SPE-169213-MS

A New Approach On Automation Of Drilling Equipment

Dieter Wijning, Huisman Equipment BV

Copyright 2014, Society of Petroleum Engineers

This paper was prepared for presentation at the SPE Bergen One Day Seminar held in Grieghallen, Bergen, Norway, 2 April 2014.

This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE program committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper have not
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Abstract

This paper describes a new approach on how to automate, not mechanize, the drilling equipment on mobile
offshore drilling units. Traditionally the drilling industry builds further on the existing equipment. For true
automation a radical new approach is necessary: Equipment is no longer the core, automation is the core. The
equipment is designed around the automation. Because of the automation less people are required on the drill
floor, increasing the safety. Further the operations are more efficient, since the system can perform at consistent
high speeds.

Based on the auto-tripping technology utilized on Huisman’s LOC400 land rigsthe Noble Globetrotter II, a HuisDrill
drill ship design, was equipped with and tested with an auto-tripping system. During the design of this auto-
tripping system it was discovered that the existing equipment was the limiting factor. Therefore, a new drilling
equipment set was designed with automation as the core. This resulted in a system which is different than
traditional systems.

The Dual Multi Purpose Tower (DMPT) enhances safety during auto-tripping by physically separating the drilling
side of the tower from the construction side of the tower. On the drilling side of the tower the drill floor is
unmanned during auto-tripping while on the construction side people can continue to perform various tasks safely
and unencoumbered by the auto-tripping operation. The DMPT functions as a safety barrier between the two
floors. People are not working on a drill floor where also automated machinery is moving.

Furthermore the stiff box structure of the DMPT provides a good foundation for the vertical pipe handling
machines. Simple and identical motions of various handling devices enable automation. The handling devices are
outfitted with easy to exchange tool assemblies for various functions. The following tool assemblies are available:
pipe grippers for a range of pipes, power tongs, horizontal-to-vertical tools, special tools for completions, man-
riding baskets, etcetera.

In addition, a tubular database is integrated in the control system. The database stores various data about the
tubulars (length, type, running hours, etcetera) and keeps track of the position of each of the tubulars in the
setback or in the well center. With this system it is exactly known how many tubulars are in the hole, what the total
length of the drill string is and whether there are unshearable elements in the BOP. The driller no longer has to
keep track with a paper tally list.

The utilization of the tower’s handling devices enables more efficient drilling and completions operations. A
constant high tripping speed can be achieved by automating the handling devices and, since less or no people
are required on the drill floor, the safety is greatly increased. The auto-tripping/drilling further enables other
automation innovations: for example automated drilling, MPD, dual gradient drilling in combination with input from
downhole sensors.
2 SPE-169213-MS

In addition to the above, the riser running speed can be significantly increased by handling unconventionly longer
risers. Due to the open characteristics of the DMPT (no-V-door limitations) and the large below deck space in the
vessel, risers can be stored and upended with lengths up to 150ft. Additionally, a large workshop is provided
inside the hull with space for maintenance and inspection of risers on-board the vessel

Introduction

Currently the oil and gas industry faces multiple challenges: increasing focus on safety, rising costs, more difficult
wells, and a scarcity of well trained personnel. One can summarize these in two themes: safety and efficiency
(cost reduction). Automation can improve both. But what exactly is automation? And how does it affect drilling
equipment design and its operations? What does it bring and what does it cost?

To make fundamental changes we have to understand the drilling process and the design of the equipment and
how these two could affect each other. We, as an industry, have to do this together: Operators, Contractors and
Designers.

What is automation?

There is still some misunderstanding what automation exactly is. Automation and mechanization are sometimes
used interchangeably. So first we should get the definitions right. Mechanization decreases muscular
requirements of people: That is machines, controlled by humans, do the work. Humans still have to think and
control the machines. Automation decreases sensory and mental requirements of people: That is, humans do not
need to control the machines and, therefore, have to think less. Or, more importantly, they can use their brains for
better purposes. On most of the offshore rigs today a large part of the work is mechanized, but not automated.

To successfully automate drilling systems in this conservative industry we have to automate step by step and
communicate/celebrate our successes. The following steps may be taken:
1. First we start with a basic level of automation: the repeater, the machines do the exact same thing again
and again.
2. The next level can be an automated control system with self-assessment of unexpected events,
3. And next, a level of self-optimizing control systems can be incorporated

Also the systems controlled by automation can be increased step by step: First automate the surface machinery,
then add mud systems, down hole systems and pressure control systems.

