A major operator in the Gulf of America sought to optimize drilling fluid management and reduce operational costs on a deepwater drillship. By upgrading the solids control system from eight conventional dual-deck shakers to six MD-3™ triple-deck series shakers, the operator achieved significantly improved solids removal efficiency, reduced dilution requirements, minimized lost circulation material (LCM) consumption, and realized cost savings exceeding USD 500,000 per well—all with minimal rig infrastructure modifications. The project also delivered enhanced HSE performance and reduced logistics requirements.
The project aimed to evaluate the operational and economic impact of replacing conventional dual-deck shakers with the MD-3 triple-deck shaker configured in series. The evaluation focused on improving drilled solids removal, reducing LGS accumulation, minimizing dilution and LCM consumption while maintaining target drilling fluid properties, and lowering overall well costs with minimal operational disruption.
The MD-3 triple-deck shaker is a multideck solids control system engineered to maximize separation efficiency through a top scalping deck and two lower processing decks. In its series-recovery configuration, solids are progressively screened across each deck to recover LCM while removing undesirable drilled solids from the drilling fluid. Large cuttings are removed on the top deck, valuable LCM is recovered on the middle deck and returned to the active mud system, and LGS and degraded LCM are rejected on the bottom deck.
By selectively recovering reusable materials while removing detrimental solids, the MD-3 triple-deck shaker improves drilling fluid performance, reduces dilution requirements, and minimizes LCM consumption. In contrast, conventional dual-deck shakers lack the selective screening capability to simultaneously recover valuable LCM while rejecting LGS, forcing operators to choose between removing both materials or retaining both in the drilling fluid system.
The MD-3 triple-deck shaker system delivered the following results:
Performance was benchmarked against comparable wells drilled in the same area using drillships equipped with conventional dual-deck shaker systems.
Operational advantages included a smaller footprint, reduced material handling, reduced logistics requirements, lower HSE exposure, improved mobilization speed, and lower CO₂ emissions. The MD-3 shaker system proved to be a robust upgrade for operators seeking better drilling fluid stewardship, efficiency, and sustainability.
