Articles and Technical Data on Selecting a

Drilling Rig

By

Mark A. Reis, Ph.D., PE

Nabors Performance Drilling Services

December, 2000
SELECTION OF A DRILLING RIG

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SELECTION OF A DRILLING RIG

PART ONE .................................................................................................................................................................... 4

DEPTH RATINGS OF DRAW WORKS MEAN MORE THAN HORSEPOWER........................................ 4

INTRODUCTION. ........................................................................................................................................................... 4
RATINGS....................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Horsepower............................................................................................................................................................. 5
WIRE ROPE DESIGN FACTORS. ..................................................................................................................................... 6
Drum friction clutches............................................................................................................................................ 8
Roller chain and sprockets..................................................................................................................................... 9
Draw works friction brakes.................................................................................................................................... 9
Draw-works auxiliary brakes...............................................................................................................................11
Shafts and bearings. .............................................................................................................................................12
DRAW-WORKS COMPONENTS SET CAPACITY, SPEED..........................................................................13

DEPTH RATINGS OF DRAW-WORKS CONCLUSION.................................................................................13

SYNOPSIS....................................................................................................................................................................13
THE HOISTING DRUM. ................................................................................................................................................13
DRUM GROOVING. .....................................................................................................................................................13
RATIOS, SPEEDS, AND CAPACITIES............................................................................................................................14
CHECKING DRUM CLUTCH CAPACITY. ......................................................................................................................15
CHECKING CHAIN DESIGN FACTORS..........................................................................................................................15

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SELECTION OF A DRILLING RIG

Oil & Gas Journal, June 2 & 6 1980, by

R.N. Cordrey – National Supply Company

Part One

Depth ratings of draw works mean more than horsepower

Introduction.

Since it’s the largest single piece of machinery in a rotary drilling rig, the draw works
comes in for a major share of attention when drilling rigs are discussed. This two-part
article shows how to evaluate and apply the draw works’ depth rating.

Generally, a rig will be identified by the type of draw works-not by the mast or pumps. In
other words, the contractor has a “National 110” or an “Emsco D-3” or an “Oilwell M-2000.”
While draw works have gone through many evolutionary changes since the first years of
rotary drilling, the functions they perform have not changed. A draw works is in part a
“hoist” in that it can raise or lower heavy loads by means of wire rope wound on a drum. It
is equipped with catheads to make and break the joints in the drilling string, and it includes
a means to deliver power to the rotary machine. From these multiple functions comes one
part of its name-“works”: and as a hoist it “draws” loads hence the name “draw works.”
Major manufacturers of draw works produce them in a variety of sizes, and usually the
draw-works model designation gives some clue to its rating in terms of either nominal
drilling depth or applied horsepower.

All National Supply draw works introduced since 1960 have been named after their
nominal depth rating based on an average weight of 20lb/ft of the drilling string, and with
eight lines up from the traveling block. Thus, a type “1625” draw works has a nominal
drilling depth rating of 16,000 to 25,000 ft and a type “610” has a nominal rating of 6,000
to 10,000 ft. With additional lines strung from the traveling block and by operating
at lower speed ratios most draw works are capable of lifting casing loads as much
as two to three times as heavy as the nominal drilling string load.

This article gives the draw-works owner some insight as to how draw-works ratings are
established and how to interpret them to fit his particular drilling program.

Ratings.

Assuming that all other components of a drilling rig capacity is limited to the load the draw
works can safely hoist and hold. In establishing what this is, the following factors must be
carefully matched in order to obtain a balanced design which will provide a cost efficient
and durable product:

• Input horsepower
• Wire rope design factor
• Friction clutches

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SELECTION OF A DRILLING RIG

• Roller chain factors

• Friction brake
• Auxiliary brake
• Shafts and bearing
• Drum proportions
• Ratios and speeds

Horsepower.

Horsepower is a measure of the rate of doing work. When a force acting on a body
causes that body to move, the force is said to do work. In general, work is the overcoming
of a resistance through a distance. In measuring mechanical work, the unit used by
engineers is the work done when a force of one pound acts through a distance of one foot.
Power is the number of foot-pounds performed in unit time. Any working agent is said to
be developing one horsepower when it does 33,000 ft-lb in one min.

