Course Module

Drilling Engineering – DRLG 412

Drilling Rigs 1:
Drilling Rigs and
Power Systems
DRLG 6035

MacPhail School of Energy Revised: July 2007

www.sait.ca
Drilling Rigs 1: Drilling Rigs and
Power Systems
Rationale
Why is it important for you to learn this material?
If you work in the drilling industry or portions of the oil and gas industry which
rely on drilling departments and rigs to drill the wells to explore, exploit and
produce hydrocarbons, you should understand the basic principles by which these
rigs operate. These basic principles will lead to the functions of the rigs and will
allow you input into well planning sessions.

The overall functions of rigs consist of the basic systems used by the rigs to drill
all wells and a basic understanding of these systems will allow you to make better
decisions regarding rig operations.

Learning Outcome
When you complete this module you will be able to ….
Explain the applications of various drilling rigs, including offshore equipment,
and the power systems used on these rigs.

Learning Objectives
Here is what you will be able to do when you complete each objective.
1. Describe the overall functions of conventional rotary drilling rigs and offshore
drilling rigs.

2. Describe the diesel power generation systems and the electrical and
mechanical power distribution systems.

Performance Evaluation
To show you have mastered the material, here is what you will be asked to do.
1. Define terms identified with bold-italic font.
2. Describe the different types of land and marine rotary drilling rigs and their
areas of application.
3. Describe a rig power system.

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 Introduction
The first rotary drilling rig was developed in France in the 1860s but was not
widely used. In the 1880s, the Baker brothers used a rotary unit with a fluid-
circulating system to drill water wells successfully in the mid-western U.S. but
this method of drilling was not yet widely used. It was not until 1900 at a wellsite
called Spindletop near Beaumount, Texas that rotary drilling finally came into its
own. A mining engineer named Anthony Lucas used a rotary drilling system to
drill for oil at Spindletop and this revolutionized the oil drilling industry.

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OBJECTIVE ONE
When you complete this objective you will be able to…
Describe the overall functions of conventional rotary drilling rigs and offshore
drilling rigs.

Learning Material
THE ROTARY DRILLING RIG

In today’s petroleum industry, 85% or more of all wells are drilled with rotary
drilling rigs while the remainder probably use the same general principles but
employ coiled tubing as the drill string. Rotary drilling rigs are used to drill all
deep holes, and many directional, horizontal and offshore wells. Additionally,
while the basic technology for many of our operations remains the same, the
rotary drilling rig has gone through a period of evolutionary design that has made
it safer, more efficient, more powerful and capable of drilling wells extending for
kilometres in depth.

Rotary drilling creates a “hole” in the ground through the application of two
actions. The first is a turning or rotating action of a drill bit and the second is the
pressing down of the drill bit into the ground. It is the combination of the turning
action with the downward pressing action that moves the drill bit through the
ground and creates the required hole. However, there is much more to the rotary
drilling process than this.

While the drill bit is being rotated, a fluid called drilling fluid is pumped from the
surface under high pressure through the drill string (the pipe that connects the bit
to the surface) and is forced through special openings or nozzles in the drill bit.
The mud jets out of the drill bit with very high velocity and removes cuttings
from beneath the drill bit teeth. The mud then carries the cuttings up the hole and
to the surface for separation, analysis and disposal. This mud circulating process
continually removes the drilled rock (the cuttings) and exposes fresh uncut rock to
the drill bit and allows the drilling process to be continuous.

In order to drill rock, the drill bit requires a downward force to force the drill bit
into the rock surface. This force is provided by using heavy, thick walled pipe
called drill collars in the drillstring immediately above the bit and bit sub. Drill
collars come in lengths of approximately 10 m and are very heavy with weight
determined by diameter. For example, 178 mm drill collars weigh approximately
175 kg/m, while 229 mm drill collars weigh approximately 291 kg/m, and
279 mm drill collars weigh approximately 446 kg/m. As the bit drills deeper,
more drill collars can be added thereby increasing the drilling weight on the bit.

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 Most rotary drilling land rigs are transportable; that is, they are designed to be
taken apart into truck sized loads, moved from wellsite to wellsite and then
reassembled. Once the drilling operation has been completed they are moved
again. The number of truck loads, and the time it takes to take the rig apart (rig
out) and reassemble it (rig up), is a function of the size of the rig and the depth to
which we are expecting to drill.

TYPES OF ROTARY DRILLING RIGS

Rotary drilling rigs are classified into two distinct types, land rigs and marine
rigs. While the construction methods vary (offshore or marine drilling rigs are
essentially large land rigs which are built as a single piece; that is they are not
disassembled to move) the rigs are essentially the same and perform the same
functions. However, the support structure that the rig sits on is very, very
different.

