COMPLETION AND OILFIELD SERVICES

1231714_19 6/25/99 1:16 PM Page 1

ADVANCES IN RIG MECHANIZATION

WEATHERFORDS TUBULAR RUNNING EQUIPMENT SETTING THE STANDARD

THE RIG, THAT QUINTESSENTIAL ICON OF THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY, WILL UNDERGO RAPID CHANGE IN THE NEXT DECADE, AND WEATHERFORD
IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ADVANCE. THE CHANGE CENTERS AROUND RIG MECHANIZATION, WHICH REPLACES THE MANUAL MANIPULATION OF
EQUIPMENT WITH SOPHISTICATED TOOLS AND SYSTEMS THAT REMOVE PEOPLE FROM HAZARDOUS AREAS ON THE RIG.

THESE INNOVATIONS

PERMIT WORKERS TO OPERATE THE EQUIPMENT FROM A DISTANCE WITH A GREATER DEGREE OF CONTROL AND SAFETY, ULTIMATELY
RESULTING IN REDUCED OPERATING COSTS FROM ACCIDENTS AND IMPROVED OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY.

14

Weatherford has been leading

the way for several years now
in designing, developing and
testing new tools and processes
to reduce the number of persons
required to operate a drill floor,
says Mike OBrien, Weatherfords

Vice President-Tubular Services.

The outcome is creating a
major advance in safety standards,
not to mention increased
operational effectiveness and
reduced staffing requirements
for our customers.

A PIONEER IN
MECHANIZATION TECHNOLOGY
Weatherford began developing its
rig mechanization technology for
tubular running in the mid-1990s in

Norway, in response to Norwegian

government regulations requiring
that the casing and drill pipe running process had to be hands-off.
(Statistics show that approximately
30 percent of accidents occur on the
rig floor and another 25 percent
occur on the pipe deck.)
As a result of Weatherfords
effortsand with the assistance of a
Norwegian drilling equipment
manufacturerthe company installed
the first mechanized casing modem
design, which incorporated remote
controlled casing tongs mounted on a
hydraulic roughneck, in 1994.

A StabMaster installed offshore. StabMasters provide accurate reliable thread alignment

while increasing process safety.

Today, Weatherford manufactures

components for rig mechanization
at its facilities in Germany, Norway
and the U.S. In six short years, its
technology has evolved from the
casing modem hydraulic roughneck

mounted systems to sophisticated technologies such as the

Weatherford PowerscopeTM
and Power Tong Frame
(see chart on page 19 for more
detailed product descriptions).

15

COMPLETION AND OILFIELD SERVICES

1231714_19 6/25/99 1:16 PM Page 1

ADVANCES IN RIG MECHANIZATION

WEATHERFORDS TUBULAR RUNNING EQUIPMENT SETTING THE STANDARD

THE RIG, THAT QUINTESSENTIAL ICON OF THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY, WILL UNDERGO RAPID CHANGE IN THE NEXT DECADE, AND WEATHERFORD
IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ADVANCE. THE CHANGE CENTERS AROUND RIG MECHANIZATION, WHICH REPLACES THE MANUAL MANIPULATION OF
EQUIPMENT WITH SOPHISTICATED TOOLS AND SYSTEMS THAT REMOVE PEOPLE FROM HAZARDOUS AREAS ON THE RIG.

THESE INNOVATIONS

PERMIT WORKERS TO OPERATE THE EQUIPMENT FROM A DISTANCE WITH A GREATER DEGREE OF CONTROL AND SAFETY, ULTIMATELY
RESULTING IN REDUCED OPERATING COSTS FROM ACCIDENTS AND IMPROVED OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY.

14

Weatherford has been leading

the way for several years now
in designing, developing and
testing new tools and processes
to reduce the number of persons
required to operate a drill floor,
says Mike OBrien, Weatherfords

Vice President-Tubular Services.

The outcome is creating a
major advance in safety standards,
not to mention increased
operational effectiveness and
reduced staffing requirements
for our customers.