Equation 1

F⋅L
hp :=
33000 ⋅ t
Where:
F = acting force, lb
L = distance moved. Ft
t = time, minutes

A given amount of horsepower can move a variety of loads through different distances at
different speeds. The horsepower being utilized at the hook-block can be calculated from
Equation 2, where W = total weight being hoisted and S = the pipe speed in ft/min.

Equation 2
W⋅S
HookHp :=
33000
And

33000
W := HookHp⋅
S

Since power is lost to friction during transmission through roller chains, bearings, and the
wire rope system, the hook horsepower equals the drive horsepower multiplied by the
overall mechanical efficiency:

Hook hp = Drive hp x efficiency

And
Drive hp = Hook hp / efficiency

The nominal rating for medium to large size draw works is established for hook speeds in
the range of 90 to 120 fpm with 8 lines to the traveling block.

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SELECTION OF A DRILLING RIG

The following tabulation illustrates the drilling string load rating range which might be
expected from a variety of mechanically driven draw works with overall efficiencies of 75%:

Rated hp Rated load

Classs range,1,000 lbs
750 ……………………………. 150-200
1000 ……………………………. 200-268
1500 ……………………………. 300-400
2000 ……………………………. 400-535
3000 ……………………………. 600-803

For a given horsepower, the hoist load is inversely proportional to the hoisting speed:

Lower speed = higher load

Higher speed = lower load
and
Equation 3

S1 W2
:=
S2 W1

Wire rope design factors.

The drilling line is the final power transmission element between the rig power plant and
the job of hoisting the drilling string and in lowering casing strings. This drilling line is
wound and unwound on the draw-works drum to operate the block and tackle system
suspended from the derrick. Wire rope power transmission is a rather crude process and
is damaging to its components. The rope is bent and unbent as it runs over the sheaves
and winds and unwinds at the drum. It is chaffed, twisted, pinched, crushed, stretched,
and jerked as it does its job in an environment of abrasives and poor lubrication. Because
of this, wire rope must be used with a reasonable design safety factor to guarantee safe
performance for a limited length of time before it is replaced.

The strength of a wire rope depends on its construction, the strength of material, and the
diameter of the rope. For rotary drilling service the preferred rope has a construction
generally classed as “6X9” with independent wire rope center (IWRC). The material can
be high strength wire known as improved plow steel, or a higher strength wire, extra-
improved plow steel. The strength of new wire rope is roughly proportional to the square
of the rope nominal diameter. For extra improved plow steel IWRC wire rope, the nominal
breaking strength can be approximated by multiplying 100,000lb by the square of the rope
diameter.

Rope Nominal
Dia, in Strength,1,000 lbs
1 ……………………………. 103.4
1-1/8 ……………………………. 130.0
1-1/4 ……………………………. 159.8
1-3/8 ……………………………. 192.0
1-1/2 ……………………………. 228.0
1-5/8 ……………………………. 264.0
1-3/4 ……………………………. 306.0

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SELECTION OF A DRILLING RIG

The design factor that must be applied to compensate for wear and shock loading will
depend on the kind of work being done. API Recommended Practice RP9B established a
design factor of 3.0 minimum for hoisting service and 2.0 minimum when pulling on stuck
pipe or when setting casing.

If used below a design factor of 2.0 the wire rope will be permanently and irreversibly
damaged. This design factor is determined by Equation 4:

Equation 4

Design = B / Fast Line Tension

Where:
B = Breaking strength
N = No. of lines up from block
W = Weight of suspended load
E = efficiency of the system

The minimum factors recommended in API RP9B are acceptable only when using new or
well inspected wire rope. Furthermore, it must be treated carefully and shock loads are
avoided. Thus, it is obvious that regardless of any super-rating of a draw works the draw
works usable capacity is limited by safe application of the wire rope. Table 1 and Figure 1
show the maximum draw-works hoisting loads that would be allowed with various line
sizes with design factors of 2.0 and 3.0 when used with 8 lines to the traveling block.

