coolant lubrication, and high-force compensation rings, delivering 3–5× the seal life of conventional single-seal pumps and solving the dry-run limitation. Ideal feed pumps for desanders, desilters, and mixing hoppers.
- 2500SB series pumps — Developed to Nabors-class rig specifications as a Mission-type replacement range. 18 specifications from 5.5 kW to 75 kW, fully interchangeable with original Mission pumps used on global drilling rigs.
- LSB vertical sand pumps — For space-limited installations and centrifuge feed; LSB100 and LSB2×3 models in 9 specifications.
- WJQ shear pumps — 6 specifications (37–110 kW) for polymer and clay shearing to improve drilling fluid performance.
- Mixing hoppers — ZHP jet type, YD mobile type, and XLH200 cyclone type for fast, uniform blending of dry additives and liquid chemicals.
- Mud agitators — Direct-drive and gear-driven configurations for tank homogenization.
- Spray pumps — 32 and 40 series in 5 specifications for mud pump liner and piston wash and cooling.
Rig-Class Solids Control Packages
Quote solids control equipment with the tanks as one solids control system — from 1,500 m to 12,000 m rig-class drilling fluid circulation trains. Barite recovery, mud cooling and oil-sludge treatment are separate lines on the same RFQ when the well needs them.
System packages
- Drilling fluid circulation system — Complete mud-tank trains with integrated solids control equipment, electrical controls, and piping manifolds for land rigs (1 500–12 000 m capacity).
- Barite recovery system — Dual-centrifuge process recovering >90% barite from weighted drilling fluid while removing low-density harmful solids; integrated on a single centrifuge tank with pumps, agitators, and controls.
- Mud cooling system — Land-based and offshore seawater mud cooling systems for geothermal, HPHT, and deepwater drilling where mud temperature control is critical.
- Oil sludge treatment system — Post-drilling waste processing for oilfield sludge remediation and resource recovery.
Why Specify an XBSY Solids Control Package?
XBSY builds the package in Chengdu and lines it up to your rig class. Send GPM, mud type and tank constraints.
XBSY advantages
- Standards used on the package — XBSY co-authored SY5612-2007 and SY5612-2018. That is the Chinese petroleum solids-control equipment specification the factory builds to — not a marketing badge on a trading company.
- Scale & proven track record — Established in 1999; 5 000+ decanter centrifuges, 500+ shale shakers per year, and 100+ integrated systems annually. Major domestic solids control supplier for CNPC, Sinopec, and CNOOC export rig packages; offshore units including CNOOC 981/982 deepwater platforms.
- Intellectual property — 76+ national patents (including 16 invention patents) covering shaker screen tensioning, dual-screw deck lift, negative-pressure systems, centrifuge wear structures, and related solids-control innovations.
- Certifications — API Q1, ISO 9001/14001/45001, HSE (SY/T 6276), CE, EAC (Russia/CIS), GOST-R. CCS and DNV type approval on LW-series centrifuges. Five-star after-sales service certification.
- International partnerships — Long-standing supply programs with Shell, Nabors, COSL, Great Wall Drilling, Sinopec Engineering, CNPC Western Drilling, and Arabian Drilling Company (ADC). Equipment exported to 35+ countries across the Middle East, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, Russia/CIS, Africa, and the Americas.
- R&D and manufacturing — 35+ engineers including senior engineers and PhDs; 65 000 m² manufacturing base in Chengdu National Economic & Technology Development Zone; CNC machining, laser cutting, centrifugal casting, and high-precision dynamic balancing capabilities.
- Aftermarket & service — 20+ field service engineers with 15+ years average experience; domestic and overseas service stations (Tianjin, Changzhou, Zhanjiang, Ningbo); contact sales engineering for project support.
Applications & Global Project References
XBSY solids control equipment and packaged solids control systems are deployed across a wide range of drilling applications and geographies:
Application fields
- Onshore conventional drilling — Land rigs across Daqing, Changqing, Tarim, Sichuan, Jianghan, Zhongyuan, and other major oilfields.
- Shale gas & unconventional — Sinopec Chongqing Fuling and PetroChina Sichuan shale gas programs with negative-pressure shakers and intelligent centrifuges.
- Offshore & deepwater — CNOOC platforms (Hai Yang Shi You 921–982 series, Bohai, South China Sea, Wenchang, Weizhou), CPOE platforms, and EPS systems.