A PIONEER IN
MECHANIZATION TECHNOLOGY
Weatherford began developing its
rig mechanization technology for
tubular running in the mid-1990s in

Norway, in response to Norwegian

government regulations requiring
that the casing and drill pipe running process had to be hands-off.
(Statistics show that approximately
30 percent of accidents occur on the
rig floor and another 25 percent
occur on the pipe deck.)
As a result of Weatherfords
effortsand with the assistance of a
Norwegian drilling equipment
manufacturerthe company installed
the first mechanized casing modem
design, which incorporated remote
controlled casing tongs mounted on a
hydraulic roughneck, in 1994.

A StabMaster installed offshore. StabMasters provide accurate reliable thread alignment

while increasing process safety.

Today, Weatherford manufactures

components for rig mechanization
at its facilities in Germany, Norway
and the U.S. In six short years, its
technology has evolved from the
casing modem hydraulic roughneck

mounted systems to sophisticated technologies such as the

Weatherford PowerscopeTM
and Power Tong Frame
(see chart on page 19 for more
detailed product descriptions).

15

1231714_19 6/25/99 1:17 PM Page 3

desired movements. It also assists

in achieving the optimum time
performance, auto sequencing, and
safety interlocking.
In the past, we designed controllers
for our equipment based on conventional PLC Systems, says David
Harris, Technical Specialist, Tubular
Services. Now we have introduced a
Universal Remote controlled system
based on the soft-PLC, which is able
to interlink and operate tongs,
positioning systems, the StabMaster
and other mechanized equipment
from a single source. The new
control system can actually emulate
up to four conventional PLCs
simultaneously.

CASE HISTORY#1:

Customer Needs Drive New

Power Tong Frame Technology

Use of a Power Tong Frame for

hanging casing, tubing and drill
pipe tongs allows independent
operations and saves valuable
rig time. It also enables service
upgrades and maintenance to take
place away from the well center.
The Power Tong Frame will
be used in conjunction with
mechanized tongs, mechanized
drill pipe tongs, integrated PLC
systems and roving tong trays
(used to simplify installation and
removal of the tongs in the Power
Tong Frame).
Plans are to install the system
on three of Sedco Forexs semisubmersible drilling rigs destined for
West Africa and the Gulf of Mexico.
Each of these rigs will have three
Power Tong Frames. Weatherford
also will be installing mechanized
tubular running equipment on two
new semisubmersibles being built
by R&B Falcon.

for fine control during pipe alignment, and has automated memory
position for correct alignment to
speed up operations.
The system includes three
components: 1) the StabMaster
,
a mechanized stabbing device

with a remote control; 2) ISIS

Interlock System for Spiders
and Elevators, which remotely
operates and prevents the
unintended opening or closing of
spiders and elevators; and 3) doublehinged, single-joint elevators.

Weatherfords Mechanized Tubular Running Services improve rig safety while increasing job efficiency
and reducing operating costs.

Weatherfords latest development

in mechanized equipmentthe
Power Tong Frameillustrates the

CASE HISTORY#2:

companys ability to develop new

Stabberless System
Saves Time, Increases Safety

technologies that meet a customers

The rail-mounted Power Tong Frame with remote-controlled tongs for casing,
tubing and drill pipe.

PLCS PROPEL
WEATHERFORD INNOVATIONS

16

Weatherfords mechanized equipment

consists of five component groups:
MECHANIZED POWER TONGS, TONG
POSITIONING SYSTEMS, REMOTE CONTROL
SYSTEMS, THE STABBERLESS SYSTEM AND
THE AUTOSEAL CIRCULATING HEAD. Each

piece may be operated separately or

combined as a package. (Refer to
chart on page 19 for a more detailed
description of each product.)
A key element linking this equipment is the Universal Control System,
which is founded on a Soft-PLC,
software-based programmable logic
controller (PLC) that analyzes input
from sensors and actuators to produce

requirements for rig mechanization.

Schlumberger Sedco Forex
needed an advanced racking system
for its new fifth generation semisubmersible rigs, designed for deepwater
operations. Because the racking
system had to move over the
whole width of the rig floor, Sedco
Forex did not want tongs hung by
conventional suspension lines. This
led to the creation of WEATHERFORDS
RAIL MOUNTED POWER TONG FRAME,
which the company designed and
manufactured in its Hannover,
Germany facility in a remarkably
fast track schedule of ten months.

