RigPig

we are towing the rig in the indian ocean, 12 -15 metre swells tonite, tug boat cant pull us so we are going backwards at 2 knots.
20-25 degree roles, i want calm weather

Rick Astley

Yeh, well it's raining that much our water butt is full and I'm having to go out in the rain and empty it into buckets and throw it down the drain.

You thought you had it hard!!

escos-jim

iTrader: (1)

tell me about it.... i've stuck the central heating on!!

RigPig

its not cold here, just fucking rough.

Rhys

Get some pics!!!

RigPig

too dark to get any pics, will get some in the morning, if we are still afloat LOL

dave cos4x4

iTrader: (5)

rather you than me, fook that!

pics would be good.

Maria.

Ive put the heating on too! its tipping it down!

Mike C

iTrader: (1)

Pissing down with rain here, but I got all the windows open. I'm fucking melting!

RigPig

where are you mike ?

Rhys

Awesome, get some pics up if u can tomorrow! Would be cool to see.

Hope it goes well, would be boring if it was plain sailing

burnzy

just spent 2 weeks in mallia and now back to this rainning dump Whoo!hoo!

but as said pics of big waves would be good i'm fasinated by the sea, and how powerful it can be

Mk1-stu

heating on ??? behave people !! it's pretty warm here still, garden thermometre says 20 degree's even though it's pissing down !!

i'd love to see pics too !!! ( not of the heating before you funny fuckers start !! )

M K

iTrader: (9)

I'm stuck in the carillion compound on the m1 at toddington waiting to go on the road and work the hard shoulder but it's far too dangerous with the rain and spray!
Feet on the dash time lol

RigPig

Blackford Dolphin

GENERAL
Name: Blackford Dolphin
Flag: Singapore
Manager: Dolphin Drilling Ltd.
Year Built: 1974. Major Deepwater Upgrade 2006/2007
Builder: Aker Nylands Verksted AS, Oslo, Norway (1974), Keppel Verolme (2006/2007)
Design: Aker H3
Classification: DNV + 1A1, R, Column Stabilised Drilling Unit, HELDK-SH, CRANE and Drill


MAIN DIMENSIONS
Length: 108,3 m (355,3 ft)
Breadth: 84.1 m (276 ft)
Height: 36,57 m (120 ft), Main Deck elevation above baseline

OPERATING PARAMETERS
Water Depth: 7000 ft Maximum (Outfitted for 6000 ft)
Maximum Drilling Depth: 30000 ft (9144 m)
Transit Speed: 4,5 knots (towed)
Survival Conditions: Hs 16,8 m (Hmax 32 m), Max wind 100 knots, Current velocity 2,0 knots
Drilling Conditions: Hs 8,4 m, Max wind 100 knots

CAPACITIES
Variable Deck Load: 4500 mt (9,920,802 lbs)
Liquid Mud: 5000 bbls (596 m3)
Bulk Mud/Cement: 8 x 2170 ft3

DRILLING EQUIPMENT
Derrick: 1500 kips (750 st) Static Hookload Capacity, 40 ft x 35 ft x 160 ft
Drawworks: NOV SSGD – 4600 with 4 AC Motors
Rotary: NOV D-605, 60 ˝” opening
Topdrive: NOV (Hydralift) HPS 750-E-AC-KT with 750 st Load Capacity
Riser Tensioners: 6 x NOV DWRT-200-50 Dual Wireline Tensioners, Max capacity 2,400,000 lbs
Motion Compensators: Crown Mounted Compensator, 1500 kips static / 800 kips (363 mt) compensating load
Mud Pumps: 3 x NOV 14-P220 with 2200 hp each

MACHINERY
Main Power: 4 x Catepillar Model 3612, 3800 KW, 5096 Hp Max continuous power
Emergency Power: 1 x Caterpillar 1800 KW
Propulsion: In-line propulsion system (Propulsion assist mode only)

SUBSEA SYSTEMS
BOP: 18 ž” Hydril 15k (2 + 3 Cavity)
Control System: ABB / Vetco Multiplex system
Diverter: Hydril FS 1500 psi
Choke and Kill: 3 1/16” RB Pipetech 15k H2S (including Mud Gas Seperator)

MOORING
Winches: 8 x NOV BLM W325 AC Single Wildcat, Electric, 293 mt rated pull
Wire/Chain: Wire / Chain combination
Anchors: 8 off

CRANAGE
2 x 85 mt @ 16,7 m Knuckle Boom Cranes

ACCOMMODATION
130 (120 in 2-man cabins)

This gives you some idea how big it is, and the sea is chucking us about like a cork just now.

burnzy

Maximum drilling depth 30,000ft

can i ask what happens if you was in the middle of drilling and you got hit by rough sea's, i'm guessing cos it floats they'd be movement wouldn't it bend or break drills.

i obviously have no idea of rigs so be gentle with me .