TABLE 1

Maximum Draw-works Hoisting Loads

Maximum Hook Load with 8 lines, Eff. = 0.842
Draw-works Wire Rope Diameter
hp Class (EIPS-WRC) 2.0 Safety Factor 3.0 Safety Factor
750 1-1/8 439 293
1000 1-1/4 540 360
1500 1-3/8 650 433
2000 1-3/8 650 433
2000 1-1/2 770 514
3000 1-1/2 770 514
3000 1-5/8 892 595
3000 1-3/4 1034 689

The efficiencies of the wire rope and sheave system are shown in Figure 2, and maximum
suspended allowable loads with ex-improved PS IWRC rope at various design factors are
tabulated in Table 2.

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SELECTION OF A DRILLING RIG

TABLE 2

Maximum Loads based on Fast Line Design Factors using Ex-Improv. PS

IWRC wire rope and API Tackle efficiencies.
Diameter, in 1 1-1/8 1-1/4 1-3/8 1-1/2 1-5/8 1-3/4 1-7/8 2
Yield St,1000 lb 103.4 130 159.8 192 220 264 306 349 398
No. Design
Lines factor Total Suspended Load in 1,000 lbs.
6 2 271 340 418 503 597 691 801 912 1038
3 180 227 279 335 398 461 534 606 689
5 108 136 167 201 239 276 320 363 414
8 2 349 439 540 650 770 892 1034 1175 1337
3 233 293 360 438 514 595 689 784 892
5 140 175 216 260 308 357 414 471 536
10 2 420 528 650 780 927 1073 1244 1414 1609
3 280 352 433 520 618 715 829 942 1072
5 168 211 260 312 371 429 498 565 643
12 2 488 613 754 906 1075 1245 1443 1642 1869
3 325 409 503 604 717 830 962 1092 1245
5 195 245 302 362 430 498 577 656 747
14 2 555 684 841 1011 1224 1389 1611 1868 2126
3 370 456 561 674 816 926 1074 909 1417
5 222 274 336 404 490 556 644 747 850
16 2 601 756 929 1116 1326 1535 1779 2023 2302
3 401 504 619 744 884 1023 1186 1350 1536
5 240 302 372 447 530 614 712 809 919
18 2 654 823 1011 1215 1443 1671 1937 2201 2505
3 435 549 674 810 962 1114 1291 1464 1666
5 1262 329 405 486 577 668 775 882 1003

To avoid the danger of working with worn line, the importance of maintaining systematic
programs for moving line and cutting off cannot be overemphasized. Such a program is
described in API RP9B, Sections 4 and 5.

Drum friction clutches.

The drum clutch couples the power from the rig drive to the drum barrel and thus to the
hoisting line. A rule of thumb is to make the “low” clutch capacity sufficient to load the
hoisting line to one-half of its normal breaking strength (design factor = 2).

Clutch capacity is usually stated in terms of ft-lb torque. By multiplying ½ the line breaking
strength by the working radius on the second layer (Figure 3) on the hoisting drum we
arrive at the following clutch minimum capacities for various line and drum sizes:

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SELECTION OF A DRILLING RIG

The “high” speed range friction clutch on a draw works must be able to handle loads only
33% to 40% as great as the low clutch, but the high clutch will receive abuse from
engaging at higher rotating speeds and drum shock loading of lifting pipe out of the slips
when going into the hole. Therefore, the high clutch will receive abuse from engaging at
higher rotating speeds and from shock loading of lifting pipe out of the slips when going
into the hole. Therefore, the high clutch on most draw works has 50% to 70% of the
capacity of the low clutch.

Roller chain and sprockets.

Power transmission chains used in draw works are operated at much lower service factors
than those operating in engine compounds and in mud pump drives. This is successful
because of the relatively low percentage time under maximum loads. A long history of
satisfactory service shows that the following service factors may be accepted in draw
works and rig drives:

(table)
(formula)

The chain load comprises the transmitted force and centrifugal force. Because of the
relatively low chain speeds in draw works the centrifugal tension in the chain may be an
appreciable percentage of the total chain load.

(formula) (5)
(formula) (6)

where:

(table)

All sprockets used in draw works and compounds should be made from steel and the
driving sprocket teeth should be hardened to at least 65 Shore Scleroscope. Drives with
ratios of 2:1 or less should have the teeth hardened on both sprockets. High speed
continuous duty roller chain drives such as used in draw works compounds and in mud
pump drives should be designed more conservatively than draw-works internal chain
drives as indicated by the recommended service factors of 16 to 25 in the tabulation
above.

