Drilling rig (petroleum)
Encyclopedia
This article lists the main components of a petroleum
onshore drilling rig
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Offshore drilling
rigs have similar elements, but are configured with a number of different drilling systems to suit drilling in the marine environment.
The equipment associated with a rig is to some extent dependent on the type of rig but typically includes at least some of the items listed below.
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
onshore drilling rig
Drilling rig
A drilling rig is a machine which creates holes or shafts in the ground. Drilling rigs can be massive structures housing equipment used to drill water wells, oil wells, or natural gas extraction wells, or they can be small enough to be moved manually by one person...
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Offshore drilling
Offshore drilling
Offshore drilling refers to a mechanical process where a wellbore is drilled through the seabed. It is typically carried out in order to explore for and subsequently produce hydrocarbons which lie in rock formations beneath the seabed...
rigs have similar elements, but are configured with a number of different drilling systems to suit drilling in the marine environment.
The equipment associated with a rig is to some extent dependent on the type of rig but typically includes at least some of the items listed below.
List of items
- Mud tankMud tankA mud tank is an open-top container, typically made of steel, to store drilling fluid on a drilling rig. They are also called mud pits, because they used to be nothing more than pits dug out of the earth....
- Shale shakersShale shakersShale shakers are devices that remove drill cuttings from the drilling fluid that is used for boring holes into the earth. Controlling the solids in drilling fluid is an important component of the cost of drilling, so research into improved shaker design is ongoing.-Shale shaker design:Shale...
- Suction lineSuction lineA suction line is the pipe work linking the mud tanks/pits with the mud pumps. This may be gravity fed or charged by centrifugal pumps to provide additional volumetric efficiency to the mud pumps....
(mud pump) - Mud pumpMud pumpA mud pump is a reciprocating piston/plunger device designed to circulate drilling fluid under high pressure down the drill string and back up the annulus....
- MotorElectric motorAn electric motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.Most electric motors operate through the interaction of magnetic fields and current-carrying conductors to generate force...
or power sourceElectric powerElectric power is the rate at which electric energy is transferred by an electric circuit. The SI unit of power is the watt.-Circuits:Electric power, like mechanical power, is represented by the letter P in electrical equations... - Vibrating hose
- Draw-worksDraw-worksA draw-works is the primary hoisting machinery that is a component of a rotary drilling rig. Its main function is to provide a means of raising and lowering the traveling blocks. The wire-rope drilling line winds on the drawworks drum and extends to the crown block and traveling blocks, allowing...
- StandpipeRig standpipeA rig standpipe is a solid metal pipe attached to the side of a drilling rig's derrick that is a part of its drilling mud system. It is used to conduct drilling fluid from the mud pumps to the kelly hose. Bull plugs, pressure transducers and valves are found on the rig standpipe....
- Kelly hoseKelly hoseA Kelly hose is a flexible, steel reinforced, high pressure hose that connects the standpipe to the kelly and allows free vertical movement of the kelly while facilitating the flow of drilling fluid through the system and down the drill string....
- Goose-neck
- Traveling blockTraveling blockA traveling block is the freely moving section of a block and tackle that contains a set of pulleys or sheaves through which the drill line is threaded or and is opposite the crown block ....
- Drill lineDrill lineIn a drilling rig, the drill line is a multi-thread, twisted wire rope that is threaded or through the traveling block and crown block to facilitate the lowering and lifting of the drill string into and out of the wellbore....
- Crown blockCrown blockA crown block is the stationary section of a block and tackle that contains a set of pulleys or sheaves through which the drill line is threaded or and is opposite and above the traveling block....
- DerrickDerrickA derrick is a lifting device composed of one tower, or guyed mast such as a pole which is hinged freely at the bottom. It is controlled by lines powered by some means such as man-hauling or motors, so that the pole can move in all four directions. A line runs up it and over its top with a hook on...
- Monkey board
- StandStand (drill pipe)A Stand is two or three joints of drill pipe connected together and stood in the derrick vertically, usually while tripping pipe. A stand of collars is similar, only made up of collars and a collar head. The collar head is screwed into the collar to allow it to be picked up by the elevators.Stands...
