IADC/SPE 99035
Automatic Shaker Control
E.L. Scott, Natl. Oilwell Varco
Copyright 2006, IADC/SPE Drilling Conference
This paper was prepared for presentation at the IADC/SPE Drilling Conference held in Miami,
Florida, U.S.A., 21–23 February 2006.
This paper was selected for presentation by an IADC/SPE Program Committee following
review of information contained in a proposal submitted by the author(s). Contents of the
paper, as presented, have not been reviewed by the International Association of Drilling
Contractors or Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the author(s).
The material, as presented, does not necessarily reflect any position of the IADC, SPE, their
officers, or members. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper
for commercial purposes without the written consent of the International Association of Drilling
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presented. Write Librarian, SPE, P.O. Box 833836, Richardson, TX 75083-3836, U.S.A.,
fax 1.972.952.9435.
Abstract
Traditionally, shale shakers have been manually operated
machines. Key constituents such as basket angle and
acceleration are featured as either fixed or manually adjustable
components, which tend to yield limitations with a shaker’s
screen life, flow capacity, and operator safety. This work
proposes an automatic shaker control to adjust the basket
angle, manage acceleration, and decrease operator
intervention.
In order to achieve automatic shaker control, a manual-
style shale shaker design was modified with electronic
sensors, an actuator, an on-board computer, and software to
automatically control the fluid level on the screens. The
computerized shaker system measures the fluid level on the
screens, detects input flow, and measures the basket angle.
The shaker then adjusts the basket angle and acceleration
boost in order to control the fluid level on the screens. The
shaker maintains the fluid level near a constant optimum
value, which is set by the user.
In low flow conditions, this proper fluid pool coverage of
the screens promotes screen lubrication and reduces friction,
which increases screen life. In high flow conditions, the fluid
level control helps prevent whole mud loss. The automated
shaker does not merely rely on basket angle control to manage
high flow conditions. The automated shaker’s arsenal against
mud loss also includes an automatic boost and anticipation of
new flows. The automatic boost feature temporarily increases
the shaker acceleration (g-force) applied to the basket in order
to process higher flow rates. Finally, when the input flow to
the shaker stops, the basket is automatically tilted to the fully
uphill position to prepare for the next flow. This decreases the
possibility of sudden rushes of fluid from flooding the shaker
before it can automatically adjust to a more uphill position.
These shaker modifications maintain screen lubrication,
increase screen life, and assist in the prevention of whole mud
loss, all while reducing operator HSE exposure.
Tests have shown that the automated shaker increases
screen life, decreases operator intervention, and helps prevent
whole mud loss. Automatic shaker control can operate a
shaker near optimum. The benefits of this can lead to
increased shaker performance and decreased expenses.
Introduction
A shale shaker is designed to quickly and efficiently remove
solids from mud systems in the presence of changing drilling
conditions. Optimal operation typically requires manual
shaker adjustments to position the fluid endpoint at ¾ of the
screening area, which leaves ¼ of the screening area to dry the
cuttings. Sub-optimal operation can lead to lost whole mud
(in high-flow conditions) and decreased screen life (in low-
flow conditions). Traditional shakers rely on the operator to
manually adjust the shaker according to the mud flow
conditions by tilting the basket, adjusting the gates and valves,
or turning shakers on and off to operate near optimum1. This
can lead to potential HSE issues.
These manual adjustments beckon the safety and
efficiency of the automated shale shaker. This work describes
the automatic shaker control that is necessary to maintain near
optimal operation even under changing drilling conditions.
The main features include automatically controlling the fluid
