Date	Doc. No.	Process	Case number	In/Out	Journal description	To/from
22.10.2026	07-01	Saksbehandling	20250162	UT	Henlagt manglende svar ENG	MUDSIM AS
05.06.2026	06-02	Saksbehandling	20250162	UT	PT report 09:30:20
05.06.2026	06-01	Saksbehandling	20250162	UT	Substantive examination	MUDSIM AS
06.03.2026	05-02	Saksbehandling	20250162	INN	Response til Patentstyret Screen detection system mars 26	MUDSIM AS
06.03.2026	05-01	Saksbehandling	20250162	INN	Korrespondanse (Hovedbrev inn)	MUDSIM AS
27.02.2026	04-03	Saksbehandling	20250162	INN	02-PT report 085819	MUDSIM AS
27.02.2026	04-02	Saksbehandling	20250162	INN	01-Substantive examination	MUDSIM AS
27.02.2026	04-01	Saksbehandling	20250162	INN	Korrespondanse (Hovedbrev inn)	MUDSIM AS
10.09.2025	03-02	Saksbehandling	20250162	UT	PT report 08:58:19
10.09.2025	03-01	Saksbehandling	20250162	UT	Substantive examination	MUDSIM AS
13.02.2025	02-01	Saksbehandling	20250162	UT	Informasjon til oppfinner	Yngve Solnørdal Bastesen
11.02.2025	01-06	Saksbehandling	20250162	INN	skisser patent for screen detection system	Yngve Solnørdal Bastesen
11.02.2025	01-05	Saksbehandling	20250162	INN	Patent claims	Yngve Solnørdal Bastesen
11.02.2025	01-04	Saksbehandling	20250162	INN	erklæring rett til oppfinnelse	Yngve Solnørdal Bastesen
11.02.2025	01-03	Saksbehandling	20250162	INN	Description ver.01	Yngve Solnørdal Bastesen
11.02.2025	01-02	Saksbehandling	20250162	INN	Abstract screen wear detection system	Yngve Solnørdal Bastesen
11.02.2025	01-01	Saksbehandling	20250162	INN	Søknadsskjema Patent	Yngve Solnørdal Bastesen

Description, claims and drawings

Disclaimer: This text has been machine-scanned and may contain errors – please refer to "Publications" for legally binding content.

Description

Patent Application

Title: System for Detecting Wear on Shale Shaker Screens in Drilling Operations

Field of the Invention:

The present invention relates to drilling operations, particularly to a system and method for detecting wear on shale shaker screens by analyzing changes in drilling fluid coming out from each shale shaker. This system enables the identification of worn screens, ensuring timely replacement to optimize drilling efficiency and prevent further operational issues.

Background of the Invention:

In drilling operations, shale shakers are critical for separating drill cuttings and other solid particles from the drilling fluid, commonly referred to as "mud." Over time, the screens on shale shakers experience wear due to the abrasive nature of the cuttings and fluid. Worn screens compromise separation efficiency, leading to increased solid content in the drilling fluid, potential damage to downhole tools, and reduced operational efficiency. Existing methods for monitoring screen wear are often manual or lack realtime sensitivity to minor changes in performance. The present invention provides an automated system that detects wear on shaker screens by monitoring changes in drilling fluid downstream of individual shale shakers. The system ensures efficient maintenance and enhances operational reliability.

Patent application US20230298353A1 “Object imaging and detection systems and methods”. The patent is related to applications within drilling for oil and gas when detecting presence and absence and objects regarding shape, size, type using images and sensors and other devices along with artificial intelligence. The patent is covering a much wider area, not mentioning our method and not in conflict with our invention.

Summary of the Invention:

The invention is a system for detecting wear on shale shaker screens by measuring the cleaned drilling fluid downstream of each shaker. The system consists of:

1. A pumping mechanism to collect cleaned drilling fluid downstream each shale shaker.

2. A pipe network to direct the cleaned fluid to a measuring unit.

3. A measuring unit equipped with sensors to detect changes in drilling fluid.

4. A data processing system to compare readings over time and across multiple shakers.

5. An alarm system to alert operators when changes indicate screen wear.

By identifying worn screens in real-time, the system minimizes non-productive time (NPT) and reduces fluid management costs.