(of drill pipe) - Pipe rackPipe rackA Pipe rack is a set of steel framed structures that drill pipe is stacked on for storage or when being readied for use on a drilling rig....
(floor) - SwivelSwivel (drill rig)A ' is a mechanical device used on a drilling rig that hangs directly under the traveling block and directly above the kelly drive, that provides the ability for the kelly to rotate while allowing the traveling block to remain in a stationary rotational position while simultaneously allowing the...
(On newer rigs this may be replaced by a top driveTop driveA top drive is a mechanical device on a drilling rig that provides clockwise rotational force to the drill string to facilitate the process of drilling a borehole. It is an alternative to rotary table...
) - Kelly driveKelly driveA kelly drive refers to a type of well drilling device on an oil drilling rig that employs a section of pipe with a polygonal or splined outer surface, which passes through the matching polygonal or splined kelly bushing and rotary table...
- Rotary tableRotary table (drilling rig)A rotary table is a mechanical device on a drilling rig that provides clockwise rotational force to the drill string to facilitate the process of drilling a borehole.In the diagram, #20 is the rotary table...
- Drill floorDrill floorThe Drill Floor is the heart of any drilling rig and is also known as the pad. This is the area where the drill string begins its trip into the earth. It is traditionally where joints of pipe are assembled, as well as the BHA , drilling bit, and various other tools. This is the primary work...
- Bell nippleBell nippleA ' is a section of large diameter pipe fitted to the top of the blowout preventers that the flow line attaches to via a side outlet, to allow the drilling fluid to flow back over the shale shakers to the mud tanks.See Drilling rig for a diagram....
- Blowout preventerBlowout preventerA blowout preventer is a large, specialized valve used to seal, control and monitor oil and gas wells. Blowout preventers were developed to cope with extreme erratic pressures and uncontrolled flow emanating from a well reservoir during drilling. Kicks can lead to a potentially catastrophic...
(BOP) Annular type - Blowout preventerBlowout preventerA blowout preventer is a large, specialized valve used to seal, control and monitor oil and gas wells. Blowout preventers were developed to cope with extreme erratic pressures and uncontrolled flow emanating from a well reservoir during drilling. Kicks can lead to a potentially catastrophic...
(BOP) Pipe ram & blind ram - Drill stringDrill stringA drill string on a drilling rig is a column, or string, of drill pipe that transmits drilling fluid and torque to the drill bit. The term is loosely applied as the assembled collection of the drill pipe, drill collars, tools and drill bit...
- Drill bitDrill bit (well)A ', is a device attached to the end of the drill string that breaks apart, cuts or crushes the rock formations when drilling a wellbore, such as those drilled to extract water, gas, or oil....
- Casing headCasing headIn oil drilling, a casing head is a simple metal flange welded or screwed on to the top of the conductor pipe or the casing and forms part of the wellhead system for the well....
or WellheadWellheadA wellhead is a general term used to describe the component at the surface of an oil or gas well that provides the structural and pressure-containing interface for the drilling and production equipment.... - Flow lineFlow lineA flow line, used on a drilling rig, is a large diameter pipe that is connected to the bell nipple and extends to the possum belly and acts as a return line, , to the mud tanks.-Flow Line Components:The flow line will typically have equipment attached to it,...
Explanation
- Bell nippleBell nippleA ' is a section of large diameter pipe fitted to the top of the blowout preventers that the flow line attaches to via a side outlet, to allow the drilling fluid to flow back over the shale shakers to the mud tanks.See Drilling rig for a diagram....
