FUNDAMENTALS OF

DRILLING OPERATIONS
Drilling Rig Systems and Components
GENERAL ARRANGEMENT
General Layout of Hoisting/Rotating Systems
Hoisting and Rotating Equipment

Crown

Mast

Monkey Board

Stands of drill pipe

Doghouse

V-door

Substructure
Layout of Hoisting System
Hoisting and Rotating Equipment

Crown (and crown block)

Mast

Monkey Board

Traveling Block

Hook/Top drive unit

Elevators
Hoisting and Rotating Equipment

Traveling block

Hook

Gooseneck

Swivel

Elevators
 Hoisting and Rotating Equipment

• Hoisting system is a collection of machines

• Machines
• Converts energy from one form to another
• Transfers energy from one place to another
• Controls energy
• Switch on/off
• Change directions
• Change its power – as force increases, speed
decreases (& vice-versa). Gears change the force-
speed relationship
 Hoisting and Rotating Equipment

Drawworks
• Frame – encloses & supports other components
• Drum – spools up drilling line and raises the traveling block
and drill stem
• Catshaft – an axle for the catheads and sand reel
• Transmission – transmits power to the drum, catshaft, or
rotary table countershaft
• Rotary table countershaft – transmits power to the rotary
table
• Brakes – stops the drum; the drawworks has a main brake
and auxiliary brake
• Driller’s console – a panel with controls for the brakes and
transmission.
 Hoisting and Rotating Equipment

Drawworks
• Crown and travelling block assembly
• Drawworks
• Drum
• Diesel electric controls
• Mechanical controls
• Computerized controls
• Brakes
• Band brakes
• Brake linkage
• Aux brakes
• Eaton
• Hydromatic
• Elmago
 Hoisting and Rotating Equipment

Drawworks
• Safety
• Guards
• Lockout procedures
• Maintenance procedures
• Inspection
• Loose nuts, bolts and pins
• Water, air and oil supply lines
• Brake pad wear
• Drilling lines
• Crown saver
• Lubrication and maintenance
• Oil
• Cleaning
• greasing
 Hoisting and Rotating Equipment

Other components
• Derrick – tower that crewmembers assemble piece by piece
• Mast – pre-assembled 1-piece derrick that is usually raised
on site
• Blocks –
• Crown – at the top of the derrick
• Traveling – moves up/down between crown and rig floor
• Drilling line – wire rope that is used to move traveling block
and wrapped on the drawworks drum
• Deadline anchor –
• Grips one end of the drilling line that doesn’t move
(deadline)
• Mounts the weight indicator’s sensing device
 Hoisting and Rotating Equipment

Conventional Kelly and Rotary Table Drive

• Operation – rotates & transfers turning motion to the kelly

• Rotary Table turns Master Bushing
• Master Bushing turns Kelly Bushing
• Kelly Bushing turns Kelly and Drill String
• Suspends the weight of the drill string
• System is simple and reliable but due to Kelly length
(usually 12m/40 ft) only one joint of pipe can be added at a
time; string cannot be rotated whilst being lifted.
 Hoisting and Rotating Equipment

Kelly

• Flat sided, heavy steel pipe that crewmembers attach to the

bottom of the swivel
• Transmits the turning motion of the rotary table to the drill
string
• Conducts drilling fluid from the swivel to the drill stem
 Hoisting and Rotating Equipment

Upper Kelly Cock

• Valve between swivel and Kelly

• When closed, stops fluid flow up drill stem
• Protects swivel in event of kick
 Hoisting and Rotating Equipment

Lower Kelly Cock

• Like upper Kelly cock, it is a standby safety device for

blowout prevention
• Routinely made up below Kelly
• Opened/closed using special wrench manually
• Also known as “drill pipe safety valve” or “mud saver valve”
 Hoisting and Rotating Equipment

Swivel

• Device joining two parts so that one can pivot freely

• Hangs from traveling block and hook
• Supports the weight of the drill stem during drilling
• Permits drill stem to rotate
• Provides a passageway for the drilling mud to get into the
drill stem
Hoisting and Rotating
Equipment
 Hoisting and Rotating Equipment

Top Drive:
• Rotates drill stem
• Serves as passageway for drilling mud
• Supports the drill stem in hole
• Fewer connections – drill by stand rather than by joint
• Can rotate while lifting pipe – less stuck pipe
• Eliminates –
• Kelly
• Kelly bushing
• Kelly cocks
• Rotating portion of rotary table
Handling the Drill String