Why automate

Why should we automate? The drill floor is one of the most dangerous places to work: large pieces of
(mechanized) machinery, heavy loads, overhead equipment and high power are involved. The drill floor has not
fundamentally changed for decades. With the increasing focus on safety, the time for change is now here.

Drill floor decades ago Drill floor 2013

Drill floor activites are a repetitive type work. A drill crew must perform the same actions, for example making up a
drill pipe connection, hundreds of times. It goes well for a thousand times but during the thousand and one time
an accident happens. Robots do not get tired and can do the same actions precisely and repetitively over and
over again.
This has another advantage as well: The work performed by the robot has a predictable high quality (when set up
properly). This also has a predictable impact on speed. A clear example is shown below. The graph shows slip-to-
slip connection times on the Globetrotter II drill ship with Huisman drilling equipment.

Slip to slip times GT

The red arrow shows that with the existing equipment, Crew A, in full swing, reached a connection time of
approximately 2 minutes (see red arrow). The connection time of 2 minutes clearly shows that the equipment itself
can achieve 2 minutes connection times. If fully repeatable, this would lead to a tripping speed of approximately
3200 feet per hour. One can see that in the beginning of their shift, however, Crew A had to get up to speed and
then became tired at the end of the shift. Also the next crew, Crew B, was much slower. Overall an average
connection time of 3-1/2 minutes was achieved by both crews. If the drilling crews were replaced by a robot which
performed the same as Crew A at their best (i.e. 2 minutes connection time), approximately 12 hours could be
saved on a single round trip from 32000ft. In dollars: $500,000 savings are realized on a single round trip.

A new approach for automation

During the designed and build of the automated tripping system for the Noble Globetrotter II it was observed that
for making real step changes we have to approach automation in a different way. Next the aspects for success
will be discussed.

One has to start with the process. The process should be suitable for automation. Maybe we have to change
certain elements of the drilling process to enable automation. A good example is the car industry. Henry Ford
understood that the process of building cars had to change to enable mechanization and later automation of the
process. We should look around at other industries and pick good ideas from everywhere.

Changed car building process

Next aspect: Simplicity. Keep the process, the motions involved, ways of measuring simple. More complexity will
make automation exponentially more difficult.

Automation is the core. One must think the other way around. Not: how can we automate the process but: how do
we design the process in such a way that it can be automated. And we have to do this step by step. We have to
show the successes and then add another piece of the puzzle.
Impact of new approach

A new approach can have a huge impact. As an example the Globetrotter drill ship was designed with the
integrated design approach: This means that the drilling equipment cannot be seen as separate from the vessel.
Since drilling is the “mission” of the unit,the “Mission Equipment”, the drilling system, is first designed and then the
vessel is designed around the “Mission Equipment”. The result is a purposefully and efficiently designed
“system”.. As an example, the Globetrotter is the same size as the Bully but can carry much 67% more payload
and has a much more usable deck space.

Noble Bully I (left) and Noble Globetrotter I (right)

DMPT, A new way of organizing

The Dual Multi Purpose Tower (DMPT) is a welded structure with two hoists, one on each side. The DMPT can
perform the same drilling operations as a traditional dual derrick. But, because of the absence of a V-door
restriction, the method of handling equipment is dramatically changed. In short: this new way of handling
equipment on board a drill ship (or semi submersible) led to a drill ship design which has the same or more
functionality of traditional drill ships, nearly twice the available deck space and is significantly more efficient to
operate.

Comparison traditional drillship (left) versus HuisDrill 12000 (right)

The forward side (right on the picture below) is used for drilling operations. This side is automated and when
working in auto-mode personnel are not permitted to be on the drill floor for safety reasons. The aft side of tower
(left on the picture below) is used for stand building, BOP and riser running etcetera. This floor can be manned
when the drilling side is in auto-mode since the tower acts as a barrier protecting the people on the aft side from
automated machinery on the forward side. On both ends of the tower a rotating setback drum is mounted and, on
each of the 4 corners, pipe handlers are mounted. In this way, the aft side can build stands out of joints and fill
one setback drum, while the drilling side is running stands of pipe in the hole from the other setback drum.