Land Rigs

Portability and an optimum match to operating (or well) depth are the principal
design features of land rigs. The derrick of a land rig has to be assembled on site
and all land rigs are built so that the derrick can be moved and reused, with the
various rig components being skid mounted.

One of the purposes for the derrick or mast is to provide sufficient clearance to
enable the drill string to be pulled from the hole when necessary (a trip out) and
run back in (a trip in). Where the wells are shallow, generally less than
approximately 1500 m, drilling times are short and the rig moves frequently. It is
important to minimize the number of (truck) loads to optimize the speed of
rigging out and moving and not particularly important to minimize the
(infrequent) trip times. The shallow rigs are therefore only capable of pulling the
drill string one (10 m) joint at a time and are called singles. Singles may have as
few as seven loads and can be rigged up in an hour.

On the much larger rigs, which have the capability to drill to over 6000 m and
which may spend 150 to 250 days drilling a single well, trips are (relatively)
much more frequent and take up a larger part or percentage of the overall drilling
time. The derricks on these rigs are much larger allowing up to four joints of pipe
to be pulled at a time. These are called quads. There is no need for rigs this size
in Canada and the largest here are triples. Quads and triples trip pipe quickly but
pay a price in size requiring as many as 110 loads and up to two weeks to rig up.
Triples are usually used for wells deeper than 3000 m.

In between singles and triples are doubles, with a depth range of 1000 m to
4000 m.

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It should be emphasized that all rigs are made from the same parts or components
and that these component parts are the same whatever the size or type of rig being
used. Only the size (for example, 300 HP versus 3000 HP) and the number of
individual items (for example, one engine versus three engines) changes. The
component parts on a typical drilling rig are shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1
Drilling Rig Component Parts
Reprinted with permission from Petroleum Extension Service (PETEX)
of the University of Texas, Fundamentals of Petroleum © 1995

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 1. Heavy Land Rigs (Triples)

Heavy land rigs (triples) are designed for drilling a well to a depth of greater
than 3000 m. They will require three or more large capacity diesel engines,
normally with generators attached, and two or possibly three high-pressure
pumps for circulating the drilling fluid and large volumes in the active mud
system. As well, a large storage capacity will be required for storing and
using large volumes of drilling fluid, diesel oil, cement powder and mud
chemicals. Heavy land rigs are transported by a fleet of trucks to the required
drilling site location and require considerable logistical control to ensure that
the truck loads arrive in the correct sequence, usually the reverse of that in
which they left the previous location. Many triples work in the foothills and
mountains and are often accompanied by a camp for the rig crews.

2. Light Land Rigs (Singles)

Light land rigs (singles) are designed for drilling shallower wells to a depth of
less than 1500 m. They usually require a single, smaller diesel engine and
usually only have a single, high-pressure pump for circulating the drilling
fluid. Since the wells are shallow the active mud system is also smaller, often
only a single tank, and the rigs are transported by a few trucks to the required
drilling site location. The majority of the work for these rigs is in the farmed
areas of east and southeast Alberta and they normally do not have a camp.

3. Medium Land Rigs (Doubles)

Doubles are sized for the deep plains and are sized between singles and
triples.

4. Helicopter Transportable Land Rigs

Helicopter transportable land rigs, also called a heli-rig, are mostly used for
remote areas where access is limited, that is, jungles or mountainous terrain.
On heli-rigs, everything will be transported by helicopter. The rig will be
broken down into smaller, easily transportable packages (usually with a
maximum weight of approximately 2000 kg) and flown to the prospective site.
Heli-rigs will often use smaller individual pieces of equipment, and more of
them, and may have major heavy items such as the main draw works shaft
split into several portions.

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Marine Rigs

An offshore drilling rig is essentially the same as an onshore rig. However,

offshore rigs require a support structure which is either bottom supported
(primarily jackups) or floating – a semi-submersible or a drillship. The type of
rig used is determined by the water depth and the environmental (weather)
considerations in the location.

Platform rigs may also be considered as marine or offshore rigs. The rigs are used
on steel and concrete bottom founded or fixed platforms to drill production wells,
water and gas injection wells, and to service existing wells. They are the same as
land rigs except they generally draw their power from a central platform
generation system and they are not built to be disassembled. They move from
well location to location (slots in the jacket), are small, usually only a few metres,
and the rig is designed to be skidded these short distances with power lines and
fluid lines in place.

There are a few other marine rigs being used in localized areas, primarily in
Louisiana. These include tender and drilling barge rigs and submersible rigs.
They will not be discussed further.