end point by adjusting the basket angle, increasing the basket
acceleration when necessary to prevent flooding, and
preparing for the next flow. Sensors are placed in the shaker
to detect the level of mud on the screens. The shaker basket
angle is then adjusted to maintain the desired screen mud
level, which in this configuration maintains the desired fluid
endpoint. This results in increased screen life due to better
screen lubrication. The automated shale shaker also detects
conditions leading to flooding and will temporarily increase
the g-force to process the higher flow rates2. Bailey (1998)
used manually adjustable acceleration to temporarily increase
flow rates3. When the shaker detects that the input flow has
stopped, it tilts the basket to a maximum uphill position in
anticipation of the next flow. At any time, the automatic
features of this shaker may be bypassed by turning a switch,
and the shaker will operate like a traditional manual shaker.
2 IADC/SPE 99035
Description
Design changes were made to a traditional manual shale
shaker to facilitate automation (Fig. 1). First, the pivot point
of the basket tilt was moved near the desired fluid endpoint
(near the end of the third screen of the four screen panel
shaker). This resulted in being able to control the fluid
endpoint by only measuring the fluid level on the first screen.
A “U” shaped rocker arm supports the basket via the
suspension springs. The single piece rocker arm passes
behind and under the backtank. The rocker arm rests on a
flexible bellows style actuator (Fig. 2). Solenoids selectively
open and close to control the flow of pressurized fluid into the
actuator. The fluid is pressurized with 60-100 psi compressed
air supplied by the rig. This air-over-hydraulic system allows
for minimal deflection or bounce after the actuator has moved.
For instance, an air only system would be much more
compressible than the air-over-hydraulic system.
FRONT PIVOT
FLUID FLOW
FLUID LEVEL SENSOR
SENSOR
Fig. 1 - Automatic Shaker, Side View
BASKET ANGLE
SENSOR
FLEXIBLE
BELLOWS
ACTUATOR
Fig. 2 - Automatic Shaker, Rear View
The solenoids are controlled by the single-board-computer
(SBC) system. The SBC system is composed of an SBC and
an input/output (I/O) module with cards to read and write
analog and digital signals. The I/O module and the SBC
communicate with a Modbus over Ethernet protocol. The
SBC system reads data from sensors that measure the fluid
level on the screens, the basket angle, and the fluid flow into
the shaker backtank. Control decisions are based on the
sensor data.
The three sensors are calibrated upon installation. These
settings determine the fluid level set point, fully uphill basket
angle position, and zero input flow. Additional calibration
may be done in the field. For instance, the operator may want
to adjust the set point for the fluid end position based on
personal preferences or additional knowledge about the mud.
Calibrations are performed while the shaker is running by
adjusting the shaker and pressing the calibration buttons on the
enclosure.
For maintenance and diagnostic purposes, a web interface
has been developed for the SBC system. The web interface
allows control and visibility to all program parameters and
values. For instance, sensor errors can be viewed, sensor data
integrity checked, set points adjusted, and both solenoid
open/close and variable-frequency-drive (VFD) boost
commands can be sent. The web interface makes interfacing
to a laptop or other PC possible via standard network
connections or optional wireless radio. With cooperation from
the rig, interface data can be monitored offsite as needed for
diagnostic purposes4,5.
Control Logic. The control logic for the automatic shaker is
intended to adjust the machine appropriately while guarding
against whole mud loss. If the fluid level on the screens is
above the set point, then the SBC system will move the
actuator down by a discrete amount, which will adjust the
basket to a more uphill position. If the fluid level is too low,
then the SBC system will move the basket by a discrete
amount to a less uphill position. If the fluid level is within a
small range or dead band around the set point, then the
actuator will not move for that cycle. This helps prevent limit
