Abstract: Disclosed are a fluid control system and a method of controlling operating pressures within a fluid system. The fluid control system may include a choke assembly and a linear motor. The choke assembly may have a housing having an inlet passage, an axial bore, and a chamber, wherein a portion of the axial bore forms an outlet passage, and a choke member adapted for movement in the housing to control the flow of a fluid from the inlet passage to the outlet passage. The linear motor may control a position of the choke member in the housing.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to a vibratory screen separator and methods for using a vibratory screen separator. The vibratory screen separator may have a stationary base, a movable basket, and at least one linear motor for imparting motion to the movable basket, and methods for using the vibratory screen separator. The linear motor may include a stationary component and a moving component, wherein the moving component is coupled to the movable basket, and wherein the stationary component is coupled to the stationary base. The method may include passing a material including solid particles onto the screen, and moving the basket with at least one linear motor having a movable component coupled to the basket and a stationary component coupled to a base.

Abstract: A vibratory separator including a skid having a skid magnet and a basket having a basket magnet disposed on the basket, wherein the skid magnet and the basket magnets are arranged to magnetically interact. Also, a method for operating a vibratory separator that includes supplying a current to a skid electromagnet disposed on a skid of the vibratory separator, and interacting the skid electromagnet with a basket magnet disposed on a basket of the vibratory separator.

Abstract: Disclosed are a fluid control system and method of controlling operating pressures within a fluid system, where the fluid control system includes a choke assembly, a pressure generating device, and a linear motor. The choke assembly may include a housing and a choke member adapted for movement in the housing, controlling the flow of a fluid from an inlet passage to an outlet passage. The fluid applies a force on a first end of the choke member. The pressure generating device may be fluidly connected to a chamber and may contain a control fluid that applies a first force on a second end of the choke member. The linear motor may apply a second force on the second end of the choke member. The difference between the forces applied to the first and second ends of the choke member may affect the movement of the choke member in the housing.

Abstract: A method of controlling one or more operating pressures within a subterranean borehole that includes a choke assembly comprising a housing having an inlet passage, an axial bore, and a chamber, wherein a portion of the axial bore forms an outlet passage, and a choke member adapted for movement in the housing to control the flow of a fluid from the inlet passage to the outlet passage. The method may include applying a closing force to move the choke member toward a closed position, and applying a bias force to the choke member when in the closed position to reduce an overpressure required to initiate movement of the choke member from the closed position.

Abstract: A vibratory separator including a basket including a first magnetic component disposed on the basket and a motor including a motor shaft and a second magnetic component coupled to the motor shaft. Furthermore, the first magnetic component and the second magnetic component are arranged to magnetically interact, and the interaction between the first magnetic components and the second magnetic component imparts a vibratory motion to the basket. Additionally, a method of operating a vibratory separator including injecting drilling material into a vibratory separator. The vibratory separator including a basket including a first magnetic component disposed on the basket and a motor including a motor shaft and a second magnetic component coupled to the motor shaft, wherein the first magnetic component and the second magnetic component are arranged to magnetically interact, and wherein the interaction between the first magnetic components and the second magnetic component imparts a vibratory motion to the basket.

Abstract: A method of cleaning a solids outlet assembly of a material dryer including attaching a plurality of pulse nozzles to at least one surface of the solids outlet assembly, accumulating a solid material onto the at least one surface thereby forming an accumulated solid, and actuating periodically the plurality of pulse nozzles to discharge air bursts that dislodge and remove the accumulated solid from the at least one surface is disclosed.

Abstract: Additive for a drilling fluid to block drilling-induced or pre-existing rock fractures comprising polymeric granules with a diameter distribution peak between 1000 and 200 microns and an average resiliency of at least 10% rebound after compression by a load of 200 N and uses thereof.

Abstract: A method for transferring a finely ground weight material for use in drilling fluids including providing the finely ground weight material to a pneumatic transfer vessel and supplying an air flow to the finely ground weight material in the pneumatic transfer vessel. Furthermore, transferring the finely ground weight material from the pneumatic transfer vessel to a storage vessel. Additionally, a method for transferring a finely ground weight material for use in drilling fluids including modifying a particle distribution of the finely ground weight material and sealing the finely ground weight material in a pneumatic transfer vessel. Further, supplying an air flow to the finely ground weight material in the pneumatic transfer vessel and transferring the finely ground weight material from the pneumatic transfer vessel to a storage vessel.

Abstract: A method of processing oilfield weighting agents for pneumatic transference including treating a weight material ore with a chemical additive to produce a treated weighting agent and grinding the treated weighting agent to produce a ground treated weighting agent including a substantially homogenized mixture of the chemical additive and a ground weighting agent. Furthermore, the method includes classifying the ground weighting agent by size, discharging the ground treated weighting agent from the mill, and trapping the ground treated weighting agent in a storage vessel. Also, a method of processing oilfield weighting agents for pneumatic transference including grinding a weight material ore in a mill, wherein the grinding produces a ground weighting agent, and discharging the ground weighting agent from the mill.

