DE TORRES, CHRISTIAN DAVE R.

PETE 3107
PetE 408 DRILLING TECHNOLOGY

Rotary Drilling
Drilling Team
 Company man
 Tool pusher
 Driller
 Derrickman
 Rotary Helpers

1. Company man
 Also called company representative
 He represents the operating company and their interests at the drilling site. He usually lives on
a trailer on-site and is on duty 24 hours a day. He is in charge of all the company’s activities,
including the drilling plan or strategy of the well, overseeing the safe and efficient operations of
the expensive complex equipment, coordination of services and supplies, and he makes any
onsite company decisions during drilling operations.

2. Tool pusher
 Also called rig superintendent  He represents the drilling contractor at the drilling area.
Typically, the tool pusher is an experienced driller having worked as a rotary helper or
derrickman, and is an expert in drilling operations and rig equipment and machinery. He is on-
site, is on duty 24 hours a day and is in direct charge of drilling operations and related matters,
such as the coordination of drilling and service crews.

3. Driller
 The driller is in charge of the drilling crew that actually drills the well and is directly
responsible to the tool pusher. He supervises the crew and the routine drilling operations from a
control console located near the draw works on the rig floor. The console allows him to operate
the equipment used in the rig’s component system and to monitor drilling operations.

4. Derrickman
 Sometimes called the “assistant driller”
 During trips, when sections of the drill stem are moved in and out of the wellbore, he is
stationed high above the rig floor on a platform called monkey board.
 In addition, he is directly responsible for the condition of the drilling fluid and maintenance
and repair of the circulating system equipment.

5. Rotary Helpers

 Usually called the “floormen,” “roughnecks” or “driller’s helpers,” assist the driller and
derrickman during routine drilling operations.  There are at least two or three rotary helpers
assigned to the crew.  Their primary responsibility is to handle and maintain the equipment and
tools used in routine drilling operations.  A new inexperienced rotary helper is called a “worm.”

A work shift
 Drilling crews usually works a standard eight-hour shift called a “tour” once every 24 hours.
Several crews are usually rotated.
 Drilling operations are usually continuous with three hours worked each day; 1.) a morning or
daylight tour from about 6AM to 2PM; 2.) an afternoon or evening tour from 2PM to 10PM; and
3.) a midnight or graveyard tour from 10PM to 6AM.
 Offshore drilling crews usually work at twelve-hour tour once every 24 hours for consecutive
days. However, this may vary depending on the contractor and rig location.

The Drilling Crew is Assigned

 The regular drilling crew is supported by a number of other men, such as specialty crewmen
and service company personnel. Specialty crewmen may be assigned to several rigs on an “as
needed” basis. In addition, many service companies are needed to assist in drilling the well. Of
these certain company personnel are usually needed on most wells.

Specialty Crewmen
 A motorman
 A rig mechanic
 A rig electrician
 1. The motorman
 He is responsible for keeping the prime movers and auxiliary engines that supply most of the
power equipment to the rig’s component systems in good working order. He is also responsible
for their repair.

2. The rig mechanic

 He is an all-around handy man who can inspect, maintain and make minor repairs on almost
any piece of mechanical equipment on the rig.

3. The rig electrician

 He is responsible for inspecting, maintaining and making minor repairs on the electrical
generators and their distribution or wiring systems. This includes everything from rig lighting to
small electrical appliances.

Service Company Personnel

 The mud engineer
 The mud logger
 The casing and cementing crews

1. Mud Engineer
 Also called as mud man
 He is assigned to the drilling complex by the “mud” company that will supply the components
for the drilling fluid used in the circulating system during drilling operations.
 His major function is to test and maintain the drilling fluid properties as directed by the
“planned mud program” for the well and down hole conditions encountered.

2. Mud Logger
 He lives and works on-site in a portable trailer laboratory
 He monitors the cuttings, determines the type of formation being drilled and whether any oil or
gas is present
 3. Casing and Cementing Crews
 They work for specialty service companies that assist in the regular drilling of a well.
 They assemble, operate and maintain their specialized equipment, which is used during casing
cementing operations.

DRILLING RIGS
 Are massive structural equipment that is used to drill water, oil wells, or natural gas extraction
wells. By rotating a bit, a hole is drilled using a downward force.

Types of Drilling Rigs

 Land Rigs
 Submersible Rigs
 Jack-up Rigs
 Platform Rigs
 Semisubmersible Rigs  Drillship Rigs

Configurations
 1. Land Drilling Rigs
 They typically come in light, medium or heavy configuration
 Is moved using heavy trucks and cranes
 Small rigs may only drill to a thousand feet
 But larger ones are capable of 12,000 and more.

2. Submersible Drilling Rigs

 Tend to drill in fairly shallow water. They flood the legs with water and submerge.
 Some of the rig is above water, and crews drill from that location
 Swamp type, river and inland by areas
 Typical water depths are 20feet

3. Jack-up Drilling Rigs

 Have lattice legs which can be hoisted and lowered at will
 They are hoisted and the rig is either towed or transported by ship.
 When in location, the legs are lowered to the sea-bed.
 Jack-up rigs can drill in water depths up to 400ft.

4. Platform Drilling Rigs

 Are immobile once built
 However, they drill several wells from one location
 They can be tender assisted
 Steel Jacket, Caisson type, Concrete Gravity

5. Semisubmersible Drilling Rigs

 Has hollow legs and pontoons. Like the submersible, the legs are also flooded
 However, anchors and/or thrusters and positioners keep the rig in position
 When thrusters are used, it is called dynamic positioning.

Drillship
 Are self-propelled, floating offshore drill units
 A template which has holes drilled though it is fitted to the sea bed