Weatherford has achieved

considerable success with its
Stabberless System, which
provides safer, faster, more
cost-effective pipe makeup by
eliminating the need for a stabber
while running casing on conventional rigs. The system mechanizes
the process of aligning pipe
during stab-in and provides
remote operation of the elevator
and spider. It also uses a remote
control panel on the rig floor to
provide proportional capability

REMOTE CONTROLLED
ELEVATOR WITH SAFETY
INTERLOCK SYSTEM
AUTOSEALTM CIRCULATING HEAD

S TAB M ASTER TM
U NIVERSAL S OFT PLC
R EMOTE C ONTROL S YSTEM
P OWER S COPE

R EMOTE
C ONTROLLED
P OWER T ONG

SPIDER WITH SAFETY INTERLOCK SYSTEM

(ISIS)

17

1231714_19 6/25/99 1:17 PM Page 3

desired movements. It also assists

in achieving the optimum time
performance, auto sequencing, and
safety interlocking.
In the past, we designed controllers
for our equipment based on conventional PLC Systems, says David
Harris, Technical Specialist, Tubular
Services. Now we have introduced a
Universal Remote controlled system
based on the soft-PLC, which is able
to interlink and operate tongs,
positioning systems, the StabMaster
and other mechanized equipment
from a single source. The new
control system can actually emulate
up to four conventional PLCs
simultaneously.

CASE HISTORY#1:

Customer Needs Drive New

Power Tong Frame Technology

Use of a Power Tong Frame for

hanging casing, tubing and drill
pipe tongs allows independent
operations and saves valuable
rig time. It also enables service
upgrades and maintenance to take
place away from the well center.
The Power Tong Frame will
be used in conjunction with
mechanized tongs, mechanized
drill pipe tongs, integrated PLC
systems and roving tong trays
(used to simplify installation and
removal of the tongs in the Power
Tong Frame).
Plans are to install the system
on three of Sedco Forexs semisubmersible drilling rigs destined for
West Africa and the Gulf of Mexico.
Each of these rigs will have three
Power Tong Frames. Weatherford
also will be installing mechanized
tubular running equipment on two
new semisubmersibles being built
by R&B Falcon.

for fine control during pipe alignment, and has automated memory
position for correct alignment to
speed up operations.
The system includes three
components: 1) the StabMaster
,
a mechanized stabbing device

with a remote control; 2) ISIS

Interlock System for Spiders
and Elevators, which remotely
operates and prevents the
unintended opening or closing of
spiders and elevators; and 3) doublehinged, single-joint elevators.

Weatherfords Mechanized Tubular Running Services improve rig safety while increasing job efficiency
and reducing operating costs.

Weatherfords latest development

in mechanized equipmentthe
Power Tong Frameillustrates the

CASE HISTORY#2:

companys ability to develop new

Stabberless System
Saves Time, Increases Safety

technologies that meet a customers

The rail-mounted Power Tong Frame with remote-controlled tongs for casing,
tubing and drill pipe.

PLCS PROPEL
WEATHERFORD INNOVATIONS

16

Weatherfords mechanized equipment

consists of five component groups:
MECHANIZED POWER TONGS, TONG
POSITIONING SYSTEMS, REMOTE CONTROL
SYSTEMS, THE STABBERLESS SYSTEM AND
THE AUTOSEAL CIRCULATING HEAD. Each

piece may be operated separately or

combined as a package. (Refer to
chart on page 19 for a more detailed
description of each product.)
A key element linking this equipment is the Universal Control System,
which is founded on a Soft-PLC,
software-based programmable logic
controller (PLC) that analyzes input
from sensors and actuators to produce

requirements for rig mechanization.

Schlumberger Sedco Forex
needed an advanced racking system
for its new fifth generation semisubmersible rigs, designed for deepwater
operations. Because the racking
system had to move over the
whole width of the rig floor, Sedco
Forex did not want tongs hung by
conventional suspension lines. This
led to the creation of WEATHERFORDS
RAIL MOUNTED POWER TONG FRAME,
which the company designed and
manufactured in its Hannover,
Germany facility in a remarkably
fast track schedule of ten months.

