Shale shakers

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Shale shakers are devices that remove drill cuttings from the drilling fluid while circulating and drilling. There are many different designs and research into the best design is constantly ongoing since solids control is vital in keeping down costs associated with the drilling fluid.

The name shale shaker is a description of what it does. The basic design consists of large, flat sheets of wire mesh screens or sieves of various mesh[1] sizes that shakes or vibrates the drill cuttings, commonly shale, across and off of the screens as the drilling fluid flows through them and back into the drilling fluid system, often called a mud system. This separates the drill cuttings, often called solids, from the drilling fluid so that it can be recirculated back down the wellbore[2].