However, because of high centrifugal forces at the highest drive speeds and the possibility
of pin to bushing galling in the chain, it is recommended that the chain manufacturer or the
equipment manufacturer be consulted before loading any existing drives beyond their
original applications. Figure 4 illustrates the typical boundary envelope for continuous
chain drive power. Generally, the following maximum sprocket speeds apply to
continuous roller chain drives:

(table)

Draw works friction brakes.

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SELECTION OF A DRILLING RIG

The draw-works drum brake system is so important to the successful operation of a drilling
rig that it has been the subject of much study and development. The general
requirements are safety and dependability, ease and effectiveness of operation, ease of
maintenance, and reasonable life of wearing parts. Safety and dependability are obtained
by careful design and rugged construction of all to the load carrying elements of the
braking system.

Ease and effectiveness of operation are helped in large measure by the self-energizing
characteristic of the band brakes which accomplishes two things: It reduces the force that
must be applied manually to operated the brake. It also makes the brake largely self-
releasing as the drum begins to rotate in the hoisting direction. Proprietary designs of the
brake force multiplying linkage providing mechanical advantages as high as 80:1 are
furnished by the various draw-works manufacturers. These high force ratios permit the
baking of heaviest load with reasonable manual force applied on the brake operating
lever. Empty block loads can usually be held by only the weight of the brake lever.

The life of wearing parts of a draw-works brake depends to a great extent on how it is
used. If an auxiliary brake is used to its fullest extent so that the brake band is used
essentially for stopping and holding the load, and for feed off, the wear will be reduced to a
minimum. The remainder of the wear problem is met by using proper combination of
materials in brake rims and linings and by providing elements of adequate size with
sufficient wearing material to last a reasonable time.

The classical equation for band brake torque capacity is:

(formula)
where:
(formula)

The variables of T1, r, and a are established by the brake designer and will vary from one
draw-works make to another. The friction coefficient of brake lining on steel brake rims is
about the same on any brake. It may approach 0.52 with new lining, but most draw-works
brake capacities are calculated with a friction coefficient of 0.30 to compensate for
variances in lining properties and for unfavorable operating conditions such as high
contact temperature and contamination by wear particles, water, mud, or oil.

To illustrate conservative nature of using the 0.30 coefficient:

(table)

The torque’s capacity required of a draw-works brake is equal to the fast line tension
multiplied by the line working radius on the drum. For a National 80-B draw works, for
example, the brake rims are 46 in. in diameter and the drum 25-in. in diameter. The
working radius of 1 ¼-in. wire rope on the second layer is 1.2 ft and the angle contact is
280°. With a fast line tension of 30,000lb, the torque on the drum, which must be held by
the brake, is 36,000 ft-lb.

Using Equation 7, and solving for T1 = 5,600lb with 0.30 friction coef. The brake
mechanical linkage will develop an advantage of 65:1 with the brake lever adjusted to 65°
from vertical position.

The force required on the brake lever thus would be:

(formula)

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SELECTION OF A DRILLING RIG

Draw works use two brake bands operated from the same brake lever, and the dead ends
of the bands are interconnected by an equalized mechanism which divides the work done
between the two bands. The applied operating tension, T1, is shared by each band. The
dead-end tension, T2, in the bands can reach very high magnitudes which can be
expressed as:

(formula)

For our example with T1 = 5,600, T2 would be 24,300lb or 12,150lb per band. Because of
the high forces at the dead end equalizer system it is important to keep it in good
adjustment and in first class condition. Also, the draw works should have a tie-down
located near the center of the equalizer to minimize frame deflections which could cause a
mushy feel at the brake lever. Figures 5 and 6 illustrate a typical draw-works brake
mechanism.

Draw-works auxiliary brakes.

Auxiliary brakes are used to absorb kinetic energy of the drilling or casing string as it is
lowered into the hole, and they retard the speed of the falling load to a value at which the
fast line pull multiplied by the working radius of the line on the drum equals the torque
capacity of the auxiliary brake at some specific rpm. The auxiliary brakes must be
properly selected to fit in with the draw-works rating, the drum diameter, and the minimum
speed at which it is desired to lower the maximum expected load (Figure.7).

