Rig equipment

Simple diagram of a drilling rig and its basic operation

Drilling rigs typically include at least some of the following items: See Drilling rig (petroleum) for a more detailed description.

• Blowout preventers: (BOPs)

The equipment associated with a rig is to some extent dependent on the type of rig but (#23 & #24) are devices installed at the wellhead to prevent fluids and gases from unintentionally escaping from the borehole. #23 is the annular (often referred to as the "Hydril", which is one manufacturer) and #24 is the pipe rams and blind rams.

• Centrifuge: an industrial version of the device that separates fine silt and sand from the drilling fluid.
• Solids control: solids control equipments for preparing drilling mud for the drilling rig.
• Chain tongs: wrench with a section of chain, that wraps around whatever is being tightened or loosened. Similar to a pipe wrench.
• Degasser: a device that separates air and/or gas from the drilling fluid.
• Desander / desilter: contains a set of hydrocyclones that separate sand and silt from the drilling fluid.
• Drawworks: (#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 block (#11).
• Drill bit: (#26) 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 pipe: (#16) joints of hollow tubing used to connect the surface equipment to the bottom hole assembly (BHA) and acts as a conduit for the drilling fluid. In the diagram, these are "stands" 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.
• Elevators: a gripping device 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 borehole.
• Mud motor: a hydraulically powered device positioned just above the drill bit used to spin the bit independently from the rest of the drill string.
• Mud pump: (#4) reciprocal type of pump used to circulate drilling fluid through the system.
• Mud tanks: (#1) often called mud pits, provides a reserve store of drilling fluid until it is required down the wellbore.
• Rotary table: (#20) rotates the drill string along with the attached tools and bit.
• Shale shaker: (#2) separates drill cuttings from the drilling fluid before it is pumped back down the borehole.

Completion Of An Oil Well

By Bob K. Jent

Once a site has been excavated and the digging has reached the appropriate depth, a well must be made ready to produce the oil the far reaching drill has accessed. This process is called the "completion" of an oil or natural gas well, and is as important a step in oil exploration as any, for, until the well is "completed", the valuable oil in the depths of the earth cannot be extracted, processed, and used ultimately by millions of consumers.

There are several different categories and types of completion that may be considered depending on the geographical or environmental concerns of an individual site. Barefoot completion is the most basic type, but can only be used when the rock formations around the well are hard and stable. Open-hole completion refers to the method where tubing is used, but the tubes are not cemented into place. Open-hole completion is very popular when dealing with horizontal wells, because cementing these wells can prove a tedious, painstaking undertaking, costing much time and money. Open-hole completion can be used in special situations where sand and debris from the formation around the well threatens movement. Open-hole sand control is the most viable option using stand-alone screens, open-hole gravel packs, and expandable screens to hold back the sand and rock so that oil production is not compromised. The most common form of completion is cased-hole completion. This involves cementing a casing or liner inside the well and is most effective in controlling the flow of the fluids within the well because of the seamless connection of the well bore and the formation. This connection is made possible through precise perforating and employment of controlled charges to increase and control oil flow.

Different completion components are used in the upper portion of the well to transport the oil from the well to the process plant. The festive name of "Christmas tree' is given to the assembly of valves which resembles the seasonal conifer of the holiday season. This assembly allows for precise control of oil flow as well as providing several points of access, allowing for well interventions such as the hooking up of a pump to import necessary chemicals into the well. Other parts of upper completion include many safety valves and production tubing in order to provide safe transport of oil to the processing plant. Companies like Triple Diamond Energy Corp can then process the valuable commodity and expedite its arrival and use by the large population of consumers in America and beyond.

Bob Jent is the president of Triple Diamond Energy Corp. Triple Diamond Energy specializes in acquiring the highest quality prime oil and gas properties. For more information, visithttp://www.triplediamondenergycorp.blogspot.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bob_K._Jent

Offshore Drilling Jobs - How To Get Hired Without Drilling Experience

By Calvin Loh

So, you want to work an offshore drilling job. Do you know which companies are involved in offshore oil drilling? Besides the super-big players like Esso, BP, Shell, etc. Did you know that these big boys do not always do their own drilling? Quite often nowadays, they are forced to subcontract some of the work to smaller players.

