Proper maintenance prevents premature equipment failure, which may cause injuries or fatalities. Drilling equipment is subjected to stress and
vibration during operations.
Maintenance is a necessary and ongoing activity on the drilling site.
Maintenance activities include maintaining the:
Figure 106: Welding Operations
- Rig Floor
- Drilling Line Maintenance - Wire Rope Maintenance - Mud Circulating System
- Generator, Electric Motors and Electrical Systems - Engines
- Derrick Equipment Maintenance
Rig floor
Maintenance activities include inspecting, adjusting, and servicing on
equipment such as , , , , air hoists, and
wire rope.
Potential Hazards:
draworks rotary catheads tongs
- Slips, trips, and falls.
Possible Solutions:
- Wear personal protective equipment (such as hard hats, work gloves, safety shoes, and eye protection)
- Be aware of the slipping and falling hazards when performing maintenance on the drilling floor.
- Keep all work areas clean and clear of oil, tools, and debris - Use non-skid surfaces where appropriate.
- Getting fingers and hands pinched in machine guards or covers.
- Receiving sprains and strains.
Possible Solutions:
- Wear personal
protective equipment (such as hard hats, work gloves, safety shoes, and eye protection) - Use proper
lockout/tagout procedures.
- Seek assistance when moving awkward and heavy guards and covers.
- Maintain all machinery free of leaks by regular preventive
maintenance and
repairing when necessary.
Figure 107: Engines, compound and draworks
Figure 108: Drilling line
Drilling line maintenance
The is the steel wire rope reeved through the crown block and traveling block. It must be inspected, slipped and cut regularly.
Potential Hazards:
drilling line
Receiving injuries to face and eyes from flying chips of metal when slipping and cutting the line.
Being caught in moving equipment.
Slips, trips, and falls.
Being struck by drilling line.
Possible Solutions:
Use proper lockout/tagout procedures.
Wear proper personnel protective equipment when cutting line.
Attach a red flag or other warning device to the draworks clutch lever as a reminder to the driller whenever the crown safety device is moved or deactivated to allow the traveling block to be raised above the preset stopping point.
Secure drilling line ends prior to cutting.
Wire rope maintenance
daily or per maintenance schedule.
Potential Hazards:
Getting cuts from the pe.
Receiving injuries to
Possible Solutions:
Visually inspect wire ropes
wickers or loose strands on the ro
face and eyes from flying chips when cutting wire rope.
Wear proper personnel en
Seize wire rope before cutting.
Figure 111: Proper wire rope placement
protective equipment wh cutting wire rope.
Figure 110: Improper wire rope placement Figure 109: Travelling 'hoisting' block
Mud circulation system
Maintenance activities include inspecting, adjusting, servicing on equipment such as
, hoses, hose connections, pop-off valve,
, belts, and
guards.
mud pumps
shale shakers
Figure 112: Top view of shale shakers
Potential Hazards:
Being caught between, or struck by equipment.
Slips, trips, and falls.
Receiving a foreign body or fluid in the eye.
Burned by fluid contact.
Drowning in mud tank/pit.
Receiving strains and sprains.
Possible Solutions:
Use proper lockout/tagout procedures.
Wear personal protective equipment (such as hard hats, work gloves, safety shoes, and eye protection).
Be aware of the slipping and falling hazards when working on the mud circulating system.
Provide guardrails and guards around mud tanks.
Generators, electrical motors and electrical systems Electrical connections and power cords
need to be checked for wear for deterioration and replaced if needed.
Electric motors need to be serviced at recommended intervals. All guards
should be present and correctly installed and motors electrical connections need to be kept sealed.
Potential Hazards:
Figure 113: Electric control panel
Receiving flash burns or shocks when servicing motors, generators, and breaker panels.
Figure 114: Electric rig motor
Possible Solutions:
Do not wash down generators, electric motors and breaker panels with water hose.
Use proper lockout/tagout procedures.
Wear appropriate personal protective equipment.
Avoid wearing jewelry.
Do not stand directly in front of breakers when operating.
Use dielectric mat in front of control panel or breaker panel.
Potential Hazards:
Being caught in moving equipment.
Possible Solutions:
Avoid wearing jewelry.
Use proper lockout/tagout procedures.
