Knowing the best practices and strategies for storing drilling equipment is of utmost importance for all those who aim at using these tools for a long time. Being excessively heavy, bulky, and inconvenient for both transport and storage, this type of equipment presents a serious obstacle to finding the best and financially favorable storage solutions. Luckily, when you know which parameters matter most and how to access the quality and suitability of storage for drilling equipment, you can find the option that will both meet all the requirements of this endeavor and also keep your drilling equipment intact until the time comes for you to use it again. Here is all you need to know about the subject.
What kind of storage do you need for your drilling equipment?
Storing drilling equipment is possible at storage facilities that satisfy certain conditions. Concerning the type of the items to be stored, this is a serious project starting from the proper packing for storage, transportation, and, finally, storing the drilling equipment in the appropriate storage facility. If you want to find the storage solution that meets your needs pay attention to the following:
- You will need a considerable number of both open and closed storage facilities. Most of these will have to be very spacious, concerning the size of the tools you are about to store.
- The company offering storage facilities has to possess proper machinery and equipment to handle drilling pipes and other equipment successfully.
- Experienced, trained, and skilled staff is also an important factor. Whether you are storing new, used or refurbished drilling equipment, any damage and inappropriate handling of these items can result in a serious financial loss.
- Easy access to open and closed storage facilities is compulsory because it is essential to be able to perform the loading and offloading of drilling equipment easily and efficiently.
Drilling equipment in storage facilities
Transportation of the drilling equipment to the storage facilities is a highly demanding task that needs time, proper equipment, and a lot of effort to conduct. Oil and gas companies focus intensively on retaining the top quality of the drilling equipment they use. Any crack or hole in a drilling pipe, for example, is not only a problem in terms of finances, but it causes the loss of valuable resource and it presents a serious threat to the environment. Hence, paying close attention to maintenance, handling, transport, and storage of drilling equipment is of utmost importance.
Here is what you will need for the transportation and storage of your drilling equipment:
- Storage racks – When storing drill pipes, storage racks are very important. To provide your equipment with the necessary safety, these racks should be of the appropriate size that can easily support the length, weight, and diameter of the pipes you are planning to transport and store.
- Thread and pipeline protectors. – These protectors are the perfect protection against mechanical damage. They are necessary to cover threaded connections so as to provide them with maximum protection.
- Pipe chocks – Pipe chocks are critical since they guarantee a stable position for tubular pipes.
- Bumper rings – Bumper rings are important for both transportation and storage. They are placed around pipes in order to stop any damage when pipes collide in the process of transport and handling.
- Storage compounds – These can be used either preventively or as a proper measure to prevent further damage on spots where small scratches have already appeared.
The vicinity of the storage facilities is an important factor
When searching for the proper storage facilities, pay attention to the distance. The more your equipment needs to spend in transport, the bigger the chances for any unpleasant surprises. Also, if these storage facilities are in your vicinity, you can easily reach all the equipment you need in no time once the necessity to use them again comes up. Finally, traveling to and from these storage units to gather the equipment you need can be a considerable burden to your budget and cause significant expenses to your company in the long run.
The amount of time drilling equipment spends in storage matters for future usage
It is a well-known fact that proper maintenance of drilling equipment is the only strategy that will guarantee the perfect functioning of these tools. Even if you find the storage facilities that meet even the highest demands you have set beforehand, a detailed control is necessary once you decide to use these pieces of equipment again.
Hence, prior to using your drilling equipment again, inspect it in detail and search for any visible damages. These need to be eliminated before any further usage. Equipment with scratches or even the slightest damage on the surface is highly vulnerable to corrosion. Understandably, due to the conditions in which these pieces of equipment will be used, like extremely high or low temperatures, humidity, and so on, corrosion is the problem you can expect, but it is your responsibility to take serious measures to reduce this threat to its minimal level.
Final thoughts on storing drilling equipment
Storing drilling equipment presents us with numerous challenges which are not that easy to overcome. Finding storage facilities that can meet all the requirements of this project is not an easy task. When choosing storage for your drilling equipment pay attention to its size, security, and the level of humidity in it. Since you will probably need some open storage facilities due to the size of this equipment, make sure they are of such a quality that they keep your items fully protected from the elements, debris, and dirt. Investing in high-quality storage is definitely worth the money since it guarantees the long lifespan of your equipment.
Photos used:
https://pixabay.com/photos/wire-wire-rope-rust-industry-heavy-1457374/
https://pixabay.com/illustrations/plan-trip-map-journey-business-4172283/
https://pixabay.com/illustrations/oil-drill-rig-petroleum-fuel-3153564/
https://pixabay.com/photos/oil-rig-scotland-cromarty-firth-3522594/
Written By: Lisa Roberts (Contributor)