Mk1-stu

just looked at some piccies of it on google..

http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl...-8&sa=N&tab=wi

it's fuckin huuuuuuuuuge

Mike C

iTrader: (1)

West Mids.

RigPig

we can drill in up to 8m of swell as we have a heave compensator at the top of the derrick, this will keep a constant weight on the driling bit. think of it as fucking huge shock absorber

Rich_bloor

they're sucked into the ocean bed with a vacume so they dont move when drilling, i think...

Psycho Warren

iTrader: (5)

nice swell!! And roll!!

Man up youll get used to it Pain in the arse sleeping in it though!!

Does your bed have a safety strap so you can strap in??

RigPig

not to sure what you mean there buddy, but we float all the time and are held in place by some rather large anchors and chain.

burnzy

theres always something good about being around big machinery , i wouldn't be able to keep my hands to myself if i was there

guess if it's any more than 8m swell then you have to stop in fear of breaking tools.

just one more question and i'm finnished honestly

when you have drilled into something i.e oil or gas and say the sea got ruff and you did have to pull the drill out what do you do to stop the oil or gas escaping from the hole made.

cutch

iTrader: (1)

Mines on tow down to cape town just now, bet you wish you were on that, nice calm waters!!!


http://www.prideinternational.com/fw...fic-18C65.html

cutch

iTrader: (1)

we use drilling mud, usually when you drill into a formation you take a leak off test, this will tell you how much pressure it takes to push into the formation ie weight of the fluid you are using to drill with. when you pull the drill bit and jewellery out the mud obviously stays there, and keeps a constant weight against the oil and gas trying to scape into the hole, which only has one way to go when it gets in there.....

RigPig

well put mate.
for those that are interested.
hydrastatic pressure = mud weight(ppg)x.052x tvd (true vertical depth )
this will give you psi at the bottom of the well.

Smit

iTrader: (5)

Day light yet Bob? Get picture taking

CossieRich

iTrader: (1)

we await pictures

RSTurboSI

iTrader: (1)

His rig has probs fallen over, or hes a lazy git and gone sleep

Retro Al

iTrader: (1)

If you could get a drill bit big enough could you drill all the way to the other side of the world? lol

dunketh

Crazy. I wouldnt want to be on a rig in this weather!

I thought I had it bad, I couldnt hold the bicycle straight across the beach road this morning. Wind howling across the sea nearly blew me clean off a few times.

Lambchop

iTrader: (1)

treble fuck that, i'd rather take it up the arse
i hate being on a semi

30,000 ft is still noweher near the world record which i think must be high 40k's just now! convert that to miles!

the drill bit is only the part on the very bottom and maybe 1-2ft max height. Rest is tools etc(jewelery as Bob called it) and run on drill pipe. If there is bad weather you can suspend the drill pipe at the sea bed down wards. You have a riser betwen the rig and seabed which is effectively the start of the hole which is then unlatched and pulled to stop the heave pulling it to bits. The drill pipe, bit, tools etc run inside this riser with drilling fluid and it's not seawater.

You might be thinking of a jackup which has large legs that sit on the seabed and you can jack the rig height to suit seabed level. Canonly be used in certain shallower depths though.

As Cutch says there is Drilling Fluid(called Mud but is liquid) in the hole for loads of reasons. It stops hole collapse (imagine digging in the sand at the beach and the sides fall in), holds the downhole formation pressure back, helps flow the cuttings out of the hole etc. I'm a Mud Engineer.

Any more questions just ask. It's a fascinating business


As said above its not the bit size thats the problem its the amounbt of drill pipe to run it on, oh and the earths core

burnzy

Oooooo! yea it is fascinating will have more questions later just having a bit of a chill out and some ouzo so my head is on tickover atm , but thank for the replys and also the lamens terms from lamchop

i'v worked in big factories whilst sparking and i can't help but get drawn by all the big machinery i always have to have a nose about i find it hard to work sometimes, like the big foundry i worked i n a few times with the biggest lathes in europe for making battle ship propshafts and stuff like that i'd be amaized for hours

Lambchop

iTrader: (1)

Cool, fire any questions up when you like as i dont mind discussing it. I'd actually love to hear how people think the oil comes form the ground and think it'd be hilarious!

nuttynil

iTrader: (3)

Work on tugs myself ,know what its like to roll your boll**ks off hang in there ...

mechanic28

iTrader: (5)

pics would be good to see

neil andeRSon

iTrader: (3)

here's a couple of pic's of the boat to shetland.

Lambchop

iTrader: (1)

wouldn't get me on there either!

neil andeRSon

iTrader: (3)

i aint got a fookin choice. if i want the car down that's it!! thank fook it's usually like a pond in summer tho. get onboard an plonk your arse at the bar and speak shite for hr's..

Rich_bloor

You might be thinking of a jackup which has large legs that sit on the seabed and you can jack the rig height to suit seabed level. Canonly be used in certain shallower depths though.

Might be, Richard Hammond told me all about it on one of his engineering programs. It might have been on Discovery... Mabey.