Shale shakers are important pieces of machinery for drilling. They are the first step in a drill’s solids control system. They are used for removing large solid masses from the fluid drilled out. These are used in the upstream market of the oil and gas business and in coal cleaning and mining. An essential part of the Derrick shale shaker is the shale shaker screen. A shale shaker screen is a type of screen that is made of metal. It can separate solids from drilling fluids like mud and take them out. Most shale shaker screens have polyurethane, composite, or stainless steel frames. Shale Shaker Screens are an integral part of the drilling equipment used in numerous industries, most notably in the coal processing, mining, and oil & gas drilling industries.

Specifications for a shale shaker screen change depending on the mesh size, which is set to meet the various API screen number criteria. Shale shaker screens can have a variety of frames, including steel frames, hook strip flat-style screens, composite frames, and others.

Let’s take a look at the different types of shale shaker screens and their features:

Hook strip screen panels

The Hook Strip Flat Shaker Screen separates harmful drilled solids from drilling fluid by using an advanced frame design and unique mesh combinations. It consists of one to three layers of screen cloth and is the most common type of shaker screen. The fabric is often stuck to a thin metal grid plate with holes or a plastic grid.

The shaker screen panel is held in place on the shaker deck by a system of hookstrips and drawbars on both sides of the shaker that are locked together. Each drawbar is pulled down and toward the side of the basket by using three or more tensioning bolts. This puts the screen in place on the shaker deck and spreads the tension evenly along the hookstrip.

Essential features:

• Helps get more energy from the shaker basket to the screen so that solids can be separated faster.
• Extends the life of the screen, saving money on replacement costs and reducing downtime.
• It eliminates the need for crown rubbers, so you don’t have to pay for replacements.
• Individual seals around the edge of the screen stop leaks from happening.
• Makes sure that screens fit tightly in the shaker basket and won’t move once they’re in place.

Derrick FLC 500 PWP:

Derrick FLC 500 series shale shakers’ replacement screens are designed for the FLC 500 flat shaker screen. It is made of two or three layers of wire mesh cloth made of stainless steel (304 or 316), which is then joined with a steel backing plate. A one-sided quick-locking tension system on the FLC 500 PWP screen speeds up panel replacement.

Essential features:

• Wire mesh made of stainless steel 304/316 for durability.
• Excellent trapping (dreg) effect, quick-lock tension system.
• Simple installation, removal, and inspection of screens.
• Boost shaker productivity and lessen mud loss.
• A realistic and scientific cost control strategy for competitive pricing.
• Higher flow rates without compromising the integrity of the cut point.
• Compliant with API RP 13C (ISO 13501).
• Having enough inventory available as quickly as possible to meet client demand.
• Yearlong warranty
• 400–450 hours of working time.
• 

Derrick 500 PMD shaker screen:

For all Derrick 500 series shale shakers, replacement Derrick 500 PMD shaker screens are produced. Each screen panel has two quick-lock 1/2 turn tension bolts and two innovative tension fingers that make installation quicker, simpler, and more dependable. Low mesh count bottom layer is waved by coarse wires and then firmly connected to the backing plate. It maximizes separation efficiency and has a longer service life.

Essential features:

• Excellent trapping (dreg) effect, quick-lock tension mechanism, corrosion, high temperature, and collision resistance.
• Flat screens have 56% less screen surface area.
• Increase the capacity for removing solids.
• Boost shaker productivity and lessen mud loss.
• Compliant with API RP 13C (ISO 13501).
• One-year warranty period
• As many as 450 hours of working time.

Steel Frame Shaker Screen

Steel frame shale shaker screens:

Shale shaker screens with a steel frame are made of two or three layers of stainless steel wire mesh. The whole screen is made up of many small, separate meshes to stop the damage from causing it to stretch too much. Its backing and working layer were glued together, making the screen stronger. In the meantime, the rubber plugs can be fixed quickly. This saves a lot of time and money on disposal costs.

