Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing particulate matter from a drilling fluid by passing the drilling fluid through a shale shaker screen disposed at the surface. The screen is manufactured from the same diffusion bonded wire laminates used to make a sand control screen used in production. The screen comprises three layers each of a different pore size that are stacked one on top of the other. The layer having the smallest pore size is placed at the top of the stack and the layer having the largest pore size is placed at the bottom of the stack. The present invention is also directed to a system for removing particulate matter from the drilling fluid. The system includes a pump and shale shaker comprising the improved screen.