Setting the standard: Rig inspection

Overview

Our client began operations in Argentina in 1978 in the areas of gas exploration, production and transportation and distribution of specialty chemicals.

Our client has a clear set of standards that it requires its global operations, subsidiaries and contractors to comply with. The cost of noncompliance can be significant in terms of cost, operational efficiency and safety. Our client required four drill rigs to be inspected to ensure, guarantee and minimise the time lost due to technical failures in equipment. Our client required a third party to ensure the quality of the services provided by leased land rigs.

How we helped

We conducted inspections of four drill rigs owned by different contractors to determine if they complied with the standards developed by our client.

• Rig inspections
• Rig acceptance
• Dropped object surveys

The following inspection recommendations were made based on critical items:

• The circuit breakers were in good mechanical condition, and working well, however they hadn’t been tested for a number of years. Recommendation to perform in the circuit breakers, the current injection test, as recommended by IEEE 242, NFPA 70B 11.10 and AS/NZS 3019:2007.
• During the pneumatic pumps check, the rig air system had a failure. First the system didn’t have enough air pressure to run the pneumatic pumps normally, later the rig air compressors had a shut down. The Rig Air Compressors system didn’t supply enough air to these pneumatic pumps, critical as failure can cause downtime.
• Cleaning required of the TREDI Programmable logic controller (PLC) panel inside the driller’s cabin and recommendation to close the open hole and to install correct cable glands, in the signals cables in order to stop powder ingress in the panel.
• Install, following correct procedure, the safety sling on snatch block.

The impact

• Predictive inspection ensured all assets would perform at 100%, avoiding any downtime.
• Highlighted deficiencies and non-conformities.
• Ensured our client’s equipment supplier partners were in compliance with industry best practices and our client standards.
• Reduction of fatal hazards during operations through implementation of our dropped objects program.
• All expertise applied was in accordance API Regulation.

Proof Points

• Compliance with the standards
• Hazard reduction
• Risk reduction