Bead Recovery Unit

Bead Recovery Unit.

The MAEG Bead Recovery Unit (BRU) is design to mini-mize the amount of Drilling Beads lost to surface solids control equipment and recycle those beads without costly continuous additions of Lubraglide® Beads to the mud system. The operation is equally effective in all mud systems including: Oil Base, Water Base or Silicate muds.

Operation

As cuttings and Beads return from downhole, they are separated by the rig primary shakers. A collecting trough placed at the discharge of the shakers captures the beads and cuttings and washes them down into the BRU recovery tank. The turbulent action within the recovery tank serves to separate the Lubraglide® Beads from the cuttings. The larger cuttings settle to the bottom and are pumped across the coarse screen on the first BRU Shaker and are discarded.

The finer solids and beads are pumped into the hydrocyclone mounted above a fine 150-200 mesh screen (or Operator specified mesh). The Lubraglide® Beads with an average SG close to water (SG1.06) are forced upward through the hydrocylcone vortex while the fine drill solids are rejected over the screen and discharged.

At this point the final recovery step takes place. The bead-laden fluid from the overflow of the hydrocyclone is directed across the Recovery Shaker. The beads are once again screened out and reintroduced to the suction compartment of the active mud system down-stream of any additional Solids Re-moval Equipment. This recovery process allows for 90-98% of the Lubraglide® Beads to be recovered and reintroduced into the drilling fluid and sent downhole again to effectively reduce torque and drag and increase ROP.

Experienced Technicians are on site at all times to monitor and service the Bead Recovery Unit and perform continuous checks on the recovery process. The unit is compact and flexible allowing for installation and or removal while drilling operations are in progress with minimal downtime or interruptions.