Rig Components b) Slingshot - A self-elevating substructure
where crew members place it on the site
- The main function of a rotary rig is to drill a
in a folded position, they then winches
hole, or as they say in the oil patch, to “make a
to unfold and raise the substructure to
hole”. Making a hole with a rotary rig requires
full height.
qualified personnel and a lot of equipment. To
learn about the components it takes to make a
hole, let’s divide them into five main systems:
1. Power System
2. Hoisting System
3. Rotating System
4. Circulating System
5. Blowout prevention or the well control
system
The Hoisting System
II. Rig floor - The relatively small work area in
- It is one of the primary components in the rig.
which the rig crew conducts operations, usually
Its primary function is to support the rotating
adding or removing drill pipe to or from the drill
system in drilling the well by providing the
string. The rig floor is the most dangerous
appropriate equipment and working areas
location on the rig because heavy iron is moved
needed for lifting, lowering, and suspending
around there. Drill string connections are made
tremendous weights required by the rotating
or broken on the drill floor, and the driller's
system
console for controlling the major components of
It is consists of two major sub-components: the rig are located there. Attached to the rig floor
is a small metal room, the doghouse, where the
1. The Supporting Structure rig crew can meet, take breaks and take refuge
- A steel framework assembled over the drilling from the elements during idle times.
site.
It includes the:
I. Substructure - A large steel framework
assembled directly over the drilling site that is
the base and the support for the drilling tower.
Its height depends by the rig type and the Driller’s Console - The control panel, located on the
blowout preventer height. It provides workspace platform, where the driller controls drilling operations.
for men and equipments on and below the rig
floor. It is capable of supporting tremendous
weights.
There are two kinds of substructure the:
a) Box on box - A steel frame box which
the crew stacks on top of one another to
achieve the desired height.
Doghouse - A small enclosure on the rig floor used as an
office for the driller and as a storehouse for small
objects.
III. Drilling Tower - A framework that covers the b. Derrick - a tower-like framework that is
part of the rig floor & supports the assemblage assembled and disassembled piece by piece over
of tools and equipments used in modern rotary the well site, above the substructure.
drilling. Its height varies from 65-200 feet. Its
height is governs whether the crew pulls pipe
from the hole in singles, doubles, triples, or in
quadruples. The drilling tower is rated by its:
Rig capacity (the total weight it is
designed to carry) which is referred to
light, medium, heavy, and very heavy
based upon its capacity.
Rig loading (the amount of wind they
can stand) which most rigs can stand
from 100 to 130 mph.
There are two kinds of drilling tower the:
a. Mast - A tower-like framework that is
constructed from prefabricated sections, which
crew members can raised and lowered above the
substructure as a unit. Must be assembled
A stationary derrick is used on offshore fixed
horizontally before raising up.
structures and jacked up rigs, whereas a dynamic derrick
is used on a floating rig, which is subjected to marine
stress.
2. The Hoisting Equipments
- Specialized equipments that lift, lower, and Makeup cathead - located on the
suspend the drill stem and bit in the well bore. driller’s side of the drawworks
which plays a when the crew
These equipments include:
makes up a drill pipe.
i. Drawworks - A powerful hoisting assembly Breakout cathead - the
usually located near the rotary table on the rig automatic cathead on the other
which major functions are to transmit power side of the drawworks opposite
from the power system to the drill stem during the driller’s side. It is called
tripping (the lifting and lowering operations on a breakout cathead because the
rotary drilling rig), and to transmit power to the driller engages it to break out
catheads for making- up and breaking-out drill drill pipe.
stem connections. It has clutches and chain-and-
gear drives so that the driller can change its
speed and direction.
Main brake - Provides the driller a way to slowing and
stopping the drum or drawworks.