Since auxiliary brakes will not stop the load, but will only hold the speed of descent to a
reasonable rate, the drum fraction brakes must be used to stop the load and set the slips.
The total energy absorbed by both brake systems is equal to the load being lowered
multiplied by the distance lowered multiplied by the tackle efficiency:

(formula)

where:

(table)

For an example of the energy absorbed in stopping a 400,000-lb load lowered 90 ft with
10 lines strung:

(formula)

This heat must be carried away by the cooling water flowing through the auxiliary brake
and the friction brake water jackets. For a water temperature rise of 60° F., 625lb, or 75 gal
of water would have to flow during the braking cycle. If the lowering cycle was
accomplished in 30 sec. The total water flow rate should be 150 gpm.

Hydromatic brakes (Figure 8) use the flowing water as both the braking medium and the
cooling medium. Torque capacity increases exponentially as the circuit diameter is
increased and exponentially with the speed of rotation. Paramac makes a range of
hydromatic brake sizes which can be directly coupled to the draw-works drum shaft with
an over-running clutch. The following torque capacity equations have been derived from
parmac’s published performance curves for these brakes.

(table)

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SELECTION OF A DRILLING RIG

Performance charts for hydromatic brakes for a variety of drum diameters and numbers of
lines strung are illustrated in a catalog published by Paramac, Inc., and performance
charts for specific draw works are offered by most draw-works manufacturers. These
charts show the performance at maximum brake capacity with the brake circuit fully
charged with fluid. For faster operation with less than maximum loads, the brake capacity
can be reduced by throttling the cooling water flow rate with a manually controlled valve or
by the use of a variable water level control system (Figure 9).

Eddy current brakes develop braking torque by the rotation of a magnetic rotor rim
through magnetic flux created by electrically energized coils on stationary magnet units
arranged around the inside of the rotor circumference (Figure 10). As the rotor passes
through the magnetic field created by the magnets, eddy currents are generated within the
rim of the rotor which in turn produce a magnetic field in opposition to the stationary field
which causes a retarding force on the rotor as it continues to move. The amount of
magnetic flux produced by the coils determines how much braking force is developed at
given speed. With the Baylor Company’s Elmagco brake control system the coil excitation
voltage can be increased or decreased to obtain the desired braking effect.

The Elmagco eddy current brakes have a rapidly rising torque characteristic which
reaches approximately 80% of maximum at 50 rpm and then increases gradually to the
maximum at around 250 rpm. Braking curve for specific draw works with Elmagco brakes
can be obtained from the manufacturers. Lack of adequate cooling water can allow the
rotor rim to expand excessively as a result of retained heat, and the increased air gap
between rotor rim and the stationary magnets can cause severe loss of braking capacity.
Because of this, the manufacturer requires that the discharge water temperature should
not exceed 160°F. (71°C).

Shafts and bearings.

Carefully designed draw works shafts are made from heat treated alloy steel, and are
proportioned to prevent excessive deflection and to allow a generous safety factor when
taking into consideration the reversal of stresses during rotation under maximum loadings
and the stress concentration factors required to compensate for shoulders, keyways,
press and shrink fits, and radially drilled holes. Self-aligning spherical roller bearings are
used in the shaft supports to compensate for shaft and frame deflections, and the bearings
are selected to give long life under normal load cycles.

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SELECTION OF A DRILLING RIG

Draw-works components set capacity, speed

Depth Ratings of Draw-works Conclusion

Synopsis

The first part of this article in last week’s Journal discussed the ratings and limitations of
draw-works components. Wire rope, brakes, and roller chains may limit draw-works
rating as much as input horsepower. This concluding portion examines proper drum
design and then the ratios, speeds, and capacities in operation. Checks are given to help
evaluate true draw-works capacity using the design factors for each component. These
will help predict whether a given draw works is adequate for an actual drilling situation and
what its performance should be. Figures 1 through 10 and Equations 1 through 9 referred
to here are in last week’s installment.

The hoisting drum.

Since draw-works ratings and wire rope diameter go hand in hand, the drum diameter
must also go up with rig rating so as to avoid extreme bending stresses and lowered
service life which result if a rope is wound on a small drum. Considering the important
necessities of portability and economy, the optimum drum diameter for a draw works
should be in the range of 20 to 24 times the diameter of the wire rope to be wound on it.
With these values, the braking strength of the rope bent over the drum will be 92 to 95% of
the strength on a straight pull.