1. Bottom Supported Rigs

Initial offshore development was an extension of onshore work and it used

conventional land rigs on piers. However, as water depths increased, this
became uneconomical and specialized self-contained and relatively easily
moveable rigs were developed. The jackup rig is the most common of the
bottom-supported mobile rigs, which are used where the water depth is less
than 100 m (approximately). A jackup rig has a hull, similar to a ships hull,
which can float with a number of large steel legs. Newer designs place these
legs at each corner.

Jackups are not self propelled and will be towed to the well location by
several workboats or tugs or placed on a barge and towed, with the legs
elevated in the air. Once in position, the legs will be lowered (jacked down)
until they reach the sea bed and the platform is raised or jacked up above the
water. This will form a temporary platform. The height of the temporary
platform above the sea is the air gap and is determined by local environmental
conditions. The derrick on a jackup may be centered on the rig or
cantilevered over one side to allow wells to be drilled through slots in an
existing production platform once the jackup is placed next to the platform.
Figure 2 shows a schematic of a jackup drilling rig moving and on location.

The bottoms of the legs sit on the sea bed and provide stability and support for
the rig platform. Load is distributed to the sea floor using a foot, a mat or a
wide spud as shown in Figure 2.
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 Figure 2
Jackup Drilling Rig Schematic
©Steve Devereux, 1999, Drilling Technology in Non-technical Language
This material has been copied under license from access Copyright.
Resale or further copying of this material is strictly prohibited.

Over half of offshore production well drilling is done from platforms fixed in
position on the ocean floor. Platforms are built and placed on a location
determined by the optimum reservoir development scheme. A fixed number
of conductors (slots) through which the wells are drilled are incorporated into
the design and the field developed by conventional rigs on the platform
through the use of directional wells.

Jackup drilling rigs are considerably more expensive than on shore drilling
rigs and in 2005 day rates for jackups varied from about $90,000/day for
equipment designed to work in benign waters (GOM) to $150,000 for
equipment working in severe environmental condition (offshore Nova Scotia).

2. Floating Rigs: Semi-Submersibles

A semi-submersible drilling rig is a particular type of floating vessel where

the drilling platform (and the rig) is supported primarily on columns which
rest on large pontoon-like structures submerged below the sea surface. The
operating decks are elevated perhaps up to 50 metres above the pontoons on
these large steel columns. Once on location, the pontoons are ballasted down
with sea water to a position 20 plus metres below the surface. This design has
the advantage of submerging most of the area of components in contact with
the sea below the active wave zone and minimizing loading from waves and
wind. With pontoons below the active wave zone providing the majority of
the flotation, the semi-submersible is remarkably stable and has an extremely
limited heave response allowing it to drill in relatively rough water.

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 This heave response, the amount the rig floor moves up and down relative to
the wave height, is extremely important and many semis have a heave
response of less than 0.01: that is, in a ten metre wave, the semi or more
importantly the drill floor will move up only 10 cm and this can be handled
relatively easily by heave compensators. Figure 3 shows a schematic of a
semi-submersible.

Figure 3
Principles of a Semi Submersible Drilling Rig
Reprinted with permission from Petroleum Extension Service (PETEX)
of the University of Texas, Fundamentals of Petroleum © 1995

Semi-submersibles can operate in a wide range of water depths, including

deep water. They are usually anchored with six to twelve chains connected to
the rig by 3½” (89 mm) chain (the diameter of the link defines the chain size).
Once the anchors have been positioned by the rig, or more frequently by an
anchor handling supply boat, they are tensioned to 300,000 to 500,000 lbs
using the rig capstans to ensure the movement of the semi-submersible is
minimized. The anchor chains generally form a catenary to the seabed and
this results in an anchor chain length for each anchor of approximately ten
(10) times the water depth. This amount of anchor chain being carried by the
semi-submersible restricts the depth in which anchored semi-submersibles
can work to approximately 300 m. For deeper water depths, deepwater semi-
submersibles will use multiple engines and thrusters which are computer
controlled to maintain position and are called dynamically positioned (DP).

Station-keeping is important. Floating drilling rigs use a large diameter

marine riser to connect the BOP stack, which sits on the surface casing flange
on the seabed, to the rig.

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 The well is drilled through this riser and the drilling fluid is returned to the rig
for processing and reuse through the drill pipe/riser annulus. These risers are
relatively inflexible and rig movement in any lateral direction is normally
restricted by the riser to approximately 2 to 5% of water depth.

Semi-submersibles (called semi-subs or simply semis) can be used for

drilling, work-over operations, and production platforms, depending on the
equipment with which they are equipped.

