Drilling Rigs

There are many types of Drilling Rigs in the world today. Lets start by narrowing them down into at least two categories. We have offshore rigs and land rigs or onshore rigs. The picture above is an example of a land rig. This example is actually a National 2000 HP drilling rig that is offered for sale by Pickett Oilfield, LLC. In this article we will be delving deeper into the many parts of a land rig. Some of the parts of the land rig pictured here are listed as:

• National 1320-UE Drawworks
• 1.3 M mast
• Sub built for Veristic rig walking system
• NOV TDS-11 AC top drive
• NOV 12P mud pumps (7500 PSI)

This terminology might sound a bit confusing to the newbie of the oilfield. To better understand what each of the parts of a Drilling Rig are lets break them down…

National 1320-UE Drawworks – Drawworks is a large machine that is used to reel the drilling line in and out. It consists of a large spool, brakes, and a power source. The drilling line is basically a large rope made of wire; this line extends from the spool/drum down to the crown and traveling blocks. The power source for this machine is usually electrical or diesel. For even more understanding of what drawworks is see the picture below…

For even more information on drawworks check out this YouTube video…

Next, what is a 1.3 M mast… the mast is the portable framework that holds and positions the crown block and drill string / wire rope. Masts usually have a rectangular shape or a trapezoidal shape and this structure is very rigid. The rigidness of the masts are to keep it secure when moving as it is laid down when moved. This makes this mast very heavy which is why it is only found on land rigs. Masts are similar to derricks, however, they are in most cases pre-assembled and mounted to a frame instead of being anchored to the substructures corners like the derrick. The part of the list that is described as 1.3 M mast, the 1.3 M tells the height, the 1.3 M is the measurement of each section… For a better understanding of what a mast is on a drilling rig, check out the video below of a mast being raised.

So, we are now to the Veristic Rig walking system… the Veristic walking system is a rig mobilization system that moves the rig. There are four walker modules that are attached to the four corners of the rig structure. They are able to move a lot of weight up to 2.4 million pounds to be exact. They move at a top pace of 40 feet per hour, and can move in 8 directions. View the pictures below for a full idea of what these modules are and what they look like.

So the top drive…. the top drive is a mechanical instrument located on a drilling rig that is used to rotate the drill line during the drilling process and supplies clockwise torque to the drill line to drill the borehole. The top drive is a substitute for the kelly drive and the rotary table. The top drive is a motor which is suspended from the mast or derrick and is situated beneath the traveling block and moves up and down the mast or derrick vertically. The top drive has either an electric motor or hydraulic motor and is joined to the drill line (drill string) by a little section of pipe which is called the quill.

Below is a picture of an actual top drive and an animated video of how a top drive works for better understanding.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTMUtMaNm_4

This brings us to the last item in the list which is the mud pumps on the drilling rig. Mud Pumps are one of the most critical parts of the drilling rig and are reciprocating pumps, therefore, they use oscillating pistons or plungers to displace the fluid. They are used to circulate the mud under high pressure, up to 7500 psi when drilling for oil. It circulates the mud down the drill line (in the piping) and up the annulus (the space that surrounds the piping) at the required flow rate. The purpose of the mud is to float out debris such as rock cuttings and to clean the bottom of the whole. It is also used to keep the drilling components cool during drilling. See the pictures below of what a mud pump is and the video below of how it works.

There are many more components of a drilling rig that are not listed here. However, there are too many variables to list all parts that could possibly be used on a drilling rig. Some items that are used on land drilling rigs or onshore drilling rigs can also be used in the offshore drilling rig area. The costs of drilling rigs also varies greatly because of the different types of equipment that are added to each rig. In the same way that you purchase a vehicle and can add accessories or upgrades, one can do with a drilling rig, hence the reason that all drilling rigs are not created the same and their prices may reflect that. Depending on the drilling site and material and the customers needs some will have items with different pressure ratings such as blowout preventers (otherwise known as BOP) or mud pumps.

If you are in the market for a drilling rig or any of its components, or for more information visit our website at www.pickettoil.com or you can shoot us an email at sales@pickettoilfield.com and we will promptly reply.