Oil field drilling equipment

Oil field drilling wells use the same components or oil field drilling equipment for drilling but, they are configured differently to suit certain wells. Some of the oil field drilling equipments is:

Annular blowout preventer

A blowout preventer (BOP) is a valve which is used to monitor and control oil wells. While drilling the fluid might flow uncontrollably. A blowout preventer is used to stop the uncontrolled flow of fluid. This flow of fluid if uncontrolled can result in a blowout. There are two types of blowout preventers; ram and annular. An annular blowout preventer is placed on number of ram BOP. Annular BOP covers the drill string. It also covers and protects the drill pipe during the drilling process.

Crown block:

 Crown block is a very important component of the drilling rig. Crown block is placed at the top of the derrick. It is a set of pulley and is stationary. The blocks which are connected to the pulley are not fixed. These blocks enable to use smaller drilling line. Thus, it can take more weight than what a single string of cable can take.

Stand pipe:

 Stand pipe is placed at side of the derrick. There is a discharge line which travels from the mud pump to the rotary hose. Mud is pumped through this discharge line. Stand pipe joins this discharge line.

Drill pipe:

Drill pipe is a hollow pipe made of steel and it is used in drilling rigs. Fluid is pumped through the drill pipe.

  

Draw works:

 Draw works reels in and out the drilling line in a controlled way. Drilling line is a rope which is large in diameter.

Integrated Equipment manufactures oil field drilling equipments like pulsation dampener; well head equipment, annual blowout preventers.  Integrated Equipment has a research and development department that consistently works towards improving product designs and manufacturing processes.

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Annular blowout preventer

A lot has been discussed on the safety issues about working at an oil rig or well. Blowout preventer is meant to be the defense mechanism used when something goes wrong at an oil well.  The failure of a blowout preventer can result in a catastrophe.

The blowout preventers or BOPs have been used since 60s. The invention of BOPs has resulted in the avoiding oil gushers and blowouts.

Economically viable and advanced technologies have been introduced for the control mechanism. This has changed the face of off shore drilling systems leading to companies drilling in deeper waters. A system with 15,000 pounds per square inch gauge (psig) intervention capping systems has been introduced to handle extreme pressures at deeper wells. This technology is used when the blowout preventer fails to perform its functions.

This intervention capping stack system allows complete access to the wellbore. Thus, the well operator manages to repair the well or look into the mechanical condition of the well. Remote monitoring and diagnostic (RM&D) technologies have been introduced in the offshore drilling industry. This technology assists offshore drillers to increase the performance of the equipment, its safety and reliability. It optimizes the process efficiency by improving life cycle maintenance. This leads to reduction in downtime. Downtime is the time from the first breakdown to running of the machine in full capacity.

These technologies have been developed as a result of the focus on research and development on monitoring BOPs and gas handling capacities.

There has been progress in the defense mechanism and the blowout preventer. Annular blowout preventer is also known as “Hydril”. Annular blowout preventers cover the drill pipe even while it rotates during the drilling. It covers the drill string or non-cylindrical object like the ‘kelly.

Lot of research work has been done to help prevent accidents or blowouts at the oil well. This has helped making oil wells a safer place to work.

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Reducing the Risk of Disaster

Oil and gas production may be a profitable industry, but it does come with an immense share of risks and danger. There are many risks involved with oilfield drilling equipment and these can have a huge impact, not only on the environment, but also on the workers and surrounding mammal life as well. Let us take a look at the different risks present.

Environment:

While many of us would not like to believe it, oil drilling can harm the environment as it a source of waste. A leak in the oilfield equipment can cause the fluids used in the drillers, which are made from oil based mud, to discharge into the environment. The mud contains mineral oil and diesel fluid, both of which are harmful to the environment. Companies are conducting endless amounts of research to create environment friendly fluids.

Oil spills that take place from transportation vehicles or from the oil well itself can wreak havoc on the environment. Also, it is time consuming and extremely expensive, amounting in millions of dollars. Oil spills can have a disastrous effect on wildlife. Birds, different types of fish, sharks and even sea lions can die from ingesting oil into their systems.