(#22) is a section of large diameter pipe fitted to the top of the blowout preventerBlowout preventerA blowout preventer is a large, specialized valve used to seal, control and monitor oil and gas wells. Blowout preventers were developed to cope with extreme erratic pressures and uncontrolled flow emanating from a well reservoir during drilling. Kicks can lead to a potentially catastrophic...
s that the flow lineFlow lineA flow line, used on a drilling rig, is a large diameter pipe that is connected to the bell nipple and extends to the possum belly and acts as a return line, , to the mud tanks.-Flow Line Components:The flow line will typically have equipment attached to it,...
attaches to via a side outlet, to allow the drilling mud to flow back to the mud tankMud tankA mud tank is an open-top container, typically made of steel, to store drilling fluid on a drilling rig. They are also called mud pits, because they used to be nothing more than pits dug out of the earth....
s. - Blowout preventerBlowout preventerA blowout preventer is a large, specialized valve used to seal, control and monitor oil and gas wells. Blowout preventers were developed to cope with extreme erratic pressures and uncontrolled flow emanating from a well reservoir during drilling. Kicks can lead to a potentially catastrophic...
s (BOPs) (#23 and #24) are devices installed at the wellhead to prevent fluids and gases from unintentionally escaping from the wellboreWellboreA wellbore is any hole drilled for the purpose of exploration or extraction of natural resources such as water, gas or oil where a well may be produced and a resource is extracted for a protracted period of time....
. #23 is the annular (often referred to as Hydril named after a manufacturer), and #24 is the pipe rams and blind rams. - Casing headCasing headIn oil drilling, a casing head is a simple metal flange welded or screwed on to the top of the conductor pipe or the casing and forms part of the wellhead system for the well....
(#27) is a large metal flangeFlangeA flange is an external or internal ridge, or rim , for strength, as the flange of an iron beam such as an I-beam or a T-beam; or for attachment to another object, as the flange on the end of a pipe, steam cylinder, etc., or on the lens mount of a camera; or for a flange of a rail car or tram wheel...
welded or screwed onto the top of the conductor pipeConductor pipeThe Conductor Pipe is a large diameter pile that is set into the ground to provide the initial stable structural foundation for a borehole or oil well....
(also known as drive-pipe) or the casing and is used to bolt the surface equipment such as the blowout preventerBlowout preventerA blowout preventer is a large, specialized valve used to seal, control and monitor oil and gas wells. Blowout preventers were developed to cope with extreme erratic pressures and uncontrolled flow emanating from a well reservoir during drilling. Kicks can lead to a potentially catastrophic...
s (for well drilling) or the Christmas tree (oil well)Christmas tree (oil well)In petroleum and natural gas extraction, a Christmas tree, or "tree", is an assembly of valves, spools, and fittings used for an oil well, gas well, water injection well, water disposal well, gas injection well, condensate well and other types of wells...
(for well production). - CentrifugeCentrifugeA centrifuge is a piece of equipment, generally driven by an electric motor , that puts an object in rotation around a fixed axis, applying a force perpendicular to the axis...
(not pictured) is an industrial version of the device that separates fine silt and sand from the drilling fluid. It is typically mounted on top or just off of the mud tanks. - Crown blockCrown blockA crown block is the stationary section of a block and tackle that contains a set of pulleys or sheaves through which the drill line is threaded or and is opposite and above the traveling block....
(#13) is the stationary end of the block and tackle. - DegasserDegasserA degasser is a device used in drilling to remove gasses from drilling fluid which could otherwise form bubbles.-Degasser:For small amount of entrained gas in a drilling fluid, the degasser can play a major role of removing small bubbles that a liquid film has enveloped and entrapped...
(not pictured) is a device that separates air and/or gas from the drilling fluid. It is typically mounted on top of the mud tanks. - DerrickDerrickA derrick is a lifting device composed of one tower, or guyed mast such as a pole which is hinged freely at the bottom. It is controlled by lines powered by some means such as man-hauling or motors, so that the pole can move in all four directions. A line runs up it and over its top with a hook on...
(#14) is the support structure for the equipment used to lower and raise the drill stringDrill stringA drill string on a drilling rig is a column, or string, of drill pipe that transmits drilling fluid and torque to the drill bit. The term is loosely applied as the assembled collection of the drill pipe, drill collars, tools and drill bit...
into and out of the wellboreWellboreA wellbore is any hole drilled for the purpose of exploration or extraction of natural resources such as water, gas or oil where a well may be produced and a resource is extracted for a protracted period of time....