Abstract: A magnetic claiming system for a shale shaker including at least one screen having at least two side ends extending between a first side and a second side and at least one attachment surface, at least one mating surface of a shale shaker configured to receive at least one screen, wherein the shale shaker has a first end and a second end, and at least on magnet disposed between the at least one screen and the shale shaker, wherein the at least one magnet is configured to magnetically couple the at least one screen to the shale shaker is disclosed. A method for replacing a screen in a shale shaker including activating at least one decoupling apparatus, wherein a magnetic clamping system includes the at least one decoupling apparatus, removing at least one screen from the shale shaker, deactivating the at least one coupling apparatus, and installing at least one screen into the shale shaker is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method to control drilling fluid properties, including: circulating a drilling fluid through a wellbore to form a suspension of drilled solids in the drilling fluid; and separating the suspension in a separator to form a particulate fraction and an effluent, wherein the particulate fraction includes at least a portion of the drilled solids and the effluent includes the drilling fluid. The particulate fraction may include particulates having a minimum particle size of 100 microns or greater, and the effluent may include a micronized weighting agent having a particle size d90 of 10 microns or less.

Abstract: A method for sealing a subterranean zone is disclosed. The method includes the steps of preparing a wellbore fluid, placing the wellbore fluid into at least a portion of an annular space between the sidewalls of a wellbore and the exterior of a casing string disposed in the wellbore, and allowing the wellbore fluid to solidify therein, wherein the wellbore fluid includes an oleaginous fluid as the continuous phase of the wellbore fluid, a non-oleaginous fluid as the discontinuous phase of the wellbore fluid, and about 5 to about 50 pounds per barrel of a thermally activated hydrocarbon gellant.

Abstract: A method for disposing drill cuttings including transferring a plurality of drill cuttings from a drilling location to a disposal site. The drill cuttings being placed as a first layer onto a drilling cuttings pad located at the disposal site, and impounded onto the drill cuttings pad. Also, a method for disposing drill cuttings including transferring a plurality of drill cuttings from a drilling location to an onsite processing location. The plurality of drill cuttings then being processed into construction materials and used at the drilling location.

Abstract: A system for separating components of a slurry is disclosed, the system including a housing; a basket for holding at least one shaker screen, the basket movably mounted in the housing; at least one vibrator coupled to the basket; a sump disposed below the basket to collect at least a portion of the slurry passing through the at least one shaker screen; a pressure differential device fluidly connected to the sump for developing a pressure differential across the at least one shaker screen; and a toggling device for toggling the pressure differential across the screen. A system including a degassing chamber fluidly connected to a sump and a pressure differential device, wherein the degassing chamber is disposed between the sump and the pressure differential device, and a fluid conduit fluidly connected to the degassing chamber for recovering a degassed fluid is also disclosed.

Abstract: A shaker screen including a screen frame and an inflatable sealing element integrally formed with the screen frame is disclosed. A screen sealing system including a plurality of shaker screens, each shaker screen having a screen frame and an inflatable sealing element integrally formed with the screen frame, wherein the inflatable sealing elements of each shaker screen are in fluid communication is also disclosed. A method of sealing a composite screen including assembling at least one shaker screen within a shale shaker and inflating at least one inflatable sealing element disposed along at least a portion of a perimeter of the screen frame, the portions selected from a group consisting of a top surface, a bottom surface, and an outer surface is disclosed.

Abstract: A shaker apparatus including a basket having an upstream side, a downstream side, and two side walls, at least one wedge guide and one support rail disposed on each side wall, and at least one screen assembly. The support rails and the wedge guides may be configured to engage the screen assembly. The screen assembly may have one or more layers of screen mesh mounted on a screen frame. The screen frame may include a first and a second side rail, each having an upstream end, a downstream end, a top surface, and a bottom surface. A slope of the top surfaces intermediate the upstream end and the downstream end may be different than a slope of the bottom surfaces intermediate the upstream end and the downstream end.

Abstract: A hookstrip screen assembly for use in a shaker is disclosed. The hookstrip screen assembly includes a filtering element and a composite frame further including a top surface, a bottom surface, and a plurality of filtering element attachment points. Also, the filtering element is attached to the plurality of filtering element attachment points. In another aspect, a method of forming a hookstrip screen assembly for use in a shaker. The method of forming a hookstrip screen assembly includes forming a wire structure, molding a composite frame incorporating the wire structure and forming a plurality of filtering element attachment points on the composite frame. The method also includes attaching a filtering element to the plurality of filtering element attachment points on the composite frame.

Abstract: A shaker screen including a composite frame, a removable grid attached to the composite frame, and at least one filtering element attached to the removable grid is disclosed. A method including forming a composite frame, forming a removable grid, attaching at least one filtering element to the removable grid, and attaching the removable grid to the composite frame is disclosed. Additionally, a method for rebuilding a shaker screen, the method including removing a first screen assembly from a composite frame, the screen assembly having a removable grid and at least one filtering element, and attaching a second screen assembly to the composite frame is disclosed.

Abstract: A wedging apparatus including an outer polygonal surface configured to secure a screen to a shaker, the outer polygonal surface having a bottom surface, a top surface opposite the bottom surface, and at least one end surface joining the top surface and the bottom surface, and an inner core defined by the outer polygonal surface, wherein the inner core defines a cavity is disclosed. A method of forming an apparatus for securing a screen to a shaker is disclosed, the method including forming a mold of a wedging apparatus configured to secure a screen to a shaker, wherein a shape of the mod is an inverse of an outer polygonal surface having a bottom surface, a top surface opposite the bottom surface, and at least one end surface joining the top surface and the bottom surface, and an inner core defined by the outer polygonal surface, wherein the inner core defines a cavity, injecting a liquid resin into the mold, allowing the liquid resin to solidify, and removing the wedging apparatus from the mold.