Equipment required to
handle heavy drill string
safely:

 Slips
 Links (Bails)
 Elevators
 Lifting Subs
 Tongs
 Hoisting and Rotating Equipment

General view of Drill Floor Drawworks

Power
Tongs

Rotary
Table

Manual
Tongs
Handling the Drill String

Master Bushing
 During drilling, it connects the rotary table to the Kelly
bushing and transfers rotation from one to the other
 When drilling stops, it holds the slips (without Kelly
bushing in place)
Handling the Drill String

Kelly Bushing
 Transfers turning motion from the rotary table’s master
bushing to the Kelly
 Allows the Kelly to move up and down freely. The Kelly
moves down the drill stem as the hole deepens. The
driller lifts the Kelly to allow the floormen to add new
joint of pipe to the drill stem
Handling the Drill String

Slips
 Wedged-shaped pieces of metal with
gripping elements (dies)
 Grips pipe without damaging it
 Keep drill stem from falling into hole Rotary Slips
 Types –
 Rotary – drill pipe only
 Drill collar – drill collars only
 Casing – casing only Drill Collar Slips
 Power – pneumatic, hydraulic, or
spring actuated slips that free
floormen from having to set by
hand
Heading

Slips
Master bushing

Kelly bushing and slips

Hoisting and Rotating Equipment

Elevators
Different sizes may be
required, depending on
the size of pipe to be
lifted
 Hoisting and Rotating Equipment

Driller’s Console -- 1
Weight
Indicator
Rotary
Torque
Gauge

Tong Line
Pull
Gauge
RPM
Gauge

Brake
Lever
Hoisting and Rotating Equipment

Weight Indicator
Weight On Bit /
Overpull Indicator

Weight On Hook
Indicator
Hoisting and Rotating Equipment

Driller’s Console -- 2
Hoisting and Rotating Equipment

Driller’s Console -- 3
The Circulating System

 Drilling fluid or ‘mud’ is expensive and a circulation

system is used to allow mud to be continuously re-
used
 System also allows for checks to be kept as to
whether any influx or losses exist in hole
 System is made up of a number of components or
sections:
 Surface mud pits and piping
 Pumping equipment
 Drill String
 Annulus (mud return path)
 Solids control equipment
 Mud mixing equipment
The Circulating System

Circulating System Components

The Circulating System

Trip Tank
Trip Tank is used during
Tripping Out, it has a smaller
volume and can be measured
precisely for displacement.

Photo: G. G. Haines
The Circulating System

Duplex Mud Pump (land rig)

The Circulating System

Double-acting Duplex Mud Pump

The pump has two sets of pistons and cylinders; double-acting means that
the each movement of the piston, in either direction, is a power stroke.
The Circulating System

Triplex Mud Pump (land rig)

The Circulating System

Triplex Mud Pumps (land rig)

The Circulating System

Single-acting Triplex Mud Pump

The pump has three sets of pistons and cylinders, with mud
entering the 3-2
Figure cylinderTypical
as theMud
piston strokes
Pumps Used forinward, and expelled as
Rotary Drilling
the piston moves outward.
The Circulating System

Fluid End of A Triplex Mud Pump

The Circulating System

Standpipe/Rotary Hose
Connects Pumps to Standpipe
Swivel and Drill string

Valve Manifold for dual standpipes

Rotary
Hose
The Circulating System

Bell Nipple
The Circulating System

Possum Belly/Header box

The Circulating System

Typical Arrangement of Solids Control Equipment

Unweighted Muds Overflow Underflow

Flowline
Desilter or
Shale Desander Mud Cleaner
Shaker Degasser
Centrifuge

To

(optional) Suction Pit

No Screen
Weighted Muds
Flowline

Desilter or
Shale Desander Mud Cleaner
Shaker Degasser
Centrifuge

Disposal

(optional)

