US Patent 6953097 Drilling systems

Systems and methods for providing a mixture of drilling fluid and beads into a flow of drilling fluid, e.g., flowing in a conduit or flowing upwardly within an annulus of a riser, the method in certain aspects including: introducing an initial stream including a mixture of drilling fluid and beads into a hydrocyclone; processing the initial stream with the hydrocyclone producing a first stream and a second stream, the first stream containing drilling fluid and beads and the second stream containing drilling fluid; and feeding the first stream to shale shaker apparatus and/or to centrifugal liquid/liquid separator apparatus producing a primary stream and a secondary stream, the primary stream including beads and drilling fluid; and feeding the primary stream into the conduit or into an annulus of the riser.