Effects of the Invention

The Invention makes it possible in a relatively easy way to identify wear on screen and which shale shaker that has screens that has wear. The effect is of this is also that wear is identified based on reliable data and makes it possible to service the shaker screen faster.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 is showing one typical vibrating shale shaker with vibrating dampener 1, distribution tank 2, weir plate 3, shaker screen surface 4, vibrating basket 5, collection pan 6 and the shale shaker skid 7.

Figure 2 is the overall sketch showing the System for Detecting Wear on Shale Shaker Screens in Drilling Operations. Several shale shakers are identified but here we have illustrated with four of them that is from 8, 9, 10 to 11. The cleaned drilling fluid from each collection pan 6 has a pipe 12 routed to the pump unit 14 with remotely operated process valves 13 to ensure fast sampling from the respective shale shaker unit. From the pump unit 14 is routed pipe into a measuring unit 15 that can measure changes for the cleaned fluid coming out from each shale shaker. Measuring unit is connected to the data processing system 16 that compare readings and analyse them and can detect measuring results with data outside acceptable limits and set an alarm that indicates screen wear.

Detailed Description of the Invention:

System Components:

1. Pumping Mechanism: Each shale shaker is connected to one / many pumps to extract cleaned drilling fluid from the reservoir beneath the shaker screen. The pump is designed to handle varying fluid viscosities and flow rates.

2. Pipe Network: A network of pipes connects the collection pan of each shaker to the pump and a centralized measuring unit. The pipes are made of corrosionresistant materials suitable for prolonged exposure to drilling fluids.

3. Pipe network is equipped with valves that is automated operated making it possible to take samples of liquid mud and fine solids from each collection pan underneath each shale shaker. The valves are opened and closed as a regular sequence, making it possible to read out measurements from the measuring unit from respective shale shakers making it possible to identify trends and smaller changes in measurements that detects wear on the shaker screen.

4. Measuring Unit: The measuring unit includes:

o Sensors: High-precision sensors capable of detecting minute changes in for instance fluid density, viscosity or other changes caused by wear on screen.

o Temperature Compensation Module: Ensures accuracy by adjusting for temperature variations if applicable.

o Data Logger: Records measurements for analysis.

5. Data Processing System: The system compares readings over time for each shaker. It applies algorithms to identify trends indicative of screen wear. The data processing system can also record measurements for analyses to allow further analyses that might improve process control of drilling fluid when drilling the well. For instance, if connected to an overall computer system with processing parameters, the invention would make it possible to learn what causes wear on screens and then making it possible to predict wear on screens with belonging screen consumption.

6. Alarm System: When the system detects a significant change in measurement from a specific shaker, it triggers an alarm. The alarm specifies which shaker is affected, allowing targeted maintenance like changing shaker screens.

Operation:

1. During drilling operations, cleaned drilling fluid is pumped from the reservoir beneath each shaker screen to the measuring unit.

2. The measuring unit analyzes the fluid and logs the data.

3. The data processing system continuously compares readings:

o If measurements remain consistent, the system indicates normal operation.

o If measurements increase it indicated wear on screen and if measurement get beyond a predetermined threshold, the system identifies a need to change or repair the screens on the respective shale shaker.

4. When wear is detected, the alarm system notifies the operator, specifying the affected shaker.

Advantages:

1. Real-time detection of screen wear reduces NPT and maintenance costs.

2. Automated monitoring reduce the need for manual inspections.

3. Early detection prevents operational issues caused by compromised fluid separation.

4. Storing historical data and communicating with the process control computer system on the rig, makes it possible to learn what parameters that causes wear on screen and from there be able to predict wear and belonging screen consumption.