Semi-submersibles are used for drilling wells in water depths that are too
great for the rig to rest on the bottom. These techniques greatly extend the
maximum operating water depth and semi submersibles can be used in water
depths as great as 5000 m.

Prices for semi-submersibles vary widely with the smaller anchored units
designed for relatively calm seas in the $100,000 to $150,000/day range while
generation V rigs, designed for rough waters and deep drilling (for example,
off Newfoundland), in the $450,000/day range. Additionally these rigs
require considerable support, at least two workboats, an onshore base,
helicopters and so on, and this can easily add a further $50,000/day to the
spread costs.

3. Floating Rigs: Drillships

A drillship has a ship-shaped hull (often a converted oil tanker) with a derrick
centrally located over a large hole (the moonpool) cut through the hull.
Drillships may be dynamically positioned (DP) or anchored and those which
use anchors may have the drilling equipment and anchoring systems mounted
on a central turret allowing the ship to rotate about this central turret so that
the ship always faces incoming waves which dampens incoming wave motion.
Other drillships may use a point (fore and aft) mooring system. Where a DP
station keeping system is in use it may be controlled by a satellite imaged GPS
system or it may be controlled by computers tied to a beacon set on the sea
bed relatively close to the BOP stack.

Generally drillships are extremely responsive to wave motion and this heave
response limits their efficiency. As a result, drillships are limited to site
locations where the wave action is not severe, that is, calm waters. The major
advantages of drillships are that they can drill a number of wells (3-4) without
any resupply and can be relocated fairly quickly between locations.
Anchored drillships are generally cheaper than semi submersibles and DP
drillships can operate in water depths of up to 10 000 m. Drillships are
generally older and cheaper than the modern semis and rates are currently
(2005) in the $100,000/day range.

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Offshore Rigs: Operations
Bottom supported rigs (jackups) drill surface hole using sea water with fluid
returns going to the seabed. Surface casing is run and cemented in a similar
manner to a land operation and run back through the sea to a lower deck or to the
wellhead deck of the platform. The BOP stack is run on this casing and is
immediately below the rig floor. Drilling operations are then similar to onshore.
On floating drilling rigs, surface hole is also drilled with sea water with returns
going to the seabed. The surface casing is run and cemented and a surface casing
flange, usually with a hydraulic connector, installed immediately above the
seabed or mudline. The BOP and accumulator is run using the drill pipe to carry
it to the seabed and latched onto this flange.
The BOP comprises essentially two BOPS: a lower marine package and upper
marine package and it can be separated in case of a surface emergency allowing
the rig to be moved off location quickly. In this situation the well is shut in using
the lower marine package, with the pipe rams closed on the drill pipe, the drill
pipe sheared by the shear rams and the blind rams closed on the hole. The blind
rams in the upper marine package are also closed to prevent loss of drilling fluid.
The BOP stack is connected to the rig using a riser, often a 27” pipe. The riser
allows the drilling fluid to be returned to the rig for processing. Risers are heavy
and longer risers (past about 1000 m) usually require some type of flotation
assistance. Syntactic foam is the most common.
Risers may also be allowed to bend but only slightly. Floating rigs are required to
stay on station within a distance equivalent to a 2º bend in the riser.

Exercise One
1. What are the principal design features of land rigs and marine rigs?

2. List three classifications that land rigs can be further divided into.

3. List two classifications that marine rigs can be further divided into.

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 OBJECTIVE TWO
When you complete this objective you will be able to…
Describe the diesel power generation systems and the electrical and mechanical
power distribution systems.

Learning Material
MAIN FEATURES OF THE ROTARY DRILLING RIG

All rotary rigs have the same basic equipment:

Rig Power System

Rig Hoisting Equipment
Rotary Equipment
Rig Fluid Circulating Equipment
Well Control System (see Well Control Module)
Well Monitoring System (see Well Control Module)

Rig Power System

A rotary drilling rig requires power to run the circulating, rotating and hoisting
systems. However, some power optimization can be achieved, as the hoisting and
circulating systems do not usually require power at the same time. The power
requirement of most modern rigs is from 750 kW to 2 MW which is supplied by
diesel engines acting as prime power source. Enough engines are used to meet
the power requirements of the rig, depending upon the well depth and rig design.
Small rigs will have a single engine and large rigs up to three large engines.