Parts of the draw works Auxiliary electric brake or Electromagnetic brake - It
cannot stop the drawworks from turning but only assists
Catheads- are winch, or windlass on which a the main brake by absorbing the momentum created by
line, such as rope, cable, or chain is coiled. the load being raised and lowered. Big electromagnets
Typically four catheads are mounted on the side inside the auxiliary brake oppose the turning forces on
of the drawworks, two on each end. There are the drum and help the main brake stop the load.
two types of cathead the:
o Friction cathead- a steel spool a foot or Overhead tools
an inch in diameter. In the old days they Are the connecting links with in the hoisting system. It
use friction cathead to move and hoist includes:
objects around the rig floor, but today
air hoists or air tuggers are used. 1. Drilling line - A wire rope hoisting line, reeved
o Automatic cathead- cathead right on the on sheaves of the crown block and traveling
side of the drawworks. It is either block (in effect a block and tackle). Its primary
purpose is to hoist or lower drill pipe or casing
from or into a well. Also, a wire rope used to
support the drilling tools. 7/8” to 2” (22 to 51
mm) in diameter
2. Crown block - An assembly of sheaves or
pulleys mounted on beams at the top of the
derrick. The drilling line is run over the sheaves
down to the hoisting drum.
4. Hook - A large, hook-shaped device from which
Crow’s Nest - The upper part of the mast or derrick the elevator bails or the swivel is suspended. It is
where the crown block is placed. designed to carry maximum loads ranging from
100 to 650 tons and turns on bearings in its
supporting housing.
3. Traveling block - An arrangement of pulleys or
sheaves through which drilling cable is reeved, 5. Elevators - A set of clamps that grips a stand, or
which moves up or down in the derrick or mast. column, of casing, tubing, drill pipe, or sucker
rods, so the stand can be raised or lowered into
the hole.
Deadline tie-down anchor - A device to which
deadline is attached, securely fastened to the mast or
derrick’s substructure. Also called deadline anchor.
II. Master bushing
- Is a removable device that fits into the
opening of the rotary table. The turntable
rotates the master bushing. It provides a
The Rotating System place to attach either of the two of the
- It is one of the most important components in important rotary equipment: the kelly
the rig. Its primary function is to rotate the drill bushing and the rotary slips. The master
string and the bit that drills the hole. Generally, bushing has an opening through which crew
rigs can rotate the bit in one of the three ways. members run pipe into the well bore. A
The traditional way, the method that still tapered bowl fits inside the master bushing
dominates drilling, especially on land sites, uses: this serves a vital function during tripping.
A master bushing could either have four
1) Rotary-table system - It uses a rotary table and drive holes or a square opening and no drive
kelly to drill a hole. It is consists of the: holes.
I. Turntable or Rotary Table
- The principal component of a rotary, or rotary
machine, used to turn the drill stem and support
the drilling assembly. It has a beveled gear
arrangement to create the rotational motion and
an opening into which bushings are fitted to
drive and support the drilling assembly.
- One of the rotating system used in drilling
operations.
III. Rotary slips
- A wedge-shaped pieces of metal with teeth
or other gripping elements that are used to
prevent pipe from slipping down into the
hole or to hold pipe in place. Rotary slips fit
around the drill pipe and wedge against the
master bushing to support the pipe. Power
slips are pneumatically or hydraulically
actuated devices that allow the crew to
dispense with the manual handling of slips
when making a connection. Packers and
other down hole equipment are secured in
position by slips that engage the pipe by
action directed at the surface.
VI. Swivel
- A rotary tool that is hung from the rotary
hook and traveling block to suspend and
permit free rotation of the drill stem. It also
provides a connection for the rotary hose
and a passageway for the flow of drilling
fluid into the drill stem.
IV. Kelly Bushing
- A device fitted to the rotary table through
which the kelly passes. It is the means by
which the torque of the rotary table is
transmitted to the kelly and to the drill stem.
Also called the drive bushing.