Principles forming the basis of the invention:

Base for the invention is to have several separators, in this case shale shakers, side by side with inlet of a fluid that needs to be cleaned or separated so many shale shakers increase the cleaning capacity. Wear on screen is the major key to keep the separation quality according to specified particle size allowed to pass the screen surface. Basis for operation is visual inspection of each screen on a regular basis. Next step can be to use tools to find out how much light is shining through the screen to find out if limits for wear is outside acceptable limits.

Best Modes of Carrying Out the Invention:

The invention is operating optional if it is installed and operates on its own running preprogrammed sequences identifying quality of the cleaned mud with fine solids from each shaker and sending signals from the measuring unit to the processing system that compare readings that also is connected and sends signals to an overall control system of drilling fluid making it possible to monitor the separator process remotely. Servicing the shale shakers, including changing screens, are only required when repeatedly measurements from the system has detected that fluid is outside acceptable limits that for instance can be indicated with an alarm.

Alternative embodiments and industrial applicability

It is an alternative to take test samples and do measurements in a manual way and communicate with an apparatus that can track trends in the same way, but with human errors and much manual work within a process that has to run almost constantly to clean return fluid for instance when cleaning return fluid when drilling a well. The industrial application is generally to ensure a separation quality from separators set to take out to big particles and clean a fluid that needs many separators side by side. In this case the invention will be useful for cleaning return mud when drilling a well and for practical reasons it is required to have a high cleaning capacity with many shale shakers side by side sharing the flow coming up from the well.

Claims

Patent claims

1. A procedure for detecting wear on shale shaker screens in drilling operations, comprising:

o A fluid extraction unit, including a pump configured to extract cleaned drilling fluid from beneath each shale shaker.

o A fluid transport network, comprising a system of pipes or conduits designed to direct the extracted fluid to a centralized measuring unit.

o A centralized measuring unit, equipped with one or more sensors to monitor fluid properties indicative of screen wear, such as solid content, turbidity, viscosity, or particle size distribution.

o A data processing system, configured to analyze sensor readings over time and compare data from multiple shale shakers to detect patterns of wear.

o An alert and notification system, which generates alarms or visual indicators when detected changes exceed a predefined threshold, specifying the affected shale shaker.

2. The procedure of claim 1, wherein the measuring unit includes a temperature compensation module to adjust for environmental variations and ensure accurate readings.

3. The procedure of claim 1, wherein the data processing system utilizes machine learning or statistical models to predict wear trends based on historical and realtime data.

4. The procedure of claim 1, wherein the alert and notification system is integrated with a drilling control interface to enable automated or manual intervention in response to detected wear.

5. The procedure of claim 1, further comprises a redundancy mechanism that crossverifies fluid measurements from multiple shale shakers to reduce false alarms and improve detection accuracy.

6. A method for detecting wear on shale shaker screens in drilling operations, comprising:

o Extracting drilling fluid from beneath each shale shaker using a dedicated pump.

o Transporting the extracted fluid to a centralized measuring unit via a pipe network.

o Analyzing fluid properties using sensors to detect changes in composition, indicative of screen wear.

o Comparing sensor readings over time and across multiple shale shakers to identify abnormal trends.

o Generating an alert when wear indicators exceed a predefined threshold, with details on the affected shaker.

o Providing predictive maintenance insights by utilizing trend analysis or machine learning to estimate the remaining screen lifespan.

7. The procedure of claim 1, wherein the system is adapted for use with shale shakers employing alternative separation technologies beyond vibrating screens, including but not limited to:

o Rotating drum shakers.

o Belt conveyor separation systems.

o Centrifugal or hydrocyclone-based separation units.

o Other emerging or proprietary separation technologies.

8. The procedure of claim 1, wherein the data processing system, that receive the readings from the measurement unit, also communicate and share data with the overall rig process control computer with processing parameters, include learning what causes wear on screen and then making it possible to predict wear on screens and thereby predict future screen consumption.

Drawings

Shale shaker screen wear detection system

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