The length of the drum should be such that a stand of drill pipe can be handled without the
line spooling any higher than the third layer on the drum. With more than three layer
spooling under high line load, harmful abrasion will occur on the line and rum flange as the
line rises from one layer to the next. Minimum working lengths of drums for three layer
spooling when handling 90 ft stands is shown in Table 3.

(table 3)

From this chart it is apparent that all draw works offered by manufacturers pretty well
meet the criteria of three layer spooling with 8 and 10 lines strung to the block. On the
larger rigs 12 or 14 lines are strung to rum casing, but because of shorter block travel,
spooling can be kept within the third layer on the drum.

Drum grooving.

The greatest value of a grooved drum over a plain drum is that a grooved drum permits
unwinding down to 7 to 10 anchor coils thus increasing the working room on a drum, and
grooving provides much better support for the first layer of the drum.

(fig 12) (table 5)

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SELECTION OF A DRILLING RIG

Multiple layers on a smooth drum will crush the drum and rope on the first layer much
more than a grooved drum. Several forms of drum grooving have been used for draw
works, but today two-step parallel grooving is predominate. The groove form results in
counterbalanced double crossover spooling (Figure. 11). For a 360° development of this
style grooving the drum grooves are divided into two areas of 135° each, where grooves
are cut parallel to the flanges, and two areas (steps) of 45° each where the grooves are
cut on a helix.

Each of the helically grooved steps advance the groove one-half of the groove spacing
and are separated on the drum by the parallel zones. A riser and a return wedge are
provided to control the line in its rise to the second layer. As shown in Figure 11,
supporting shoulders are provided only in one of the parallel areas and only for the second
layer of rope. The first and last coils of the third layer spool over a gap and are supported
by the coil below and against the flange. The rope, while spooling, advances one half of a
rope diameter at each step area, making an advance of one full diameter for each
revolution of the drum .When each coil of rope is spooled on the second and subsequent
layers it has to rise to a slightly larger radius to cross over the lines of the preceding layer.
This causes the rope to bulge out at the crossover areas, but since the two crossover
areas are 180° apart the bulges counterbalance each other.

Worn and pulled down in size, wire rope can cause irregular spooling and may cause
cutting-in adjacent to the drum flanges. After a period of time flange undercutting may be
observed due to this crowding actions. The National Grooving System provides flame-
hardened flanges to minimize this wear, while the LeBus system provides replaceable
wear plates on the drum flanges. The importance of maintaining a systematic program for
moving the rope and cutting the drum end cannot be overemphasized. When a proper
cutoff procedure is followed it will spool in a uniform manner and maximum service life will
be realized. Wire rope manufacturers supply ton-miles calculators and charts, and
recommend cutting procedures. The amount and frequency of cut-off should be based on
these recommendations. The subject is also covered in API Recommended Practice
RP9B.

Ratios, speeds, and capacities.

The speed reduction ratios between the drive and the draw works drum must be known
before the draw works hoisting speeds and loads can be figured. Figure 12 illustrates a
hypothetical 1,000-hp draw works arrangement which we will use as an example and
analyze for ratios and performance potential. This scheme has the following chain drive
ratios:

(table)

Multiplying the input ratio by each transmission ratio and then by each drum drive ratio
gives the following six overall speed ratios from No. 1 engine to the drum.

(table)

If we load the draw works with 1,000 hp at 1,100 rpm from the engine compound, the six
drum speeds are determined by dividing 1,100 rpm by each overall speed ratio. The fast

14
SELECTION OF A DRILLING RIG

line speed is taken as the length of a wrap on second layer is 7.44 ft so that the values
shown in Table 4 are obtained.
Using tackle efficiencies from Figure 2 and assuming 98% efficiency for each chain
and shaft under load from the input drive chain to the drum, the following overall
efficiencies to the hook can be determined.

(table)

Equations 2 and 3 determine the various potential hook loads, and these are in Table 5.

Checking drum clutch capacity.

