Effective solids control can be attributed to the overall performance of all the components of the mud system. Conditioning the drilling fluid with the goal of dramatically lowering maintenance cost, avoiding excessive chemical treatment and maintaining mud systems volume will decrease the chance of equipment failure, unnecessary high mud costs, hole and drilling problems.
In the early oil industry open earthen pits were used as settling area to separate solids and mud thereby acting as a solids control equipment. Now, with the stringent environmental regulations and high mud costs, the economics of an effective mud system come into consideration. Different solids control companies introduce zero-discharge systems, closed-loop systems, "quick move" technology, screening technology, disposal options etc.