Have you heard of these companies: Diamond Offshore (Houston, USA), Dolphin Drilling (Tananger, Norway), and Frigstad Offshore (Singapore)? How about Offrig Drilling ASA, Scorpion Offshore, Songa Offshore and Thule Drilling ASA? These are just some of the companies in the modern oil industry. In their own way, you can call them the modern wildcatters. During the last slump in oil prices, the giants like BP and Shell stopped investing in their staff and oil drilling technologies. But some smaller companies correctly predicted that prices would rise again. They invested in R&D to develop new drilling techniques and technologies. They build new oil rigs for deep-ocean drilling. These are the boys that Shell and BP are sub-contracting for oil drilling services.

If you want to work on an offshore oil drilling rig, you have two main choices. The path most people think of is to go on board as part of the drill crew. If you have prior experience, you will probably be a pumpman or derrickman. If not, you have to get in as a roughneck or roustabout. Drillers are pretty much the 2nd-in-command and assistant of the oil rig manager. Technically, a roughneck/roustabout is a laborer. On the other hand, how many laborers earn $50,000 per year for just 6 months of work every year? Unlike a normal laborer, who never gets the chance to work his way up to manager level, a roughneck with the proper attitude has a reasonable chance to become a manager on an oil rig. Of course, first he has to work his way through derrickman and driller.

This is not the only way to get an offshore drilling job. If you have some useful trade, like a cook or medic, this will be a good choice regardless of your offshore oil rig experience. You get the same generous living conditions of the drill crew, and better salary than a comparable job on dry land.

Just because it is an offshore oil rig does not mean it does not need office staff. No matter where you go, you can't escape paperwork. You'll still find your paper pushers. Except that on the oil rig they are called tool pushers. They work in the rig offices and rig floors.

You also have the mechanical department and electrical department. The mechanical department hires motormen, mechanics and maintenance supervisors who are responsible for all mechanical operations. The electrical department includes jobs like electrician, electronics technician and maintenance supervisors who repair and look after of all the electrical equipment.

An offshore drilling job is a very lucrative career. As you can see, you do not need drilling experience to get hired on an offshore oil rig. And now that you know there are companies other than Shell hiring people, you have many ways to get in on the action. You can get in as part of the drill crew, or as a tradesman.

RigWorker.com has been helping people get offshore drilling jobs since 1998. Click here to to learn how we can help you get your offshore drilling job Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Calvin_Loh

Types of Exploration Drilling

By Carmen Linehan

There are different types exploration drilling for oil and gas. There are some areas of the world that you can find oil or gas seeping from the earth's crust. It may be visible directly or there may be a "pockmark", which is an indentation in the ocean's floor that it is created from seeping gas. It is near the surface and has broken through the crust. This is unusual. Normally wells must be drilled to reach oil and gas. This can be an expensive and timely venture. Depending on the type of exploration, an exploration well may or may not be successful.

Technology has advanced in recent years and has made exploration for oil and gas much more efficient and productive. The different methods and types of oil and gas exploration include the following:

• GRAVITY SURVEY - measures the constant downward acceleration of gravity. It can measure the smallest changes. For gravity surveys, the instrument that is used is a gravimetor or a gravitometer.
• MAGNETIC SURVEY - measures the differences in the magnetic fields in the earth. The magnetmeter is used for magnetic surveys.
• PASSIVE SEISMIC SURVEY - it detects low frequency that occurs naturally. Passive seismic surveys are done with seismometers that "listen" over hours or days.
• REFLECTIVE SEISMIC SURVEY - it uses a controlled source of energy to reflect (bounce sound). An air gun or seismic vibrator is used for reflective seismic surveys.

These are exploration methods are known as geophysical explorations.

