CGX Energy Inc V.OYL

Rig Component Failure/Replacement

[Sparky5968]

So, Mr. Dirk, could you please explain the consequences of the catastrophic failure and subsequent replacement of a major functional component such as a top drive or drawworks of a drilling rig? By consequences I mean time delays, who is responsible for associated costs, etc.? Thanks.

[Dirksidetrack]

I don't know. I'll copy and paste the question to my friend and get back to you. Without those components, not much can be done though. Is that the cause of the lost time injury? Because if an unsafe condition existed the rig would go on a safety stand down. That happened to us offshore Angola. Five days. I'll get back to you.

[Sparky5968]

Not sure if something like this caused a lost time injury but there's been mention of a top drive replacement on another bull board. Just wondering how long this would take and if CGX would be responsible for costs or if it would be absorbed by Maersk as a life cycle cost. Also, would Cgx be charged for rig operation costs during the down time?

[Dirksidetrack]

We had a top drive needing a rebuild on a Nabors big triple land rig in Venezuela. Hydraulics system. Replaced cartidge valves, seals and some other stuff. It was quick. Maybe a day. Offshore, I don't know. I can't imagine it taking too long unless it was a major failure and they had to replace the entire top drive. On those offshore rigs we had the top drive, cyber chair, automated

[Sparky5968]

Okay, thanks Dirk. Perhaps there is someone else on this board who could shed a little light on this. The way I see it is CGX is paying for a fully functional rig that is capable of drilling 24/7 with, of course, regularly scheduled maintenance and inspections. But, if an integral component fails due to regular wear and tear, CGX wouldn't be charged regular day rates during the repair

[Dirksidetrack]

Yeah Sparky5968 I understand. I very highly doubt any catastrophic failure of draw works, top drives. That stuff is designed to take a beating.The worst I've seen offshore was a buckled crane boom. Even that didn't take too long to fix and they had to replace the entire crane. These guys are set up to fix things quickly. Nobody wants downtime.Also I don't want to feed rumours. Just the

[SportyJ]

Sparky, you're right. Common sense. The drlg contract (IADC) is negotiated and rig repairs is one of the paragraphs. Rigs can be down for repairs for x hours in 24 and still charge full day work. Above that, the rate falls. Never seen an operator pay for rig equip like a top drive or related labor etc. I'm sure this was a cost overrun but not the main culprit.

[ljmorin]

So comforting to know you guys know all details that were laid out in the contract a year or two ago at least? Fix the top works and cabling in a day or two is also completly laughable, It's not single drililng a 1-3000 meter hole here. There would be automation and control checks that would last days as well on a rig like this. This board is now a complete joke. Its funny though to just

[Dirksidetrack]

You said "There would be automation and control checks that would last days as well on a rig like this."You ever here about diagnostics and scanners? Heck my neighbour has one for his two Mustangs. Plug it into the socket under the dash and it checks all systems in microseconds. He had a transmission problem the other day and the scanner pinpointed exactly where a bad solenoid was. I

[Dirksidetrack]

Ok This morning I went to the Stocktwits board to find out more about this supposed top drive replacement. Shedrills said that they replaced the top drive, it took 2 weeks and they got the new top drive from a Maersk rig nearby. She didn't say which rig. Maybe from the Maersk Developer offshore Suriname.She is basing this on photos she found scouring the internet posted, according to her, by

[Dirksidetrack]

Hey ya got bad injectors in your Peterbilt truck engine? No problem, just go buy a new truck. Smh

[CLOUDER]

this might seem a drilling kindergarden question but,    maybe they replaced this piece of equiment with a piece that could handle very high pressure.os something like that?  or could drill deeper?  into                                               mother

[Dirksidetrack]

Nothing is a kindergarden question. I've never seen a top drive change out while drilling. I've seen mud pump liners changed out to smaller diameters to handle higher pressures but never a top drive. It's already good for 7500 psi working pressure.Anyway I'm looking forward for verifiable confirmation of a top drive change out on a live well. What "near miss" event

[CLOUDER]

thanks dirk,  and hey you guys   yes  isn`t this deep water port think looming larger and  larger  hey. TALK getting louder about this  with all of the activity increasing..,  ESPECIALLY   FROM  EXXON.                                     things that

[Dirksidetrack]

Yeah and if you get back in you could buy a lot of what you referred to as "long, stiff noodles" (production tubing) to "compleet" you (while they complete the well) while you're doing your "cardio" (biting your nails) before you do your weights (drill Wei appraisal well). Lol. Hey I bet you go high angle if all that happens. Lmao!

[waitingstill]

Dirk. How do you know the top drive is rated 7500 psi? Rig specs online show BOP is 15000 psi. Is top drive listed there as well? Also, as I have no drilling experience, can you explain why a top drive would be 7500 psi while the BOP is 1500 psi? Is it because BOP is for prevention of disaster while top drive is for drilling procedures? TIA

[Dirksidetrack]

Yes top drive is there in the Discoverer specs on the Maersk website. National Oilwell Varco HPS-1000. Then go to NOV website and look up that model.Yes exactly. The BOP has rams and an annular preventer that close in on the drill string. If there's no drill string in the hole then there's a set of shear or blind rams that close over the open hole. The BOPs close off the annular space

[waitingstill]

Thanks Dirk. Very informative. I find it interesting that outside the drill string they worry after 15000 psi but within the drill string, the pressures experienced will be so much lower.

[Dirksidetrack]

Yes because inside the drill string the fluid is confined. The volume that you pump in doesn't dissapear to a formation. It adds to the hydrostatic pressure offsetting the formation pressure so the top drive won't see formation pressure. Outside in the annulus different story if you're losing mud to the formation.

[waitingstill]

Dirk, I believe you stated that you read about Apache's adventures with Mama. They had an interruption in drilling for a few weeks. Was it stated why? Could it have been something similar?

[Dirksidetrack]

No I haven't read anything about it other than rumours on this board. Nothing official anyway. I could ask my many contacts in Trinidad but I don't want to put them in that position. Kind of tacky.All I can do is guess from the timeline what may have happened. If anybody can point me to publically available info I'd be happy to look at it. Repsol seems to have been the only operator

[waitingstill]

Sorry, guess I mis remembered what you had read. Apache hit a certain depth and made a NR that dropped the SP 10-20 percent. They had a pause for drilling and I believe the rig needed some "adjustments" to finish the hole. I was wondering what those adjustments were and thought maybe you had come across them but I guess not. So we wait...

[dragonfly454]

Had to get lower speeds and greater torque on the Apache Maka Central .. Dirk.does the NOV HPS 1000 have gear settings ..?

[Dirksidetrack]

Dfly, I don't know if it does or not have gear settings. I'll check it out. Why lower speeds and greater torque on Apache Maka Central? High pipe friction, no doubt. So they went close to horizontal, extended reach? I wish to heck we could get some operational info on drilled wells in the area so that we would not have to keep on trying to infer things. I'll check out the top drive. I

[Dirksidetrack]

Aha! Just dawned on me. High torque, low RPM. Drilling slim hole? Would explain a lot.