cycles or repeated movements around the set point.
Each cycle of reading the sensors, filtering the data, and
moving the actuator takes approximately 13 sec. Testing has
determined this cycle time to be a good compromise between
fast response and consistent operation. The cycle begins by
reading all sensor data, typically 50 times. The data is then
filtered to reduce noise and produce a single value for each
sensor. The fluid level value is then compared to the set point
and a decision is made on how to move the actuator. Actuator
movements take a few seconds. Then, some time is allowed
after moving the actuator to allow the fluid to settle on the
screens. This minimizes fluid tides caused from rapid
movement that affect the next sensor measurements.
The fluid flow sensor is used to determine when flow is
entering the shaker. When input flow is present, the actuator
control is based on the fluid level on the screens. When the
input flow is absent or zero, the actuator is adjusted to bring
the basket to the fully uphill position. This uphill position is
the most capable of handling high flow rates when feed
returns to the shaker. Thus, this is intended to prevent a
sudden high input flow rate from flooding the shaker and
whole mud being lost. If the input flow is not high, then the
basket will be adjusted to a less uphill position until the fluid
level is at the set point.
If the fluid level is high (above the set point), the first
control option is to tilt the basket to a more uphill position. If
the basket is already in the fully uphill position and the fluid
level is still high, then the SBC system will automatically
increase the shaker acceleration (g-force). This is
accomplished by sending a signal to the VFD on the motors to
increase the speed. In this “boost” mode, the acceleration
increases by 21%. Test results have confirmed that this boost
increases the flow capacity of the shaker. The automatic boost
IADC/SPE 99035
lasts a fixed amount of time and is typically preset to two
minutes. Nevertheless, this and all variables in the SBC
system have been parameterized and can be adjusted to suit
individual rig needs. After the boost mode is completed, the
fluid level is automatically measured and compared to the set
point. If the fluid level is low, then the basket will be
automatically adjusted to a less uphill position as needed. If
the fluid level remains high, then the shaker will return to the
boost state. This process will repeat as often as needed. The
boost mode is only used when needed, rather than
continuously in order to reduce the likelihood of degrading the
solids in the mud and to increase screen life.
There is some fault tolerance built into the system. For
example, if there is a sensor error on the fluid level sensor,
then the basket will tilt to a fully uphill position. If the
actuator breaks, then the basket will also move fully uphill. If
a solenoid breaks, then the basket can be moved to a fully
uphill position by opening a manual bypass valve in the
actuator system. At any time, the automatic features of this
shaker may be bypassed by turning a switch, which will
allows the shaker to operate like a traditional manual shaker.
Finally, since the SBC system is independent of the VFD
motor system, a catastrophic failure of the SBC system will
not result in a shaker shutdown. In this case, if the SBC
system failed, then the shaker could be put into manual mode.
This allows the operator to manually control the basket angle
whether the vibratory motors are running or not.
Test Procedure
Over the course of seven months, the automatic shaker was
tested on two land rigs for two customers. During this time,
the shaker was operated in automatic mode with the SBC
controlling the shaker. Each rig used water-based drilling
mud.
The shaker was also tested in a laboratory to determine the
effect of the boost mode. The laboratory tests involved
measuring the flow rate of the shaker in normal and boost
modes with 215 mesh rectangular opening screens. Normal
mode acceleration for the shaker was nominally 6.07 g-force,
while boost mode was nominally 7.34 g-force. The shaker
basket was manually tilted to a fully uphill position after being
put in normal mode acceleration. A knife valve in the flow
line was used to adjust the flow to the shaker. The flow was