When a type of exploration results in a "lead" then further exploration is done before drilling begins. This is usually done with more sophisticated seismic exploration is done. Different oil drilling companies have different criteria when it comes to actually starting to drill. When there is a lead in remote areas or if the lead is offshore, smaller oil companies will not be able to finance the drill and larger oil companies will be the ones that will drill the well. Though independent oil companies are responsible for a majority of the oil drilled, they will not usually take on the more expensive drill. There are an abundant number of wells that have not proven productive enough for the larger company, but will still produce significant amounts of oil and/or gas if the well was developed.

Read more about Exploration Drilling. Visit Max Tech Oil's Featured Investments Portfolio for additional project information and geological surveys for oil drilling investments. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carmen_Linehan

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Important Offshore Oil Drilling Jobs

By Jonathan Wickham

Offshore oil drilling is one of the most important sources of crude oil. Offshore oil rigs drill into the sea floor and extract crude oil from oil reserves beneath the floor. This oil is then refined and used to make gasoline, heating oil, kerosene, and other oil-based products that we use every day. The proper function of an oil rig relies on a team of engineers and workers working together to ensure that everything is as it should be. There are many important positions on an oilrig. Listed below are some important positions that ensure the proper function of an oil rig.

Drill Crew
The drill crew is made of a team of laborers. Operational labor jobs on a drill crew are directly related to the drilling of oil. A roughneck is a laborer that works to connect new sections of drill pipe to the section already in the hole. He is also responsible for machine and equipment maintenance. Other drill crew positions include the motorman and the derrickman. The motorman is responsible for the maintenance and performance of the drill motor. The derrickman is responsible for the derrick (truss work) on an oil rig.

Drill Crew Supervisors
The supervisors of the drill crew include the assistant driller, who is responsible for the supervision of the roughnecks. He works with the driller that operates the drill motor. The driller is the primary on-the-scene decision maker of an oil rig. He supervises the assistant driller, motormen, derrickmen, and roughnecks. Above him is the rig supervisor who makes decisions on all rig operations.

Although there are other various positions on an offshore oil rig, these are the main jobs responsible for the day-to-day operations.

Atlantis Recruitment ( http://www.atlantisrecruitment.com/ )is an employment agency based in Newport Beach, California. The team specializes in the placement of temporary Adhoc and permanent staff in the oil and offshore oil drilling jobs. Jonathan Wickham is a freelance writer. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonathan_Wickham

Offshore Drilling Companies - 50 Offshore Drilling Companies To Get You Started

By Calvin Loh

Are you looking for a list of offshore drilling companies because you are looking for a job in an offshore oil rig? Have you tried the big boys like Shell and BP, etc? No results, or don't want to try them for some reason?

Besides the obvious list of big boys like Shell and BP, you can also look for offshore drilling companies which do wildcatting or provide sub-contracting offshore oil drilling services to the major players. There are potentially hundreds of smaller companies which do this. Rather than cover the whole spectrum of finding oil, drilling for it and then refining and distributing the oil, these relatively small companies (for the oil and gas industry) concentrate on providing offshore drilling services. Some of them were formed during the last slump in oil prices by far-sighted investors with deep pockets, buying up equipment for pennies on the dollar. Many more were popped up just before the current boom in oil prices, or just recently to cater for the spike in demand for oil drilling services.

Here is a list of 50 offshore drilling companies to get you started: 

• Nabors Industries
• Transocean
• Diamond Offshore
• Rowan Companies
• Schlumberger
• Stena Drilling
• Tesco Drilling
• Transocean Sedco
• Prosafe ASA
• Abbot Group
• Acteon
• Akita Drilling
• Altinex
• Atwood Oceanics
• Baker Hughes
• China Oilfield Services
• Crosco Drilling
• Dolphin Drilling
• Egyptian Drilling Company
• Franklin Howard International
• Fred. Olsen Energy
• Geoservices
• Global Marine Drilling
• GlobalSantaFe
• IKM Subsea Design
• Japan Drilling Co
• KCA Deutag Drilling
• Maersk Contractors
• Metzke Engineering
• Noble Drilling
• Pajak Engineering
• Parker Drilling
• PetroMena
• Reamco
• Seadrill
• Smedvig
• Smith International
• ENSCO International
• BLAKE Offshore
• CDIS
• Coastal Drilling Company
• Crosco
• Extended Reach Drilling
• Frigstad Offshore
• Jindal Drilling & Industries
• KCA DEUTAG Drilling
• Marine Drilling Companies
• National Drilling Services
• Neptune Drilling
• Ocean Rig

