Solids Control –Particle Size Classification

•It is important to understand how particle sizes in drilling mud are classified and the types of solids that fall into each category.
•Particles in drilling mud can range from very small clays, (less than 1/25,400th of an inch), to very large drill cuttings (larger than an inch).
•Due to the extremely small particles, sizes are expressed in micron units.
•A micron is one-millionth of a meter
–(1/1,000,000 or 1 x 10 -6m).
–1 in. equals 25,400 microns.