set to position the fluid end point 1in. back from the end of the
third screen of the four screen panel shaker. The flow was
allowed to reach a steady-state level, and then if necessary, the
valve was re-adjusted to maintain the fluid end point at the
desired location of 1in. back from the end of the third screen.
The flow was then maintained for five minutes before
measurements were taken in order to ensure steady-state
operation. The input flow rate was measured with a turbine
style flow meter in the flow line. This test was repeated with
the fluid pool moved out to the end of the fourth and final
screen. This simulated an upset condition with extremely high
flow rates.
Screen life was determined by analyzing the number of
screens used to drill several wells during the field tests. The
number of screens used on the automatic shaker was then
compared to the number used on a similar style manual shaker
processing mud on a rig in a similar geographic region. The
3
well depths ranged from 11,100 to 12,500 ft. deep and
spanned 22-38 days for completion.
A wireless Ethernet radio was placed inside the explosion
proof enclosure on the field test shaker to determine how far
away the operator could maintain an adequate wireless
network connection with the SBC. This was tested with the
wireless radio and 5 dB gain whip antenna completely inside
the explosion proof enclosure on the shaker and also tested
with the antenna on the outside of the enclosure. When the
antenna was on the outside of the enclosure, it was connected
to the wireless radio with an explosion proof connector that
penetrated the enclosure. Two wireless radios were used for
this test, an Asus WL-300g consumer style radio (approx. $80)
and a Locus OS2400-HSE industrial radio (approx. $1550).
The standard Windows XP wireless network interface was
used to determine the signal strength between the wireless
radio and the laptop. The laptop was then moved from the
shaker until the signal strength dropped below the “good”
level. The wireless range was determined to be the maximum
distance on a particular side of the shaker that the “good”
signal level was maintained. Communications were
determined to be adequate between the SBC and the laptop
even below the “good” signal level.
Results
These field tests confirmed that the automatic shaker is
capable of functioning in an oilfield environment. When
operating in water-based drilling mud, the faces of the
ultrasonic transducers over the screen (measuring fluid level)
and in the backtank (detecting fluid flow) required a light
daily cleaning. Cleaning involved rinsing the face with a
water hose or wiping with a hand or cloth. The sensors
performed well with a light coating of mud, as long as the mud
did not dry or become too thick. The suggested cleaning
procedure is to rinse the fluid flow sensor face each time the
screens are rinsed. This requires minimal additional operator
time. If the screens are not rinsed, a daily wipe of the hand
over the sensor face is usually adequate.
Conditions where more frequent cleaning is necessary
include high flow rates of sticky solids. In this case, the
screens would also typically require more frequent cleaning.
Thus, the total additional cleaning time for the sensors is very
low. The sensor over the rocker arm that measures the basket
angle never required cleaning. Typically, this sensor would
only require cleaning if something were spilled on it or if
debris collected beneath it. The sensor in the backtank that
detects fluid flow was originally positioned such that solids
could buildup beneath it and cause inaccurate measurements.
This was corrected by relocating the sensor in front of the weir
gate. This new position prevents solids from building up
beneath the sensor. When flow to the shaker stops, the sensor
measures a consistent distance to the smooth fluid pool below.
The flow tests showed that the boost mode increased the
shaker flow capacity. As shown in Figure 3, the flow capacity
at the optimal fluid endpoint increased 13% (measured with a
turbine style flow meter). In extreme conditions where the
fluid endpoint is at the very end of the last shaker screen, the
boost mode increased the shaker flow capacity by 20%. The
water-based mud for this test had a density of 9.6 lb/gal, a
4 IADC/SPE 99035