. - DesanderDesanderDesanders and desilters are drilling rig equipment with a set of hydrocyclones that separates sand and silt from the drilling fluid. Desander is installed after shakers and degasser but before desilter. Desander removes those abrassive solids from the drilling mud which cannot be removed by shakers...
/ desilter (not pictured) contains a set of hydrocyclones that separate sand and silt from the drilling fluid. Typically mounted on top of the mud tanks. - Draw-worksDraw-worksA draw-works is the primary hoisting machinery that is a component of a rotary drilling rig. Its main function is to provide a means of raising and lowering the traveling blocks. The wire-rope drilling line winds on the drawworks drum and extends to the crown block and traveling blocks, allowing...
(#7) is the mechanical section that contains the spool, whose main function is to reel in/out the drill line to raise/lower the traveling blockTraveling blockA traveling block is the freely moving section of a block and tackle that contains a set of pulleys or sheaves through which the drill line is threaded or and is opposite the crown block ....
. - Drill Bit (#26) is a device attached to the end of the drill string that breaks apart the rock being drilled. It contains jets through which the drilling fluid exits.
- Drill floorDrill floorThe Drill Floor is the heart of any drilling rig and is also known as the pad. This is the area where the drill string begins its trip into the earth. It is traditionally where joints of pipe are assembled, as well as the BHA , drilling bit, and various other tools. This is the primary work...
(#21) is the area on the rig where the tools are located to make the connections of the drill pipe, bottom hole assembly, tools and bit. It is considered the main area where work is performed. - Drill lineDrill lineIn a drilling rig, the drill line is a multi-thread, twisted wire rope that is threaded or through the traveling block and crown block to facilitate the lowering and lifting of the drill string into and out of the wellbore....
(#12) is thick, stranded metal cable threaded through the two blocks (traveling and crown) to raise and lower the drill string. - Drill pipeDrill pipeDrill pipe, is hollow, thick-walled, steel piping that is used on drilling rigs to facilitate the drilling of a wellbore and comes in a variety of sizes, strengths, and weights but are typically 30 to 33 feet in length...
(#16) is a joint of hollow tubing used to connect the surface equipment to the bottom hole assemblyBottom hole assemblyA Bottom hole assembly is a component of a drilling rig. It is the lower part of the drill string, extending from the bit to the drill pipe. The assembly can consist of drill collars, subs such as stabilizers, reamers, shocks, hole-openers, and the bit sub and bit.-Variations:The bottom-hole...
(BHA) and acts as a conduit for the drilling fluid. In the diagram, these are standStandStand may refer to:*Stand, Greater Manchester, a residential area in the Metropolitan Borough of Manchester, England*A partnership in cricket*STAND: A Student Anti-Genocide Coalition...
s of drill pipe which are 2 or 3 joints of drill pipe connected together and stood in the derrick vertically, usually to save time while tripping pipe. - Drill stringDrill stringA drill string on a drilling rig is a column, or string, of drill pipe that transmits drilling fluid and torque to the drill bit. The term is loosely applied as the assembled collection of the drill pipe, drill collars, tools and drill bit...
(#25) is an assembled collection of drill pipe, heavy weight drill pipe, drill collars and any of a whole assortment of tools, connected together and run into the wellboreWellboreA wellbore is any hole drilled for the purpose of exploration or extraction of natural resources such as water, gas or oil where a well may be produced and a resource is extracted for a protracted period of time....
to facilitate the drilling of a well. The collection is referred to singularly as the drill string. - ElevatorsElevators (drilling rig)Elevators, as developed for the drilling industry, are a hinged device with handles that are used to wrap around the tool joint of drill pipe, casing or lift nipples to facilitate the lifting or lowering of them singly or of the drill string as a whole.In practical use elevators are highly...