5
Power reaching the clutches is taken as (0.98) of rated, or 904 hp. The minimum rated
speed is 47.5 rpm for the low clutch and 171 for the high clutch. Potential torque load on
the clutches is:

(table)

The manufacturer’s ratings of the clutches at these speeds are 77,000 and 44,000 ft-lb,
respectively. Obviously, the low clutch will not handle the potential torque that could be
applied to it, and the draw works low-low capacity will be limited to what the clutch can
handle.

In Table 5, the smaller value under the low-low column is based on the clutch rating.

(fig. 13) (table 6)

With this smaller value the fast line design factor for 1 ¼-in. line is safe at 2.46, whereas
potential load based on full horsepower would load the wire line beyond a safe maximum.

Checking chain design factors.

Using Equation 6, the chain tension at each drive sprocket can be calculated and the
chain service factor determined. The results for our example draw works are shown in
Table 6, and they exceed the minimum recommended in API Std 7F. In reviewing Tables
4 and 5, it will be seen that our example draw works, operating with 8 lines to the block,
will pull 212,000lb at 116 fpm in low-high, or 325,000lb at 76 fpm in low-second speed.

Using 20-lb average weights per foot drilling string we would rate the draw works for
10,000 ft drilling in low/high speed. In low-second, 16,000 it could be handled. Usually, it
is recommended that the lower speeds be considered as a “spare tire” so that in event of
loss of an engine in the drive group, tripping from rated depth could continue at a lower
speed with the reduced power available. The lower speed capacities are also for use in
pulling on stuck pipe and in lowering casing strings.

Figure 13 illustrates curves of fast line tension versus fast line speed inputs. Once the fast
line speeds for a draw works have been figured, these curves can be used to find the
potential fast line pull without going through a lot of arithmetic. In our example, we had
928 fpm fast line speed in low-high (Table 4). By locating this point on the 1,000 hp curve
of Fig 13, we read across to get 31,500lb fast line pull. For 8 lines and 0.842 tackle

15
SELECTION OF A DRILLING RIG

efficiency we get a hoisting load capacity of 212,000 lb which matches the load shown in
Table 5.

With the use of the simple equations presented here, almost anyone should be able to
make a general analysts of a specific draw works if he is informed of sprocket sizes, clutch
capacity, drum and wire line size, and amount of horsepower and speed available. He
should be able to take the advertised hook load capacities for a draw works of a given
horsepower rating and figure the hook speeds on which they are based. Also, he should
be able to determine the change in hook load capacity which would result from a change
in input speed ratio.

In addition, by checking chain factors and wire rope factors he can arrive at an option on
whether the draw works is being overrated or underrated. In any event, the draw-works
hoisting capacity should be compared with the actual loads predicted for the drilling
program and the casing program. Advertised horsepower ratings and depth ratings are for
draw-works model identification and comparative purposes only. Actual load capacities of
draw-works with the same horsepower rating, but from different manufacturers, may vary
considerably because of the signer’s choice of speed ratios.

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SELECTION OF A DRILLING RIG

Calculation of Fast line and Dead line tension on a drilling rig.

Case I - Lowering the Blocks

HL := 400000 ⋅ lb Hook load – Static

n := 10 Number of lines strung between traveling blocks and crown

e := .97 Efficiency of sheave

HL
Tf_ideal :=
n
4
Tf_ideal = 4 × 10 lb
(e − 1) 
Tf_actual := HL⋅ 

(n
 e⋅ e − 1 

)
4
Tf_actual = 4.711 × 10 lb Fast Line tension

Overall hoisting efficiency:

Tf_ideal
= 0.849
Tf_actual

API efficiency method:

HL
Td :=
n
4
Td = 4 × 10 lb Tension in dead line

HLraising_blocks := Td⋅ 
(
 1 − en 
 )
 n⋅ 1 − 
 e ( e) 
5
HLraising_blocks = 4.748 × 10 lb

Note - when raising the blocks, the weight indicator will read "HL" but the actual load is
"HLraising_blocks" which is approximately 19% higher !!

Case II - Lowering the Blocks

HLlowering_blocks := Td⋅ 
(
 e ⋅ en − 1 

) 5
HLlowering_blocks = 3.396 × 10 lb
 e−1 

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SELECTION OF A DRILLING RIG

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