Do note that these are just 50 out of hundreds, with many more new companies formed each month to cater for the growing demand of the oil rush. As the entire oil and gas industry is very fast-moving right now, there is no guarantee that all the companies will still be around. After all, the major players like Shell will almost certainly try to buy them up to secure their own supply of oil rigs and crew. Some of these companies provide both onshore and offshore services and may even provide pipelining services, so be sure to make it clear in your cover letter and resume/cv.

Not all of the companies have websites or email. You may need to do some digging to find their snail mail or off-line address so that you can send them you cover letter and resume through the post office.

To get an offshore drilling job, you can go to the major players, or you can try the smaller specialist offshore drilling companies. The major players are of course more stable (at least during the oil boom). The smaller companies, on the other hand, provide more opportunity for advancement if you are bright and hardworking.

RigWorker.com has been helping people get jobs in offshore drilling companies since 1998. Click here to find out how we can help you get your resume/cv in front of the hiring managers of the best offshore drilling companies. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Calvin_Loh

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Drilling Rig Jobs - How Do You Know If the Job Offer is Real?

By Calvin Loh

Wherever and whenever money comes into the picture, you should expect to find misinformation and scams. Recruitment for drilling rig jobs as well as other jobs in the oil and gas industry is no exception. How do you know if the job advertised on an employment website is real? How do you even know if the website itself is real (besides the biggies like Monster or the corporate websites of the oil giants like Shell, BP, etc.)? And by the way, do you know that some conmen use job offers to con job seekers out of their money?

I can already hear some people saying: "We'll be fine if we stick to Monster and the large corporate websites of well-known oil companies." That's fine. I'm sure all your competitors will be very happy to have you out of the picture. The problem with sticking only to Shell's corporate website (or their rivals like BP, Exxon Mobil, etc.) is that most of their job postings are for upper level executive positions. This is where they advertise vacancies like those for Regional Sales Manager. They do not advertise entry level jobs. In fact, they almost never hire workers for their oil rigs, preferring to outsource the operation and hiring to service companies like Schlumberger, Transocean and Halliburton.

Some of you are probably already saying: "Then we'll just go to these (Schlumberger, et. al.) websites." That's... nice. Unfortunately, they only or mainly advertise positions requiring a college education. They rarely if ever advertise vacancies for jobs like roustabouts, painters or scaffolders. If you do not have at least a relevant diploma or associate degree, you do not stand a chance.

If you want to get employed, you need to look at smaller subcontractors who do the real work for the oil service companies. You need to also look at employment websites besides Monster. But once again, we are back to the same old questions:

• Is the website real?
• Is the vacancy real?
• Is the offer real?

Let us start with the first question: Is the website real? The website of a real company should contain its contact information. This should include a physical address and a phone number. If you look at Halliburton's corporate website, you can see an example of this on their contact page. CareerBuilder, too, has full contact information on their website. On the other hand, some companies like Monster and HotJobs seem to be too arrogant and cannot be bothered to provide their physical address.

You may be wondering: Why is the physical address and phone number important? Because most scam websites never publish an address. Even if they do, the addresses are fake in most cases. In other words, you can use this information to track down a real company by cross-checking its published address against what you find in the phone book. You should also call the published phone number against the number listed in the phone book. Before you ever give up any of your personal information, you should verify whether or not the oil contractor or employment board is a real company.

