Improving Safety Performance Through Rig Mechanization

Abstract

Safety is continuing to evolve as a worldwide driving force in rig operations and, as a result, is a major consideration in all drilling rig operations and planning. Therefore, designing hazards out of the system is the key goal in safety engineering, one which has resulted in rig mechanisation. Rather than wholesale automation, rig mechanization involves taking existing hardware and "mechanizing" it for modularity and, preferably, remote control. Traditional automation concepts often required complete re-design of certain rig components, even derrick structures were modified to fulfill the requirements of a completely automated process. This resulted in automation concepts becoming very expensive and cost prohibitive, to the point where they were being eliminated from consideration. Rig mechanization is a much more cost-effective approach which achieves safety goals by distancing the rig personnel from the hazardous location. This paper will present the latest developments in rig mechanization and their effect on improving safety and operational performance. It will also compare the safety performance of mechanized rig operations with previous methods of conducting the same tasks. Specific items whose role in rig mechanisation will be addressed are:Soft PLC Control Systems. These systems use software, microprocessors and fiber-optics to remotely control the equipment.Power Frame™ System. This system is designed to run on rails and is modularized to handle the suspending of any Power Tong to run casing and tubing.Mechanized Casing and Tubing Tongs. These tongs come complete with Free Floating Hydraulic Backups and remote operating capabilities.Stabberless System.This system engineers much of the hazard out of the stabbing operation by removing personnel from the derrick. Finally, this paper will present and discuss the four major driving forces that are serving to promote the development of this type of equipment. They are Safety, Economics, Legislation and Industry Trends. Introduction Historically, the closer to the wellbore (center of the well) the rig crew and service company personnel were working, the higher the potential for injury. This was due to conditions such as moving parts, being caught between hazards, pinch points and objects falling to the rig floor, all being inherent at the point of operation. Figure 1 depicts a variety of rig floor operations and equipment, and specialty operating personnel, where several of these hazards are present. As a result of this type of exposure and over time, rig operations can incur personnel injuries of varying severity, even including loss of life.

Impact of Drilling Costs on the US Gas Industry: Prospects for Automation

“…Safety on drilling rigs can also be greatly improved with automation, as it can reduce or even remove personnel from the drilling floor. The positioning and connection of drilling pipe is traditionally guided by manual labor, which exposes the drilling crew to the potentially fatal danger of being crushed by pieces of heavy drilling floor equipment [12].…”

Design and Performance Analysis of Toothless Slip Type Magnetic Rotary Oil Well Pipe Tong

“…As the oil pipe made of 13Cr has higher requirements on torque and performance of hydraulic tongs. In the past, the hydraulic tongs did some damage to the tubing body in the process of making up, and the damaged part of the gas well in the production process may become the weak link of corrosion, and the anti-corrosion effect of the pipe string may be affected to some extent [1][2][3][4] . This requires us to change the previous process and avoid the damage of tubing as much as possible.…”