Weatherford has achieved

considerable success with its
Stabberless System, which
provides safer, faster, more
cost-effective pipe makeup by
eliminating the need for a stabber
while running casing on conventional rigs. The system mechanizes
the process of aligning pipe
during stab-in and provides
remote operation of the elevator
and spider. It also uses a remote
control panel on the rig floor to
provide proportional capability

REMOTE CONTROLLED
ELEVATOR WITH SAFETY
INTERLOCK SYSTEM
AUTOSEALTM CIRCULATING HEAD

S TAB M ASTER TM
U NIVERSAL S OFT PLC
R EMOTE C ONTROL S YSTEM
P OWER S COPE

R EMOTE
C ONTROLLED
P OWER T ONG

SPIDER WITH SAFETY INTERLOCK SYSTEM

(ISIS)

17

1231714_19 6/25/99 1:17 PM Page 5

The Stabberless System is a

major step forward in safety, and
Weatherford is the first company to
achieve this on standard rigs, says
Harris. The system we developed
eliminates the need for the oftentimes dangerous stabber function,
because it is capable of accurate
thread alignment by remote control.

Through the use of hydraulics, a

large variety of pipe diameters can
be manipulated and stabbed.
Because of its safety benefits,
Weatherford has been chosen to
supply the Stabberless System on all
rigs belonging to the Go alliance in
Holland, which is led by Deutag (the
drilling contractor) and includes

various service contractors working

for the NAM (Shell) onshore Holland.
The company also has documented
time savings of up to 30 percent
with the Stabberless System in
Holland. This occurred on large
diameter casing (16-inch and
18-5/8-inch). Because of the weight,
these casing sizes can be extremely

MECHANIZATION
EQUIPMENT
TOP SUB
MAIN
BODY

PRODUCT

BUMPER

STABBERLESS SYSTEM
TOP SEAL
BOTTOM
SEAL

TAPERED
ENTRY
GUIDE

STINGER
ASSEMBLY

Weatherfords Autoseal Circulating Head

significantly reduces the risk of stuck casing
and provides a safer means of circulation.

heavy and difficult for the stabber

to physically move, particularly in
bad weather conditions. The end
result often is slower operations. The
StabMaster, on the other hand, can
use 2,000 pounds of force so that it
has no problems always bringing the
joint to the exact center.

Available for drill pipe, casing and

tubing. Features remote control to
increase safety and free-floating
backup to eliminate shearing and
bending forces.

POWER TONG FRAME

Eliminates conventional tong

suspension lines and moves easily
on rails. It also can position the
power tong at heights of up to 144
inches. Can be mounted with the
remote stabbing guide, which
increases thread protection.

POWERSCOPE TONG
POSITIONING SYSTEM

The telescoping arm moves tong to

the well center, allowing safe operation even under severe pitch and roll
conditions (which are sometimes
encountered on drill ships and
semisubmersibles).

BEST PRACTICES

Mechanization Gaining New Markets

18

Because of its ability to improve

safety and reduce the number of
personnel on the rig floor, rig
mechanization is beginning to
find wider use in many countries
outside of Norway. A contract with
Burlington Resources, for example,
is introducing limited rig mechanization into the U.S. market. Under
the contracts terms, Weatherford
will provide basic mechanized tongs

Eliminates the need for the stabber

and improves safety by remotely
aligning the threads, opening the
elevator, guiding the swivel, closing
the elevator and signaling the driller.

REMOTE POWER TONGS

MUD SAVER
VALVE

Pictured from left to right is Weatherfords Rig Mechanization team in Germany, who helped develop and manufacture new mechanization products: Rolf Ubert, Mechanic;
Joerg Lorenz, Technical Director; Niels-Uwe Ohde, Mechanic; Karsten Heidecke, Project Engineer for Remote Controlled Power Equipment; Holger Wilschinski, Design EngineerPowerFrame; Bernd Reinhold, Engineering & Manufacturing Manager; and Horst Kroner, Mechanic.