- Export rig packages — Solids control systems supplied with drilling rigs to Nabors, Great Wall Drilling (Indonesia, Ecuador, Algeria, Myanmar), and COSL (Myanmar, Malaysia, Uganda, Iraq, Dubai) programs.
- HPHT & geothermal — High-temperature mud conditioning with mud cooling systems and high-G centrifuges.
- Drilling waste & environmental — Zero-discharge waste treatment systems for onshore and offshore environmental compliance.
Key client references
- CNPC group — Western Drilling, Great Wall Drilling, Daqing Drilling, Chuanqing Drilling, Bohai Drilling
- Sinopec group — Jianghan Engineering, Southwest Engineering, Zhongyuan Engineering
- CNOOC / COSL — Domestic and international offshore projects (Malaysia, Uganda, Thailand, Indonesia, Iraq, Dubai)
- International — Shell (Changbei JV), Nabors, Arabian Drilling Company (ADC), ConocoPhillips, Weatherford
For a detailed reference list or case documentation, contact sales engineering.
Frequently Asked Questions — Solids Control System for Drilling Rigs
What equipment is in an XBSY drilling mud treatment process?
The circulating train: shale shaker, degasser when mud is gas-cut, desander/desilter or mud cleaner, decanter centrifuge, plus pumps, agitators and mixing. Send circulation GPM, WBM or OBM, and target mud weight. WBM drill cuttings treatment and OBM cuttings packages are quoted after this process.
What is the difference between a solids control system and solids control equipment?
Solids control equipment is the machines: shale shaker, degasser, hydrocyclones or mud cleaner, centrifuge, pumps and mixing. A solids control system is that equipment plus tanks, manifolds and electrics, sized to circulation GPM and the mud program. XBSY quotes replacement machines or a full rig package.
What equipment is typically included in a drilling mud solids control system?
On the pits: shale shaker, degasser when mud is gas-cut, desander and desilter or a mud cleaner, decanter centrifuge, plus charge pumps, agitators and mixing. Cuttings dryer and WBM/OBM waste packages are quoted after this circulating train, not as extra solids-control stages on the flowline.
How many solids-control stages sit on the mud pits?
Four solids stages on circulating mud: shale shaker, desander, desilter or mud cleaner, then centrifuge. Degasser sits after the shaker when the mud is gas-cut so the cyclone feed pump does not gas-lock and mud weight is readable — it is not a solids-removal stage. Screen mesh, cone count and bowl speed follow GPM and the mud program, not a fixed cut for every well. Cuttings dryer and waste packages are a separate quote.
Which shale shaker and centrifuge ranges does XBSY supply?
ZS-series shakers with dual-track elliptical motion, negative-pressure shakers, and cleaner-integrated layouts, commonly using 1165×585×40 mm composite frame screens. LW250–LW750 decanter centrifuges with fixed-speed, VFD intelligent, and FHD full-hydraulic drives; CCS/DNV type approval on the LW range.
What is the advantage of a negative-pressure shale shaker?
Vacuum under the last screen panel dries cuttings and cuts mud loss on discharge. XBSY ZS/FD and ZS/PAN use a pulsed vacuum to keep throughput up and reduce blinding, with overflow collection when high-solids, low-density mud would otherwise run off the deck.
What certifications does XBSY hold for solids control equipment?
XBSY holds API Q1 quality management, ISO 9001/14001/45001, HSE (SY/T 6276), CE, EAC, and GOST-R certifications. LW-series decanter centrifuges carry CCS and DNV type approval. XBSY also co-authored the Chinese petroleum standard SY5612-2007 and SY5612-2018 for solids control equipment.
Does XBSY export solids control with drilling rigs?
Yes. XBSY has supplied solids control equipment and complete systems for domestic and export rig packages — including programs with Nabors, COSL, Great Wall Drilling, and other major international drilling contractors — and provides offshore-suitable configurations with API Q1 and CCS/DNV product-type approvals.
Can XBSY quote a solids control package on tanks we already have?
Yes. Send tank layout, available deck space, circulation GPM, WBM or OBM, and target mud weight. XBSY will line up shale shaker through centrifuge as a retrofit, or as a full tank-and-equipment package for a new rig.
Why XBSY for Solids Control?
Browse the product catalog for individual machines, or request a packaged quotation for your rig class and mud program.
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25+
Years in solids control (since 1999)
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140+
National patents (incl. 16 invention patents)
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5000+
Decanter centrifuges delivered worldwide
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SY5612
China solids control standard co-author