(not pictured) are hinged devices that is used to latch to the drill pipe or casing to facilitate the lowering or lifting (of pipe or casing) into or out of the wellboreWellboreA wellbore is any hole drilled for the purpose of exploration or extraction of natural resources such as water, gas or oil where a well may be produced and a resource is extracted for a protracted period of time....
. - Flow lineFlow lineA flow line, used on a drilling rig, is a large diameter pipe that is connected to the bell nipple and extends to the possum belly and acts as a return line, , to the mud tanks.-Flow Line Components:The flow line will typically have equipment attached to it,...
(#28) is large diameter pipe that is attached to the bell nippleBell nippleA ' is a section of large diameter pipe fitted to the top of the blowout preventers that the flow line attaches to via a side outlet, to allow the drilling fluid to flow back over the shale shakers to the mud tanks.See Drilling rig for a diagram....
and extends to the shale shakersShale shakersShale shakers are devices that remove drill cuttings from the drilling fluid that is used for boring holes into the earth. Controlling the solids in drilling fluid is an important component of the cost of drilling, so research into improved shaker design is ongoing.-Shale shaker design:Shale...
to facilitate the flow of drilling fluid back to the mud tanks. - Goose-neck (#10) is a thick metal elbow connected to the swivelSwivelA swivel is a connection that allows the connected object, such as a gun or chair, to rotate horizontally and/or vertically. A common design for a swivel is a cylindrical rod that can turn freely within a support structure. The rod is usually prevented from slipping out by a nut, washer or...
and standpipeDrilling rigA drilling rig is a machine which creates holes or shafts in the ground. Drilling rigs can be massive structures housing equipment used to drill water wells, oil wells, or natural gas extraction wells, or they can be small enough to be moved manually by one person...
that supports the weight of and provides a downward angle for the kelly hose to hang from. - Kelly driveKelly driveA kelly drive refers to a type of well drilling device on an oil drilling rig that employs a section of pipe with a polygonal or splined outer surface, which passes through the matching polygonal or splined kelly bushing and rotary table...
(#19) is a square, hexagonal or octagonal shaped tubing that is inserted through and is an integral part of the rotary tableRotary table (drilling rig)A rotary table is a mechanical device on a drilling rig that provides clockwise rotational force to the drill string to facilitate the process of drilling a borehole.In the diagram, #20 is the rotary table...
that moves freely vertically while the rotary table turns it. - Kelly hoseKelly hoseA Kelly hose is a flexible, steel reinforced, high pressure hose that connects the standpipe to the kelly and allows free vertical movement of the kelly while facilitating the flow of drilling fluid through the system and down the drill string....
(#9) is a flexible, high pressure hose that connects the standpipeRig standpipeA rig standpipe is a solid metal pipe attached to the side of a drilling rig's derrick that is a part of its drilling mud system. It is used to conduct drilling fluid from the mud pumps to the kelly hose. Bull plugs, pressure transducers and valves are found on the rig standpipe....
to the kelly (or more specifically to the gooseneck on the swivel above the kelly) and allows free vertical movement of the kelly, while facilitating the flow of the drilling fluidDrilling fluidIn geotechnical engineering, drilling fluid is a fluid used to aid the drilling of boreholes into the earth. Often used while drilling oil and natural gas wells and on exploration drilling rigs, drilling fluids are also used for much simpler boreholes, such as water wells. Liquid drilling fluid...
through the system and down the drill string. - Monkey board (#15) is the structure used to support the top end of the standStandStand may refer to:*Stand, Greater Manchester, a residential area in the Metropolitan Borough of Manchester, England*A partnership in cricket*STAND: A Student Anti-Genocide Coalition...
s of drill pipe vertically situated in the derrick. - Mud motorMud motorMud motor refers to a Progressive Cavity Positive Displacement Pump placed in the Drill string to provide additional power to the bit while drilling. The PCPD Pump uses Drilling Fluid to create eccentric motion in the power section of the motor which is transferred as concentric power to the...