Top view of DMPT Side view of DMPT

The setup is relatively easy to automate. The movements are simple: rotate and extend (no translating rackers).
The slots in the setback can hold various pipe diameters. And the setup has several built-in redundancy features

Innovative pipe handling system

With the feedback and lessons learned of the Noble Bully’s and the Noble Globetrotter’s, the next generation
automated pipe handling system was designed. Motions were kept simple and the control system was taken as
the core of the design. The new pipe handling system incorporates small robust multi-functional manipulators
which are mounted on rails built into the corners of the tower. The manipulators can be exchanged easily and can
be maintained offline. The entire handling system is designed for a slip-to-slip connection time of approximately
70 seconds resulting in a tripping speed of approximately 5000 ft/hr.

Multi functional manipulator on DMPT Drill floor with multi functional manipulators
The multi-functional manipulators are outfitted with quick connect heads. Tools can be exchanged quickly and
without human interference. In this manner, the driller can always choose the right tool for the job and the tools
which are not used can be maintained offline. On the drill floor two manipulators (identical to the manipulators for
handling the pipe) are mounted. In this way two iron roughnecks are available at all times. Now the driller has one
spare roughneck or he can use one for drill pipe with one for casing stand by.

Innovative “rotary” table and travelling block

The drilling system incorporates also a new type of rotary table. The table (red in below diagram) has a U-shape
and can skid away from the drill string while the string is suspended in the well center by the topdrive. A power
slip is mounted in the table which can handle pipes from 2-7/8” up to 10” without changing inserts. When skidding
away a very large opening is created and thus large centralisers etc can be lowered through without the need to
remove bushings and adaptor rings. Conventionally bushings and adaptor rings are removes by the drill crew with
help of tuggers, leading to potentially dangerous situations. A second table (yellow in below diagram) can be
setup for casing, allowing very fast change overs from drill pipe to casing or CSG to drill pipe.

Skidding rotary table: clamping pipe (left), rotating pipe (middle), passing large elements (right)

Further the travelling block was redesigned. The elevator, or pipe clamp, is no longer suspended on the topdrive
but has its own suspension directly on the travelling block. In this way the topdrive is no longer in the heavy load
path during lowering of very heavy strings. The topdrive can be less complex as it no longer needs to have pipe
handling functions. This would reduce the risk of dropped objects. Further the topdrive can be removed and
maintained during tripping. The pipe clamp features double safeties in order to ensure that the pipe weight is
safely supported by the clamp (the clamp is closed and pipe is properly gripped in the clamp allowing pipe
handover without visual check). Also multiple pipe clamps can be stored underneath the topdrive allowing fast
change overs from CSG to drill pipe or visa versa.

Innovative travelling block

HuisDrill 12000 drill ship – A new approach

The design of the complete drill ship was also revisited. The Noble Globetrotter design was enlarged from 189m x
32.2m to 206m x 35m increasing the payload from 20000mt to 30000mt. Also the tower capacity can be upgraded
from 2.4 mln lbs to 3.0 mln lbs. A work deck above the existing main deck was added, providing a very large open
and available deck space (1-1/2 times of what traditional drill ships have). Further, the drill floor is now truly flush
with the work deck enabling easy and safe transport of items and people to and from the drill floor and construction
floor without any stairs or elevation changes All fixed mounted equipment and rental equipment (such as: cement
unit, ROVs, cuttings handling etc.) are located below the work deck. Also, all marine equipment (mooring gear,
ventilation houses, loading stations, burner boom) are located under the work deck, providing true open and
availalble deck space.

The vessel is capable of storing two large BOPs (up to 8 ram 20k 18-3/4” stacks) and a number of X-mas trees.
She further can store and run 150ft (or double 75ft) riser joints speeding up the riser running process dramatically.
In total 4000m of risers can be stored allowing the vessel to operate in eXtreme Deep Waters (XDW). Various
Operators and Contractors were consulted to incorporate solutions in the design, which will solve many of their
common challenges and operational issues, providing a step change in efficiency.

HuisDrill 12000 drill ship

A similar approach has been taken for the new semi-submersible design, the Orion. Utilizing the same equipment,
having the drill floor flush with the main deck and an automated drill floor, the Orion provides similar step changing
efficiencies. By adding a tensioner she can lay infield flexible pipe lines as well. We believe this is interesting for
remote areas where no pipe layers are available.

Orion semi submersible drilling unit in flex lay mode

Conclusion

Automation will be the future for drilling system: it will make drilling faster, more consistent and save. One has to
design a system with automation as the core, not the other way around.