BENEFITS

AUTOSEAL
CIRCULATING HEAD

Remote-operated fill up and circulating

head that reduces risk of stuck casing,
especially in highly deviated wells.

on a deep well in Wyoming together

with the Stabberless System.
As more companies benchmark
best practices, they find that rig mechanization makes good business sense
because of its ability to improve rig
floor operations, remarks Technical

Specialist Egill Abrahamsen.

Weatherfords control systems are
designed to mesh with todays needs
for simple or sophisticated applications, but we also continue to refine
our products and services for
tomorrows rig operator.

19

1231714_19 6/25/99 1:17 PM Page 5

The Stabberless System is a

major step forward in safety, and
Weatherford is the first company to
achieve this on standard rigs, says
Harris. The system we developed
eliminates the need for the oftentimes dangerous stabber function,
because it is capable of accurate
thread alignment by remote control.

Through the use of hydraulics, a

large variety of pipe diameters can
be manipulated and stabbed.
Because of its safety benefits,
Weatherford has been chosen to
supply the Stabberless System on all
rigs belonging to the Go alliance in
Holland, which is led by Deutag (the
drilling contractor) and includes

various service contractors working

for the NAM (Shell) onshore Holland.
The company also has documented
time savings of up to 30 percent
with the Stabberless System in
Holland. This occurred on large
diameter casing (16-inch and
18-5/8-inch). Because of the weight,
these casing sizes can be extremely

MECHANIZATION
EQUIPMENT
TOP SUB
MAIN
BODY

PRODUCT

BUMPER

STABBERLESS SYSTEM
TOP SEAL
BOTTOM
SEAL

TAPERED
ENTRY
GUIDE

STINGER
ASSEMBLY

Weatherfords Autoseal Circulating Head

significantly reduces the risk of stuck casing
and provides a safer means of circulation.

heavy and difficult for the stabber

to physically move, particularly in
bad weather conditions. The end
result often is slower operations. The
StabMaster, on the other hand, can
use 2,000 pounds of force so that it
has no problems always bringing the
joint to the exact center.

Available for drill pipe, casing and

tubing. Features remote control to
increase safety and free-floating
backup to eliminate shearing and
bending forces.

POWER TONG FRAME

Eliminates conventional tong

suspension lines and moves easily
on rails. It also can position the
power tong at heights of up to 144
inches. Can be mounted with the
remote stabbing guide, which
increases thread protection.

POWERSCOPE TONG
POSITIONING SYSTEM

The telescoping arm moves tong to

the well center, allowing safe operation even under severe pitch and roll
conditions (which are sometimes
encountered on drill ships and
semisubmersibles).

BEST PRACTICES

Mechanization Gaining New Markets

18

Because of its ability to improve

safety and reduce the number of
personnel on the rig floor, rig
mechanization is beginning to
find wider use in many countries
outside of Norway. A contract with
Burlington Resources, for example,
is introducing limited rig mechanization into the U.S. market. Under
the contracts terms, Weatherford
will provide basic mechanized tongs

Eliminates the need for the stabber

and improves safety by remotely
aligning the threads, opening the
elevator, guiding the swivel, closing
the elevator and signaling the driller.

REMOTE POWER TONGS

MUD SAVER
VALVE

Pictured from left to right is Weatherfords Rig Mechanization team in Germany, who helped develop and manufacture new mechanization products: Rolf Ubert, Mechanic;
Joerg Lorenz, Technical Director; Niels-Uwe Ohde, Mechanic; Karsten Heidecke, Project Engineer for Remote Controlled Power Equipment; Holger Wilschinski, Design EngineerPowerFrame; Bernd Reinhold, Engineering & Manufacturing Manager; and Horst Kroner, Mechanic.

BENEFITS

AUTOSEAL
CIRCULATING HEAD

Remote-operated fill up and circulating

head that reduces risk of stuck casing,
especially in highly deviated wells.

on a deep well in Wyoming together

with the Stabberless System.
As more companies benchmark
best practices, they find that rig mechanization makes good business sense
because of its ability to improve rig
floor operations, remarks Technical

Specialist Egill Abrahamsen.

Weatherfords control systems are
designed to mesh with todays needs
for simple or sophisticated applications, but we also continue to refine
our products and services for
tomorrows rig operator.

19