(optional) To Suction Pit

The Circulating System

Shale Shakers
The Circulating System

Cuttings Flow Over Shale Shaker

The Circulating System

Desanders
The Circulating System

Desilters
The Circulating System

Desanders/desilters/centrifuges
The Circulating System

Atmospheric
Degasser
The Circulating System

Degassers
The Circulating System

Fluid Agitating and Mixing Equipment

The Circulating System

Air/Foam/Mist
Circulating System
Air drilling uses conventional
rotary rigs adapted for air
circulation. The most noticeable
changes are the presence of large
air compressors and the addition
of a rotating head to provide a
pressure seal at surface. Since
the air is not recirculated, a
simple “blooie” (vent) line is
provided to route return flow
(including cuttings and any
produced fluids) away from the
rig.
The Circulating System
 The Circulating System

Intro to drilling fluids

• Types of Mud
• Water
• Oil
• Underbalanced
• Key functions of drilling fluid
• Cuttings removal
• Solid suspension
• Well control
• Underbalance drilling considerations
• Cool and lubricate bit
• Maintain wellbore stability]
• Protect formation productivity and assure max wellbore
information
 The Circulating System

Intro to drilling fluids

• Hazards associated with drilling fluids
• Spill prevention and response
• PPE
• Dust masks
• Splash goggles
• Face shields
• Hand protection
• Cloth gloves
• Chemical resistant gloves
• Rain suit
• Chemical suits
• Safety alert
The Storage System

Mud Pits (Land Rig) Tank used for active circulation

Trip Tank
The Storage System

Active and Reserve

System
• Active – All mud tanks connected to the circulating system for mud being
circulated in the well
• Reserve – All mud tanks not connected to the well.
The Storage System

Silos for
Bulk Mud
Products
The Storage System

Mud Products Storage (land location)

The Storage System

Mud Testing
Station
The Power System

Most modern rigs use diesel-electric power

The Power System

• Most rig power is consumed by hoisting & fluid circulating systems.

• The early drilling rigs were powered primarily by steam. It become impractical,
because of high fuel consumption & large boiler plant required.
• Modern rigs are powered by internal combustion diesel engine & classified as :
• diesel electric type
• direct drive type
• Fuel-air mixture burnt at a controlled rate where oxygen is obtained from the
atmosphere
 The Power System

Power transmission
• Engine not installed on each component, but main
engine(s) installed in one area and power distributed to
rest of rig
• Engines used are mainly diesel fuel engines –
• Diesel delivers more turning force/torque than
gasoline and other fuels
• Safer than gasoline, not as volatile
• Number of engines dependent on the rig size and
power requirements
 The Power System

Mechanical transmission
• Some rigs use machinery (gears, sprockets & chains) to
transmit engine power. This is known as the COMPOUND
• Steel guard/shroud installed over gears and sprockets to
protect personnel
 The Power System

Electrical transmission
• Some rigs have diesel engines driving large electric
generators as an alternative to mechanical compounds
• Generators produce alternating current (AC) electricity
• Electricity used to power electrical components such as
motors, etc.
The Power System

Engine vs Motors

• Both provide power to drive equipment

• Engine changes thermal energy into power to produce
force and motion
• Motor creates power without having to change or
transform energy source
• Energy is neither created nor destroyed, although its form
can be changed
Well Control System

Primary vs. Secondary Well Control

In conventional drilling, the pressure of the mud column in the

hole is always slightly greater than the formation fluid pressure;
this is known as primary well control.
Under certain conditions, primary well control may be lost;
generally when this happens, a kick (influx of formation fluid)
occurs. Surface equipment, including devices known as blowout
preventers, allow the safe curculation of the influx fluid and
return to balance in the wellbore.
Use of the blowout preventers to control a kick is known as
secondary well control.
Well Control System

Maintaining Primary Well Control

In most rotary drilling operations, an important

objective is to maintain a state of primary well control.

Primary well control is the process of maintaining an

effective hydrostatic pressure above formation
pressure but less than the formation breakdown
pressure.
Well Control System

Loss of Primary Well Control

If primary well control is lost, a kick (unwanted

intrusion of fluids into the wellbore) may occur. A kick
can turn into an uncontrolled blowout.

