NDC Rig Walking System: Pioneering Initiative Enabling Safer Rig Move in the Middle East

Abstract

Abstract Drilling contractors used to move onshore drilling rigs between two well sites (from the old location to the new location) using standard desert moving system with hydraulic jacks for lifting, gooseneck and dollies/wheels the rig pulled by Kenworth and sometimes pushed by dozer D8 as shown in fig 1 and fig 2. Figure 1Onshore rigs used to move using Kenworth, dollies and tiresFigure 2Onshore rigs used to move using Kenworth, dollies and tires Number of required Kenworth for pulling and/or Dozer to push is depending on the rig weight, the mast and substructure height and the type of the sand dunes on the desert. The rig center of gravity location and maximum allowable inclination angle during rig move is another constrain which used to be mentioned on the rig operation manual during the mast up rig move operation. Number of available Kenworth, especially when more than one rig is moving on the same time represents challenges to the rig move operation. Moving of other rig components such as mud tanks, generator sets, and VFD, houses etc needs more cranes and more civil equipment. Due to long distance between old and new locations rig move operation sometimes involved disassembling and reassembling the drilling rig at new location. This operation includes disconnect and reconnect electrical cables and piping. mast up rig move is preferable only in case of short distance rig move depending on the rig design, mast up rig move saving time as it avoids rig disassembly and reassembly however the constrains to conduct the mast up rig move is considerable (such as having power cables on the moving path), the rig crew has to lay down the drill pipes from setback in order to prepare the rig for mast up rig move, lay down the drill pipe is reducing the moving weight on moving dollies and increase the rig maximum allowable inclination angle during the rig move. Operation of lay down the drill pipe at old location and handle it again to rig floor in the new location, in addition to moving the drill pipes as a separate load to the new location represents revenue and time loss. After arriving the new location, the rig crew has to position and adjust levels of the rig components to achieve the rig lay out as per rig layout drawings. Maneuvering of the huge loads on desert to achieve the accurate positioning is hard task and it depends on personal skills and experience. If any relative distance between the components is not matching the approved rig lay out drawings, the drilling crew will face challenge to disconnect then reposition then reconnect electrical cables and piping.