2) Top Drive or Power Swivel
- The top drive unit has been used primarily
for drilling rigs, but has also been designed
for smaller work over operations. The
system is generally viewed as a significant
improvement in rotating technology. The
traditional kelly, kelly drive bushing, and
master bushing are not required. The drill
string is rotated directly by a D.C. electric
motor. A conventional elevator is used to
hoist and lower the string when tripping.
V. Kelly
- A special length of pipe about 40 ft. It is not
round but either square or hexagonal in
cross section almost on its entire length
which is suspended beneath the swivel
which transmits torque to the drill string.
The kelly slides easily in the drive bushings
opening, even as it rotates.
3) Downhole motor The column, or string of drill pipe with attached
- A drilling tool made up in the drill string tool joints that transmits fluid and rotational power from
directly above the bit. It causes the bit to the kelly to the bit.
turn but the drill string remains fixed.
It is consists of:
Drilling mud powers most downhole motor.
To make a mud motor rotate the bit, the A. Drill Pipe
driller pumps drilling mud down the drill - Are round hollow-steel tubes with joints
string as usual. When the mud enters the attached. They are used to lengthen the drill
motor, it strikes a spiral shaft, which goes string and acts as a connecting link to the
inside a tubular housing. The shaft and drill collars and the bit. They are mostly
housing fit in such a way that mud pressure made of steel but sometimes they also use
causes the shaft to turn. Because the bit is aluminum. A length of drill pipe is about 30
attached to the motor shaft, the shaft turns ft long, and drilling people call each length a
the bit. The mud exits the bit as usual. “joint of pipe”. Each end of joint is threaded.
One end has inside or female threads called
box; the other has outside or male threads
called pin. Crew members call the threaded
ends of drill pipe “tool joints” which is
normally welded onto the ends of the drill
pipe and cuts the threads to API
specifications.
B. Drill Collar
- are metal tubes like drill pipe but are made
heavy because they are used in the bottom
part of the string to put weight on the bit.
This weight presses down the bit, so that its
cutters can bite into the formation. Drill
collars are either 30 or 31 feet long and
those made to API specifications range in
diameter from 2 7/8 to 12 inches in
diameter. Manufacturers do not add tool
joints to drill collars because its wall is so
thick that they can cut the threads directly
onto and in the drill collars. 30’ to 31’ long
(API Specs).
Drill String
- Any bit, such as a diamond bit whose
cutting elements do not move on the face or
head of the bit. It could either be made
Industrial Diamonds - makers embeds
industrial diamonds in the bottom and sides of
the bit head. As the bit rotates, the diamonds
contact the face of the formation and plow and
grind it to make a hole.
Polycrystalline Diamond Compacts (PDCs) -
this widely used bit feature tungsten carbide
C. Drill bit compacts to which are bonded synthetic
- Is a device that actually cuts or bores the diamonds. A manufacturer machines pockets
hole in rotary drilling operations. The bit into ribs or blades on the bit body and inserts the
consists of the cutting elements and the diamond-coated compacts into the pockets.
circulating element. The cutting element is
steel teeth, tungsten carbide inserts, Hybrid - combine natural and synthetic
industrial diamonds or polycrystalline diamonds and sometimes tungsten carbide
diamond compacts (PDCs). The circulating inserts on a fixed head bit.
element permits the passage of drilling fluid
and uses the hydraulic force of the fluid
stream to improve drilling rates.
Bits fall into two main categories namely:
Roller Cone Bits
- A drilling bit made of two, three or four
cones that are mounted on extremely rugged
bearings. Surface of each cone has rows of
steel teeth or rows of tungsten carbide
inserts. They have nozzles that eject high-
speed streams, or jets, of drilling mud.
Because of their jetting action they are
sometimes called “jet bits”. They could
either have
Steel Teeth - teeth are mill or forged out of the
steel body of the cones
Tungsten Carbide Inserts - holes are drilled in
the cones and press fit the carbide inserts in the
holes.
Fixed-Head Bits
