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Rig vs Drilling Rig
Drilling
rigs and service rigs each have a distinct place in the exploration
and production of oil and gas. Oil and gas companies contract
drilling rigs to explore new areas. They contract service
rigs to turn an exploratory well into a producing well.
When you
see a rig on the horizon, you might have a hard time distinguishing
between the two, but the crews who run rig equipment will
tell you: the two work environments are very distinct.
Drilling
Rigs
Drilling
Rigs are larger than service rigs. (Drilling rigs known as
triples have masts that can hold 3000 feet of pipe above ground.)
When working on very deep wells, a drilling rig can be on
the same location for months.
Drilling
rigs are not bound to a specific area and will often go from
one area / or location to another. Drilling rigs run 24 hours
a day, 7 days a week. Crews work in 12-hour shifts: a day
shift and a night shift.
Crews
can live anywhere. They are responsible to arrive at the lease
site for their 'hitch' (2 weeks of 12-hours shifts) which
is followed by 7 days off. Drilling rig employees don't always
live in areas where there's oil and gas production. For example,
Kelowna BC has a surprising number of residents who work on
drilling rigs.
Crews
are paid a significant hourly wage and a subsistence allowance
to help cover expenses while they are away from home.
Service
Rigs
Service
Rigs are smaller than drilling rigs and are mobile. Service
rigs will move often (sometimes daily) to new jobs on different
wellsites. Each day is a different type of job, working with
different oilfield service providers.
Service
Rigs look after wells in a set area. Service rigs will return
to a wellsite many times: when it needs repairs, when the
oil company wants to take it offstream (temporarily halt well
production) or bring it back onstream.
Service
Rigs operate during the day. Crews work between 8- and 12-hour
shifts, depending on the assigned operation.
Crews
travel together to the worksite and travel home together each
night. Employers provide transportation and crewmembers are
paid an hourly travel wage.
Employers
cover many expenses. Crewmembers don't need their own vehicles
and transportation to the wellsite is provided. If a crew
is required to travel far enough from their home base that
they can't return home at night, employers fully cover the
crew's expenses.
Completion
or Workover Rig
This
type of oil rig is commonly called by several names such as
completion rig, workover rig, or pulling unit. The terms are
interchangeable and mean that the rig is usually only capable
of pulling pipe (tubing) in and out of the well. It consists
of a large truck with a drawworks (large winch) and a telescoping
mast built onto the bed and chassis. The truck is backed up
to a well that has already been drilled, the mast is raised
and extended, and the work begins.
This rig
only requires three men to operate and only works during the
daytime. These rigs cannot drill unless equipped with a special
equipment package called a “power swivel.” This
type of rig is used to “complete,” repair, or
swab existing wells. It is a general service type of equipment
that can do many things, but is primary used to remove tubing
from a well or place tubing in the well. Companies that supply
this type of equipment are Key Energy Services, Pool Workover
Services, and Basic Well Services.
Drilling
Drilling
is the first step that follows the identification of oil and
gas fields by Geologists. Not all drilling is successful,
but when it is, wells are put in motion to begin the production
process. Drilling rigs are used to drill the initial hole
for the oil or gas well. It is then removed and replaced by
a service rig. The crew prepares the well for production and
returns periodically for maintenance, production enhancement
and for plugging it when it stops producing.
Service
rigs vary in type and size, depending on well depths. On offshore
platforms, drilling and service rigs are typically all in
one and their functions are very similar to land-based operations.
What
do Drilling and Service Rig Operators do?
The responsibilities
of drilling and service rig operators are very similar. What
differs is the equipmentand the time spent on site.
Drilling
Rig Operators consist of three jobs:
Motorhands:
Maintain drilling rig engines, transmissions, heating systems,
diesel/electric generators, motors, hydraulic systems, and
other mechanical equipment.
Derrickhands: Operate and maintain drilling fluid systems
and pumps during the drilling process.
Drillers: Supervise the crew and operate the drill line reels,
rotary equipment and pumps.
Service
Rig Operators consist of two jobs:
Derrickhands:
Set up and dismantle the derrick, pumps and tanks; and service,
operate, inspect and monitor all pumps and engines.
Operator/Drillers: Supervise the on-site service crew and
all operations of the rig.
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