Late-generation rigs and platforms are often designed and tested as if they’re a collection of individual components: a top drive, derrick, crown block, blowout preventer… and the list goes on. From this point of view, each individual component can be designed and developed in isolation and combined to form the final product. But – if you’ve dealt with the headache of last-minute rig integration testing or experienced an operations failure that was caused by a seemingly unrelated issue – you know this isn’t the whole picture.
The assets used to drill for and produce oil are collections of interdependent parts that form a complex, but unified whole. In other words, rigs are systems (that are, in turn, composed of systems) – and we can’t make sure they’re safe and reliable unless we view them as such.
“Is it Built Correctly?” vs. “Does it Function Correctly?”
If rigs and platforms were made up of unrelated components, it would be possible to verify quality by making sure that each asset is “built correctly” or – in other words – making sure that all of the correct equipment is designed and installed according to the manufacturer’s specification and any regional operating requirements.
Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. Because nothing on a rig works in isolation, we need to go beyond just verifying that equipment is “there.” Instead, we need to realize that every mud pump, flow line, monkey board and hose is part of a system, and ask: “Does each individual system function correctly?”
Components of a Systems View
To get to the root of whether or not a rig system (or the rig itself) is functioning correctly, we need to consider:
- Each piece of equipment under control
- Every control system
- The requirements of all stakeholders in rig or platform development and operation, and
- How all of these components are integrated to create a rig that operates safely and reliably
Common Practices
A number of common rig design, construction, testing, integration, maintenance, and troubleshooting practices account for only some of the considerations above. Here are just two such practices:
- Sub-systems not individually tested – Mud pumps, blowout preventers, drawworks and top drives are just some of the systems that should be commissioned individually. However, this is often skipped leading to delayed commissioning schedules and extended troubleshooting because, when problems come up, it’s unclear which sub-system is causing the issue.
- Test procedures developed in isolation – When test procedures are designed only to test one specific piece of equipment, they fail to surface issues associated with how the equipment will function when operated as part of the larger system (i.e., the rig). This often leads to issues remaining undiscovered until operations, when they can lead to rig equipment failures or – worse – safety incidents.
To learn more about how a systems-focused approach to rig assurance can improve the quality and reliability of your asset, contact us.