Moving on, the second and third questions can be handled together. Unfortunately, there is no fool-proof way to tell if a advertisement or even job offer is genuine. All we can do is play the odds by educating ourselves about the likely salaries in the oil industry. That way, we can make an informed guess about the offered job. Here are some salary data gathered around 2003 to 2005:

• $150,000 or more: Head office management
• $100,000: Toolpusher
• $70,000 to $90,000: Mud engineers, Medics, Driller, Assistant Driller
• $50,000 to $60,000: Roustabouts, Painters, Scaffolders, Radio operators, Derrickman, Cooks, Stewards

Despite the recent recession, oil salaries remain relatively high, especially for offshore oil rigs. If someone offers you an entry level drilling rig job with a salary around $50,000 to $60,000, it is still believable. But a roustabout job for $100,000 is unlikely, not unless the price of oil jumps much higher, let's say above $200 per barrel.

Besides an overly high salary, a surer indicator of a job scam is when they ask you for money. It does not matter what they call it, whether it is a processing fee, admin fee, training fee, fee to expedite special documentation, fee for the compulsory medical checkup, equipment fee, etc. A real employer does not ask you for money before you even start work, especially in the lucrative oil industry.

Of course, once it reaches the stage of an actual job offer, you should verify the existence of your prospective employer. Ask for the name of the oil service company, the physical address and the contact phone number. Verify everything against the phone book and make sure you sign the contract at the listed address.

If you are looking for offshore drilling companies, learn more by visiting http://oilrigjobs.calvinmarketing.com/blog/ Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Calvin_Loh

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Oil Drilling Offshore Roustabout Jobs For Beginners

By Elaine Warren


Working as a roustabout is simply the greatest circumstance that has happened to me in a long time. The work hours can be lengthy, the work is formidable, but let me tell all of you, drilling for oil is absolutely exciting. I'm learning roughneck skills, learning what its all about, and understand now the drawing power of working in the oil business, specifically in the exploration and drilling. It's a real kick in the pants. (B.D., ND)
Have you heard of roustabout offshore jobs? These jobs are not for the unsteady of heart. They are hard, dirty, and in the main fraught with danger. The hours are endless, up to 12 hours daily, two to four weeks at a time. So you will be hard at it 84 hour weeks, and you had better keep up the pace all the more if you are beat, as the job can be dangerous if you aren't fully conscious of your conditions.

Despite all that, having a couple weeks of paid shore leave every month, after your two week hitch, is one of the best things about the job. You can take classes, have fun, or see your family. If this sounds like something you'd like, then continue reading, and learn just what a roustabout offshore job entails.

Jobs as a roustabout were there for me when I was out of work and feeling pretty hopeless. I was broke, had no job and no money, and couldn't get a job anywhere. Feeling really bummed out, I took a drive to Louisiana, where I stumbled into a town called Lafayette. Well, guess what they do in the wonderful burgh of Lafayette LA?

They contract for oil full-time workers, that's what.

Jobs for oil rig roustabouts like crazy. They hired my broke, self-condemning self, even wearing dirty jeans and a shirt with food on it. Man, if they hired me, they'll hire you.

The Primary Duties of Roustabout Jobs

Finish all work given during deck/maintenance operations
Relief duty for the roughnecks as required in order to gain experience for promotion
Participate in the development of newly appointed crew members
Rig maintenance such as chipping, scraping, painting, scrubbing, and cleaning
Assist the Welder as reqired
Attend special operations and weekly safety meetings
Work with the Crane riggers with the loading and unloading of provisions
Finished Training Course for Roustabouts
Many have gotten their starts on the offshore drilling platforms, and they are pleased as punch to have done so, as many of them are now drillers or tool-pushers, taking home above hundred thousand a year, and having six months a year off to enjoy that hard earned loot. Would you care to join their ranks? Then investigate becoming a roustabout offshore; roustabout jobs may be hard, but you will be very happy you did!

Have you heard of offshore roustabout jobs? Consider yourself warned: These jobs are not for the weak of heart. If you have the right stuff, we'll show you how to land one at the best roustabout jobs website around!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elaine_Warren