Chapter 5.

Degassers

Degassers are necessary to remove entrained gas bubbles from the mud.
Gas-cut mud will impair the performance of centrifugal pumps. Since all solids
removal equipment beyond the shakers requires a pump, the gas must be
removed before it reaches these devices. If left unchecked and pumped down-
hole, the entrained gas will reduce mud density, which will, in turn, reduce the
hydrostatic head in the wellbore.

The fundamental principle for all degassers is that gas bubbles must reach the liq-
uid-gas interface before they will burst. Any action which brings these gas bubbles
to the surface will result in degassing. Four basic mechanisms exist for bringing
gas to the surface: 1) increase the bubble size by drawing a vacuum, 2) create a
thin film, 3) create turbulent action, and 4) impart centrifugal force on the mud to
drive the gas bubbles to surface.

There are two basic types of degassers: atmospheric degassers and vacuum
degassers. Tests were conducted that show that vacuum degassers provide
superior performance in the presence of higher mud weights and yield points
greater than 10 lb/100 ft2. Atmospheric degassers are acceptable for unweighted
muds with low yield points. The overall ranking of degasser models resulting from
experimental data is given in Table 5.1.

Table 5.1 Ranking of Degasser Models

Manufacturer Type
Drexel-Brandt Vacuum
Derrick* Vacuum
Wellco Vacuum
Sweco Vacuum
Burgess Vacuum
Swaco Vacuum
Totco Vacuum
Tillet Gas Hog Atmospheric
Drilco Atmospheric
Sweco Atmospheric
Judco Atmospheric
* Not tested but similar in design to Drexel-Brandt

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Solids Control Manual

A complete list of available degassers and their processing capacities are listed in
Appendix E, Equipment Specifications.

Placement and Operation

1. Provide enough degasser capacity to treat at least 100% of the circulation

rate. Be aware that actual processing rates for gas-cut mud are much lower
than claimed rates for water.

2. Degassers should be located downstream from the shale shakers and

upstream of any equipment requiring a centrifugal pump. The degasser suc-
tion should be installed downstream of the sand trap. The suction entry
should be approximately 1 ft from the floor in a well-agitated compartment.

3. The equalizer flow between the degasser suction and discharge must be high.
There should be a visible backflow across the high weir, indicating full pro-
cessing of the circulation rate. If equalization is low, the light gas-cut mud
entering the suction compartment may not be able to displace the heavier
mud returning from the discharge compartment. As a result, the light mud
may overflow the suction compartment. Figure 5.1 illustrates correct fluid rout-
ing for degassers.

Figure 5.1 Correct Degasser Operation. The high weir helps ensure complete process-
ing of gas cut mud.

4. Atmospheric degassers should discharge horizontally across the surface of

the tank to allow large gas bubbles to break out. Vacuum type degassers
should discharge below the mud surface with the flow turned up towards sur-
face.

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 Degassers

5. Vacuum degassers must take power mud suction from their discharge com-
partment. Power mud is the mud pumped at high velocity through an eductor
to create the vacuum in the degasser tank. Taking suction upstream will likely
result in the pump becoming gas-locked. Suction from further downstream will
likely cause mud to bypass the hydrocyclones.

6. The power mud centrifugal pump must supply the necessary feed head.
Install a pressure or head gauge to monitor the feed head at the eductor.

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Solids Control Manual

Summary

• Degassers are used to remove entrained gas bubbles from the mud to pre-
vent impairment of centrifugal pump performance, a reduction in mud density
and a subsequent reduction in hydrostatic head in the wellbore.
• There are two basic types of degassers: atmospheric and vacuum. Vacuum
degassers are recommended for weighted muds and yield points over
10 lb/100 ft2. Atmospheric degassers are acceptable for unweighted, low vis-
cosity muds.
• An overall ranking of degasser models resulting from experimental data is
provided in this chapter. Vacuum desgassers are generally superior. A com-
prehensive list of available degassers is listed in Appendix E, Equipment
Specifications.
• Provide enough degasser capacity to process over 100% of the circulating
rate.
• Locate the degasser downstream of the shakers and upstream of any centrif-
ugal pumps.

5.4
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