(not pictured) is a hydraulically powered device positioned just above the drill bit used to spin the bit independently from the rest of the drill string. - Mud pumpMud pumpA mud pump is a reciprocating piston/plunger device designed to circulate drilling fluid under high pressure down the drill string and back up the annulus....
(#4) is a reciprocal type of pump used to circulate drilling fluid through the system. - Mud tankMud tankA mud tank is an open-top container, typically made of steel, to store drilling fluid on a drilling rig. They are also called mud pits, because they used to be nothing more than pits dug out of the earth....
(#1) is often called mud pits and stores drilling fluid until it is required down the wellbore. - Pipe rackPipe rackA Pipe rack is a set of steel framed structures that drill pipe is stacked on for storage or when being readied for use on a drilling rig....
(#17) is a part of the drill floorDrill floorThe Drill Floor is the heart of any drilling rig and is also known as the pad. This is the area where the drill string begins its trip into the earth. It is traditionally where joints of pipe are assembled, as well as the BHA , drilling bit, and various other tools. This is the primary work...
(#21) where the stands of drill pipe are stood upright. It is typically made of a metal frame structure with large wooden beams situated within it. The wood helps to protect the end of the drill pipe. - Rotary tableRotary table (drilling rig)A rotary table is a mechanical device on a drilling rig that provides clockwise rotational force to the drill string to facilitate the process of drilling a borehole.In the diagram, #20 is the rotary table...
(#20) rotates, along with its constituent parts, the kelly and kelly bushing, the drill string and the attached tools and bit. - Shale shaker (#2) separates drill cuttingsDrill cuttingsDrill cuttings are the broken bits of solid material removed from a borehole drilled by rotary, percussion, or auger methods. Boreholes drilled in this way include oil or gas wells, water wells, and holes drilled for geotechnical investigations or mineral exploration.The drill cuttings are commonly...
from the drilling fluid before it is pumped back down the wellboreWellboreA wellbore is any hole drilled for the purpose of exploration or extraction of natural resources such as water, gas or oil where a well may be produced and a resource is extracted for a protracted period of time....
. - StandStandStand may refer to:*Stand, Greater Manchester, a residential area in the Metropolitan Borough of Manchester, England*A partnership in cricket*STAND: A Student Anti-Genocide Coalition...
(#16) is a section of 2 or 3 joints of drill pipeDrill pipeDrill pipe, is hollow, thick-walled, steel piping that is used on drilling rigs to facilitate the drilling of a wellbore and comes in a variety of sizes, strengths, and weights but are typically 30 to 33 feet in length...
connected together and stood upright in the derrickDerrickA derrick is a lifting device composed of one tower, or guyed mast such as a pole which is hinged freely at the bottom. It is controlled by lines powered by some means such as man-hauling or motors, so that the pole can move in all four directions. A line runs up it and over its top with a hook on...
. When they are pulled out of the hole, instead of laying down each joint of drill pipe, 2 or 3 joints are left connected together and stood in the derrick to save time. - Standpipe (#8) is a thick metal tubing, situated vertically along the derrick, that facilitates the flow of drilling fluid and has attached to it and supports one end of the kelly hose.
- Suction line (#3) is an intake line for the mud pump to draw drilling fluid from the mud tanks.
- SwivelSwivel (drill rig)A ' is a mechanical device used on a drilling rig that hangs directly under the traveling block and directly above the kelly drive, that provides the ability for the kelly to rotate while allowing the traveling block to remain in a stationary rotational position while simultaneously allowing the...
(#18) is the top end of the kelly that allows the rotation of the drill string without twisting the block. - Traveling blockTraveling blockA traveling block is the freely moving section of a block and tackle that contains a set of pulleys or sheaves through which the drill line is threaded or and is opposite the crown block ....
(#11) is the moving end of the block and tackle. Together, they give a significant mechanical advantage for lifting. - Vibrating hose (#6) is a flexible, high pressure hose (similar to the kelly hose) that connects the mud pump to the stand pipe. It is called the vibrating hose because it tends to vibrate and shake (sometimes violently) due to its close proximity to the mud pumps.