Wear appropriate personal protective equipment.
Cover with appropriate shields or guards all exposed revolving parts such as belts, flexible drives, generators, shafts and other moving parts to prevent contact and injury.
Engines
Engines require servicing at recommended intervals.
Potential Hazards:
Figure 115: Row of three Diesel driven rig engines
Getting burned by hot fluids or engine parts.
Possible Solutions:
Wear appropriate personal protective equipment.
Let engine cool down before working on it.
Use proper lockout/tagout procedures.
Potential Hazards:
Being caught in moving equipment or moving parts.
Possible Solutions:
Wear appropriate personal protective equipment.
Use proper lockout/tagout procedures.
Cover all exposed revolving parts with appropriate shields and guards.
Derrick equipment maintenance
Figure 116: Crown block
Maintenance activities in the derrick consists of lubricating the swivel, traveling block, and crown block, and replacement of swivel packing.
Potential Hazard:
Getting caught between equipment and objects.
Possible Solutions:
Use proper lockout/tagout procedures.
Potential Hazard:
Falling from heights.
Possible Solutions:
Use appropriate fall protection.
Potential Hazard:
Being struck by falling tools or equipment.
Figure 117: Swivel maintenance
Possible Solutions:
Wear appropriate personnel protective equipment.
Minimize the number of personnel working on the rig floor.
Appendices
Appendix 1: Physical properties of H2S
A.1 Physical Data
Chemical Name: Hydrogen Sulfide
CAS Number: 7783-06-4
Synonyms: Sulfureted hydrogen, hydrosulfuric acid, dihydrogen sulfide
Chemical Family: Inorganic sulfide
Chemical Formula: H2S
Normal Physical State: Colorless gas, slightly heavier than air.
Vapor density (specific gravity) at 59°F (15°C) and 1 atmosphere = 1.189.
Auto ignition Temperature: 500º F
Boiling Point: -76º F
Melting Point: -117.2º F
Flammable Limits: 4.3-46 percent vapor by volume in air
Solubility: Soluble in water and oil: solubility decreases as the fluid temperature increases
Combustibility: Burns with a blue flame to produce sulfur dioxide (SO2). Refer to Appendix B Odor and Warning Properties:
Hydrogen sulfide has an extremely unpleasant odor, characteristic of rotten eggs, and is easily detected at low
concentrations: however, due to rapid onset of olfactory fatigue and paralysis (inability to smell) ODOR SHALL NOT BE USED AS A WARNING MEASURE.
A.2 Exposure Limits T
recommends a Threshold Limit Value of 10ppm and a short-term exposure (STEL) limit of 15 ppm averaged over 15 minutes.
Exposure at the STEL should not be repeated more than four times per day with at least 60 minutes between successive exposures in this range.
he American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists
centrations can lead to injury of death.
of smell will be
A.4
all be worn above the action level. Refer g equipment recommendations for oil A.3 Physiological Effects
Inhalation at certain con
The 300 ppm is considered by the ACGIH as Immediately
Dangerous to Life and Health. Hydrogen sulfide is an extremely toxic, flammable gas that may be encountered in the production of gas well gas, high-sulfide, high sulfur content crude oil, crude oil fractions, associated gas, and waters. Since hydrogen sulfide is heavier than air, it can collect in low places. It is colorless and has a foul rotten egg odor. In low concentrations, H2S
sometimes can be detectable by its characteristic odor; however, the smell cannot be relied upon to forewarn of dangerous
concentrations (greater than 100ppm) of the gas because it rapidly paralyzes the sense of smell due to paralysis of the olfactory nerve. A longer exposure to the lower concentrations has a similar desensitizing effect on the sense of smell.
It should be well understood that the sense
rendered ineffective by hydrogen sulfide, which can result in an individual failing to recognize the presence of dangerously high concentrations. Exposure to hydrogen sulfide causes death by poisoning the respiratory system at the cellular level. Symptoms from repeated exposures to low concentrations usually disappear after not being exposed for a period of time. Repeated exposures to low concentrations that do not produce effects eventually may lead to irritation if the exposures are frequent.
Respiratory Protection Respiratory protection sh to 6.6 for proper breathin
and gas well drilling and servicing operations involving hydrogen sulfide.