funnel viscosity of approximately 70-80 sec., and contained 18.00

4% low-gravity solids. 15.27
16.00
Figures 4 and 5 show improved screen life when using the
automatic shaker. Figure 4 shows that the average number of 14.00

Screens per 10,000 ft

days an individual screen was used increased by more than 12.00
double for the automatic shaker. The screens on the manual
shaker on Rig 1 lasted an average of 5.18 days. This is very 10.00
8.80
close to the standard expected screen life of 5 days with these 8.00
7.20

screens in this geographic region. Figure 5 shows that the

6.00
number of screens consumed per 10,000 ft. of drilling
decreased by at least 42%. 4.00

600 2.00

0.00
500 Manual, Rig 1 Autom atic, Rig 2 Autom atic, Rig 3
515
Mud Flow Rate (gal/min)

Shaker Type
400 430
385 Fig. 5 - Screen Usage per 10,000 ft. Drilling vs. Shaker Automation
340 Pool @ End of 3rd Screen
300
Pool @ End of 4th Screen
The range of the wireless radio in communication with a
200 laptop was found to be dependent on radio type and laptop
location in relation to which side of the shaker it resided.
100
With the Locus OS2400-HSE radio and antenna inside the
explosion proof enclosure on the shaker, the useable range to
0
Normal Boost
the laptop was found to be approximately 20 ft. on both sides
Acceleration of the shaker. When the antenna was placed outside the
shaker with an explosion proof antenna connector, the range
Fig. 3 – Mud Flow Rate vs. Acceleration increased to 80 ft. on the left and 100 ft. on the right side of
the shaker. The less expensive consumer radio, Asus WL-
The increase in average screen life on the automatic shaker 300g, had a range with the external antenna of 30 ft. on the left
is likely due to better screen lubrication by not running the and 40 ft. on the right side of the shaker.
screens dry. This was accomplished by automatically keeping The difference in range on either side of the shaker is
the fluid pool slightly back from the end of the third screen of likely due to the amount of steel between the radio antenna
the four screen panel shaker. An increase in screen life for and the laptop. The antenna was located under the steel
these tests could have also been affected by better shaker backtank with an 8 in. vertical bypass pipe on the left side, and
maintenance. The automatic shaker was watched over more an aluminum explosion proof enclosure on the right side. The
closely during these field tests than a typical shaker in an range could have been greatly extended if the antenna were
effort to collect data. It is possible that the shaker screens located high on the shaker or on another structure. However,
were washed more often than the screens of non-attended this configuration would not have been as rugged in the
shakers. More frequent screen washing could lead to oilfield environment. The range of the wireless radios enabled
increased screen life. monitoring of the automatic shaker system from a truck
16.00 parked on the ground near the shaker.
13.82
14.00
12.44 Conclusions and Recommendations
Screen Life (days/screen)

12.00 The seven months of initial field testing has shown that the
10.00
automatic shaker can perform in an oilfield environment. The
flow capacity tests using the g-force boost indicates that this
8.00 feature will be useful in reducing whole mud loss in upset
6.00
5.00 5.18 conditions. The field test results also indicate a significant
increase in screen life. More accurate screen life data will be
4.00
determined as the automatic shaker is used on more rigs and in
2.00 different locations. Interviews with the rig operators on the
test locations have confirmed that the automatic shaker is a
0.00
Typical Average in Manual, Rig 1 Autom atic, Rig 2 Autom atic, Rig 3
useful tool.
Region

Shaker Type Acknowledgements

Fig. 4 - Days per Screen vs. Shaker Automation
The author would like to thank Brandt NOV, a division of
National Oilwell Varco, for promoting the research and
publication of this paper; Ricky Foxworth for managing the
field tests; Jose Vazcoy for drafting and design work; David
Cardellini, Graham Carnegie, Kent Hulick, Ted Fowler, Tom
IADC/SPE 99035 5

Shibel, Judy Xu, and Stan Quinn for assistance with the
software and computer hardware; Buddy Stone, Gary Strong,
Kevin McDonough, Norman Padalino, David Largent, and
Eric Provost for helpful discussions and ideas; and E.J.
Kubena and Sheila DeBorde for help editing this paper.

References
1. Manohar, L., and Hoberock, L.L.: “Solids-Conveyance
Dynamics and Shaker Performance,” SPE Drilling Engineering
(Dec. 1988) 385.
2. Grichar, C.N.: “Oilfield Shale Shaker Technology – Today and
Tomorrow,” 2nd Shale Shaker Technology Conference, Houston,
Feb. 6-7 (1991).
3. Bailey, M.G.: “Improvements in and Relating to Vibratory
Screening Apparatus,” European patent EP0825895, (1998).
4. Koederitz, W.L.: “Autodriller Bit Protection System and
Method,” U.S. patent application 20050133259 (2005).
5. Wormer, K., Koederitz, W.L., Guggari, M.I.: “Automated Rig
Control Management System,” U.S. patent 6,944,547 (2005).