People:

Oil well workers are always on the alert, for it is their quick thinking and action that can stop an oil leak or explosion. And the effects of an oil spill on human beings can be immense. A person may end up suffering from respiratory problems, chest pain, dizziness, coughing, vomiting and headaches. This tends to happen when the body is exposed to chemicals that get released in an oil spill. Scientists are still assessing the impact of oilfield drilling equipment leaks and oil spills on human beings as it is difficult to distinguish common illnesses from toxic symptoms. This can lead to DNA damage in later life.

So what can one do to reduce the number of risks involved? One can:

·         Place absorbent materials around the equipment to prevent the oil from reaching drains.

·         Concrete curbing built around the oilfield equipment can prevent leakage and buy the cleanup crew time to do their job.

·         Use drain inlet covers to prevent the oil from being discharged into the environment. Drain plugs can also be used.

Such and similar methods can help us to reduce the risks of oil leaks and spills and their impact on the environment.

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Failure of the blowout preventer

Blowout preventer:

There are two type of BOPs; ram and annular blowout preventer. The investigation of the Gulf of Mexico spill questions if the individuals or companies neglected the environmental laws. The function of the BOP is similar to the air bag of a car. The accident cannot be prevented but the fatalities from it can be prevented. BOP is the last resort or last option to stop a gusher or a blowout.

Drill Pipe:

At the oil well at Gulf of Mexico the drill pipe was connected to the rig through a device and through the initial 3,000 feet of the well. This extended some 2 ½ miles in the earth. During the spillover the pressure of the blowout preventer knocked the drill pipe before the BOP could have a chance to perform its function of stopping a spillover. The drill pipe was deflected once the well began to flow.

The federal investigators studying the spillover hired a Norwegian company to analyze the recovered blowout preventer. The report given by the company suggested that the industry should perform a detailed test on the functions of the blowout preventer. The report concluded that the BOP would have performed its functions if it was designed to keep the drill pipe in the appropriate place during the spillover. The findings of the report said that the BOP was functioning well. It was the high pressures from the well that caused the spillover. It created conditions that could not be controlled by the BOP as it was beyond its design parameters.

Whatever the blowout preventer type; ram or annular blowout preventer it has specific conditions it can operate under. But, if the conditions are beyond the design of the blowout preventer it is hard to control a spillover.

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Gate Valves and Dampeners: What’s the difference?

Two products that have become necessities in the oil and gas industry are the pulsation dampener and the expanding gate valve. For without these products, oil rigs would not be able to begin or complete oil and gas drilling. The products are both designed to control the flow of oil and gas in the well pipe. But there are significant differences between the two products. One can see the differences below. 

              Expanding Gate Valve: The gate valve is one among many valves available for use in the oil and gas industry. The reason for this is the requirement by the oil rig may change from partial flow, full or no flow. The expanding gate valve is used when there is either a complete, full flow of oil required or no oil at all. The expanding gate valve can come with rising or non rising stem discs. The rising stem is preferred in many cases as it is possible to tell whether the valve is open or closed. Padlocks are sometimes required to lock the gate valve. The non rising stem has an advantage here as it needs requires only one padlock, whereas the rising stem requires two.

                Pulsation dampener: The pulsation dampener controls the flow of fluid in the well pipe. When there are spikes in flow pressure, causing the fluid to flow in short, sharp jerks, the pulsation dampener can be used to the ease the flow pressure and allow the fluid to flow in a smooth manner. Unlike the expanding gate valve, the pulsation dampener is used for various situations.

·         It can be used in a hydraulic system when there is a leakage.

• It can be used in a hydraulic system when there is a leakage.
• A hydraulic system can use a pulsation dampener as an energy storage device.
• If they are installed near the valves, the dampeners can also absorb surges that take place during sudden shutdowns, when the remaining fluid suddenly rushes back in to the pump.
• By absorbing the pressure surges, a pulsation dampener can also help to prolong the life of pump components.

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Valves and blowout preventers

Valves control the flow of liquids like gas. Either it opens, closes or partially obstructs the passage through which the fluid flows. In an open valve, fluids flow from high pressure level to low pressure. Gate valves restrict or allow the flow of liquid.