Steel frame shale shaker screen is stronger and better at resisting wear than flat shaker screen and hook strip flat screen. The screen has a strong and stable frame made of high-strength steel and grids that hold it up. So, the shaker screen can hold much more material and work much more efficiently.

Essential features:

• The frame is made of high-strength steel and is very resistant to wear.
• Structure is strong and can hold a lot of weight.
• Effective panel pressure distribution system.
• Better screening performance and more efficient work.
• Plug repair system works well, so there is less downtime.
• You can get them in different colors.
• Its overall operational cost is low; hence, it’s economical.

Composite Shaker Screens

Composite shaker screens are better at controlling quality by nature. There is no chance of breaks in service or changes in quality. There is no way for a person to make a mistake when welding, powder-coating, or grinding. This makes sure that the quality of each screen is the same. Woven wire cloth can be stretched tighter with the help of composite screens. As a result, they have a better cutting point and last longer. Composite shaker screens improve solids control efficiency to cut costs and waste volumes, no matter the formations or drilling applications used.

Essential features of a Composite Screen:

• Screens with metal frames are made of pieces glued together with powder-coat paint. This bond depends on how smooth the powder coat was, how well the metal frame was cleaned, and how well the heat press was run. Composite screens aren’t glued together. So, neither the perforated plate nor the wire mesh can come apart from the frame before it should.
• The surface area of a composite screen is 47% bigger than that of a standard flat-panel pre-tensioned flat-panel screen. The higher hydraulic capacity is a direct result of this extra surface area. This means that drilling fluids with higher viscosity can be used at a higher flow rate.
• Many things can go wrong with how long you can store a metal-framed screen. The screens can get bent if they are shipped or if they are handled in the wrong way. No matter how much powder coat is used, the base metal can still rust. When managing composite screens, this is not the case. Screen frames don’t get dents or bend if they are handled wrong. They also don’t have any metal in the open, so the frame can’t rust.

Corrugated Shaker Screen

Corrugated shaker Screen: 

Corrugated Screen with a three-dimensional design has the advantage of adding a large screen area that flat screens don’t have. Because of this, a screen makes it possible to handle more fluid. The effective area of the corrugated mesh is 25% to 50% bigger than that of flat mesh with the same specifications. So, a lot more drilling fluid can be processed.

Essential features:

• When using Corrugated Shaker Screens, rigs can screen two to three mesh sizes finer than they could with the conventional flat panel screens without losing capacity. This makes it easier to get rid of solids.
• Corrugated Shaker Screens can separate particles as small as 43 microns.
• There is no need to change or replace the equipment you already have. Corrugated Shaker Screens are suitable for all shakers, so you can get the most out of the equipment you already have.
• Corrugated shaker screens reduce the amount of fluid that leaks out by spreading thinner layers of fluid over a larger screen surface. This makes the drying process work better.
• Gravity and vibration push the solids into the troughs of the corrugated screen, which lets more liquid flow through the top of the screen.

What factors to consider while selecting a screen shaker screen?

The main things that help you choose the right screen are the solids’ size, the mud’s weight, viscosity, density, etc. If you choose the wrong screen, you could lose expensive drilling fluids, have pumps break down early, overload other solids removal equipment like a decanting centrifuge, shorten the equipment’s life, slow the penetration rate, or cause other severe problems in the well bore.

Some other factors include:

• Flow rate of the liquid
• Motor vibration
• Cut pint of the screen
• Metal’s grade
• Accuracy of mesh micron

Final Thoughts:

A shale shaker is an essential component, especially for drilling purposes. The shaker screen plays a vital role in filtering the solid masses from the drilling fluid. As a result, proper research is necessary to buy the best screens to get the optimum results. Moreover, the maintenance part shouldn’t be neglected either, because even the best of the screens may wear if not maintained properly.

Hopefully, this guide has helped you to get an idea about the best shale shaker screens and what to look for while buying one.