In such a case, secondary well control measures come

into effect. This primarily involves the use of surface
well control equipment.
Well Control System

Schematic View
Of Well Control
System
Well Control System

Blowout Preventers (BOPs)

The two basic types of blowout preventers are:
• Annular type preventers
• Ram type preventers.
The annular preventer is usually mounted at the top of the BOP
stack. Annular preventers are generally rated for surface
pressures up to 5000 psi.
Ram-type preventers, because of their method of construction,
can close on higher surface pressures than annular BOP's:
generally up to 15000 psi. Usually, however, only the annular
preventer will be closed if the well kicks, with the ram-type
preventers used as a backup.
Well Control System

Annular BOP (Hydril)

Well Control System

Annular BOP Closure

Well Control System

Schematic BOP Ram

Arrangements
Well Control System

Shear Ram Mechanism

 Well Control System

Normal Closed
Choke
Circulation Shut In
Well
 Well Control System

Example BOP Stack (land rig)

Ports for choke and

kill lines on each set
of rams
Well Control System

Typical Two-ram Surface BOP Stack

Well Control System

Typical Three-ram Surface BOP Stack

Well Control System

Diverters

A diverter is a mechanism for diverting a shallow gas flow to a

location a safe distance from the rig. It is used in circumstances
when it is not possible to safely close in a well without the
possibility of creating an underground blowout.
The diverter consists of an annular BOP and large-diameter
flow lines mounted at the wellhead. Normally a hydraulic
closure system is used, with the BOP closure and diverter valve
opening coupled together, to prevent a possible surge of back
pressure down the annulus when the system is activated.
Well Control System

Schematic Diverter Arrangement

Well Control System

Subsea BOPs

On floating offshore rigs, such as semisubmersibles and drill

ships, the blowout preventers are attached to the well on the
seafloor, and connected to surface by the riser.
A subsea BOP stack tends to be larger and heavier than a
surface stack of the same rating. Normally there is a system in
place to allow the rig to quickly disconnect from the stack in
case of problems at surface.
In addition to the normal hydraulic actuation system, there will
be an acoustic system to allow remote closure of the BOPs
even if they are disconnected from the rig.
Well Control System

Cameron-type
Guideline Subsea
BOP Stack
Well Control System

• PGB:
• Permanent Guide Base

• TGB:
• Temporay Guide Base
Well Control System

Cameron-type
Guidelineless
Subsea BOP Stack
Well Control System

Driller’s
Air-operated
BOP Panel

Actual Panel on a Jack-up Rig

(Note different BOP configuration)
Well Control System

BOP Remote Hydraulic Supply System

Well Control System

Accumulator Bank and Remote BOP Controls

Well Control System

Example Choke Manifold

(Cameron type)
Well Control System

Choke Control Panel

Actual Panel on a Jack-up Rig

Well Control System

Shut In
Well
Well Control System
Well Control System

Well Control in Underbalanced Drilling

So-called 'underbalanced' drilling is essentially drilling under
controlled blowout conditions. This is quite safe as long as long
as the well bore is closed off so that produced fluids are
diverted away from the rig. The regular BOPs are present, but
are not used during drilling because they are not configured to
allow easy rotation and vertical movement of the string. In such
cases, a special rotating head or rotating BOP (usually rated
up to 1500 psi) is used.
The term ‘Blooie line’ refers to the specialised flow line used in
underbalanced operations. The Blooie line is essentially a
diverter line that directs return flow away from the rig.
Generally there is also a system to flare off any gas or oil
produced as a by-product of the underbalanced circulation.
Well Control System

Blow Out Prevention Equipment

• System
• BOP Stack
• Choke manifold
• Accumulator
• Kick detection equipment
• Flow line
• Trip tank
• Flow indicators
• Tank volume indicators
.
Well Control System

Blow Out Prevention System components

• Stabbing valves
• Stack
• Annular preventor
• Blind ram
• Shear ram
• Pipe ram
• Ram preventer
• Hydraulic control valve
• Drilling spools
• Casing head
.
Well Control System

Choke and Kill lines

• BOP Stack arrangement [ see fig 13]
• Choke manifold [see fig 16].

Degasser
• Atmospheric (poor-boy) degasser
Well Control System

Accumulator System
• Design requirements [see fig 19]
• Function testing BOP
• Closing unit of control system
• Accumulator system
• Accumulator
• Recharge pump
• Fluid reservoir
• BOP controls [fig 22]
Well Control System

Aux System
• Nitrogen backup system
• Remote panel

Rigging BOP stack

• Installation of BOP
• Inspecting and cleaning ring gaskets and grooves
Well Control System

Pressure test procedures

• Test procedures
• Testing equipment
• Testing casing
• Test/wellhead plugs
• Cup-type plugs
• Maximum Casing Pressure
• Test procedure to obtain MACP
• Motor hand kick and kill procedure