They are suitable where full flow is needed or where the flow needs to be restricted completely. The gate valve has to be operated fully closed or fully open. Gate valves have an ability to cut through liquids thus they are used in petroleum industry.

Discs are part of gate valves. Rising stem and non rising stem are types of discs. Expanding gate valve can have either of these discs. Rising stem gate valve has a handle that rotates around a thread shaft. The shaft or the stem rises as the valve opens and descends as the valve is closed. Non rising stem is used where there are space constraints. When the handle is rotated to the left the valves are fully open and when rotated to the right they are fully closed.

Annular Blowout Preventers

Blowout preventers are a type of valve used to protect the oil and gas wells. During drilling there can be extreme pressures from the fluid flowing from the reservoir. There are two types of blowout preventers, Ram and Annular blowout preventers.  Annular preventers use wedge to shut the well bore. Annular Blowout preventer was invented by Granville Sloan Knox. It seals around pipes of various sizes. It is commonly known as the “Hydril” at the rigs.

Annular blowout preventer proves effective in sealing around the drill pipe as it rotates around during drilling. Ram preventers are more effective in providing a seal around the wellbore than annular blowout preventers.

Blowout preventers and valves typically control the flow of the fluid and prevent a blowout.

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Gulf of Mexico oil spill

Pulsation dampeners are used to stabilize the flow of gas or oil. They also stabilize the pressure in the circuit with dosing pumps. Pulsation dampener is gas vessel. Generally the gas in the vessel is Nitrogen. The function of the pulsation dampener is to separate gas from the circuit liquid. Thus, it avoids loss of gas. The vessel separates both the fluids and is made of either of the 2 materials: rubber and thermoplastic material. When rubber is used it is referred to as bag type. The type of material to be used is decided on various factors; the pressure, the corrosive effect due to the liquid in the circuit, and the temperature.

When these instruments are not in place there is a possibility of a blowout or spillover. One such spillover was the Gulf of Mexico or Deep water Horizon Oil Spill, a spill in the Gulf of Mexico, which flowed intensely in 2010 for three months. The spill was a result of the flow of oil from the sea floor oil gusher on 20^th April, 2010. It was a result of the explosion of Deep water Horizon submersible Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU). This was owned and operated by one of the world's largest offshore drilling contractors.

The explosion injured 16 workers and killed 11 of them. Around 99 people survived but with serious injuries. The explosion caused a massive spillover in the Gulf of Mexico. This disaster had a severe effect on the environment. It is also considered the second largest environmental disaster in US, after the Dust Bowl.

Parts such as blowout preventer, gate valve and pulsation dampener need to be examined and should function well to prevent such blowouts.

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Valves and blowout preventers

Valves control the flow of liquids like gas. Either it opens, closes or partially obstructs the passage through which the fluid flows. In an open valve, fluids flow from high pressure level to low pressure. Gate valves restrict or allow the flow of liquid.

They are suitable where full flow is needed or where the flow needs to be restricted completely. The gate valve has to be operated fully closed or fully open. Gate valves have an ability to cut through liquids thus they are used in petroleum industry.

Discs are part of gate valves. Rising stem and non rising stem are types of discs. Expanding gate valve can have either of these discs. Rising stem gate valve has a handle that rotates around a thread shaft. The shaft or the stem rises as the valve opens and descends as the valve is closed. Non rising stem is used where there are space constraints. When the handle is rotated to the left the valves are fully open and when rotated to the right they are fully closed.

Annular Blowout Preventers

Blowout preventers are a type of valve used to protect the oil and gas wells. During drilling there can be extreme pressures from the fluid flowing from the reservoir. There are two types of blowout preventers, Ram and Annular blowout preventers.  Annular preventers use wedge to shut the well bore. Annular Blowout preventer was invented by Granville Sloan Knox. It seals around pipes of various sizes. It is commonly known as the “Hydril” at the rigs.

Annular blowout preventer proves effective in sealing around the drill pipe as it rotates around during drilling. Ram preventers are more effective in providing a seal around the wellbore than annular blowout preventers.

Blowout preventers and valves typically control the flow of the fluid and prevent a blowout.

Read more »