Today, most rigs have diesel engines. Power from these engines may be
distributed as electricity (with a generator) or mechanically and the rig is
classified based on the methodology used to transmit power to a particular rig
component. There have been numerous attempts to use an electrical power source
directly from the overhead mains but this has been unsuccessful in Canada due to
demand fluctuations and the demand billing practices of the power supply
companies. However, some pad rigs in the bitumen areas are using electricity as
their power source and generating this electricity on site for the entire operation.

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Diesel Engines

Diesel engines are inherently more efficient than gasoline engines provided they
are run for extended periods. They are ideal for drilling rigs where small rigs use
300 kVA engines and large rigs use several 752 kVA engines. The engines used
on the drilling rigs are normally V16s (16 cylinders in a vee formation) and are
slow speed engines running at between 900 and 1200 rpm.

The majority are water cooled ( a radiator is a predominant feature) and many
have turbochargers to provide more power for a fixed engine weight, useful when
the land based rig has to be torn apart and moved frequently. The addition of a
turbocharger or supercharger to the engine greatly assists in increasing fuel
economy and power output. The higher compression ratio allows a diesel engine
to be more efficient than a comparable spark ignition engine, although the
calorific value of the fuel is slightly lower at 45.3 megajoules/kilogram to
gasoline at 45.8 megajoules/kilogram. The increased fuel economy of the diesel
over the gasoline engine means that the diesel produces less carbon dioxide (CO2)
per unit.

Engine power is mechanical rotational power. This power is used to operate the
drilling rig systems; either after conversion to electric power or direct mechanical
transmission to the power sources. Where power is converted to electricity (using
generators) the rig is called a diesel electric and where power is transmitted
directly the rig is mechanical.

Diesel Electric Rigs

The diesel-electric system uses diesel engines to drive electric generators that
generate alternating current (AC) electricity. The majority of generators provide
three-phase, 600 volt power. This electricity is converted to direct current (DC)
electricity using a silicone cathode rectifier (SCR). The electricity generated is
transmitted by cables to stationary electric motors mounted near or on the rig
components.

The DC electric motors then drive the rig equipment. There are several
advantages of this type of system. Firstly the direct-current motors can be wired
to give a wide range of speed-torque characteristics, making direct control of the
drilling operation itself very, very easy. Furthermore it facilitates the use of an
electric control system to monitor and control the drilling process. Additionally
using an SCR system is extremely efficient with the power generated being fed
into a common buss bar and distributed as required. In this regard electrical
power is only generated as required so on the larger rig it is possible to run one
engine as a base load provider and others as necessary, and often only when
tripping or some other operations requiring additional load.

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 During the last ten years (since about 1996) advances in electrical generation
capability particularly in smaller engines have increased the efficiency of
electrical systems to the point that, with this system being so efficient, the
majority of new rigs, and many older large rigs, run this type of power
distribution system. Advances in electrical generation and motors are leading to
some interesting possibilities and manufacturers are considering the use of DC
generators and AC motors.

In the Canadian industry there are also a few DC/DC rigs. These rigs use DC
generators which have not been particularly efficient in the past. Also they are set
up so that a single engine drives each of the power consuming units. Buss bars on
DC, particularly high voltage, are likely to short or arc, meaning that each engine
runs more often than if power could be shared between the consuming units.
These rigs are over twenty years old and none have been built in that time.

Mechanical Rigs

Mechanical rigs use engine power to transmit power to the rig’s components via
mechanical means, usually heavy chains or belts. Where more than one engine is
in use, the individual engines are connected together by chains and belts in a
system called a compound. A mechanical rig compound is shown in Figure 5.
Large pulleys are mounted on each internal combustion diesel engine and the
pulleys are connected via belts and chains.

A series of output shafts distribute the power, through chains or belts, to the
drawworks, rotary and mud pumps. With this system if any one engine is not
running, the others continue to transmit the power.

Power is transmitted from the compound, using a series of chains or belts and
clutches to each rig component requiring power. Chains are more efficient and
the majority of belts have by now been replaced by chains. Additionally,
hydraulic drives have improved mechanical drive systems and torque converters
have improved the output torque at low engine speeds.

The initial capital investment for a mechanical rig system has historically been
less than that for a diesel-electric system and the majority of the older rigs being
used in Western Canada are of this type. Better electrical systems, and some cost
reductions, have resulted in diesel-electric rigs becoming more efficient and easier
to operate.

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 Figure 4
Mechanical Rig Compound
Reprinted with permission from Petroleum Extension Service (PETEX)
of the University of Texas, Fundamentals of Petroleum © 1995

Diesel Engine Power System Performance

Power system performance characteristics consist of output horsepower, engine

torque, and fuel consumption, for various engine speeds. The shaft power P
developed by an engine is the product of the angular velocity of the shaft and
the output torque T:

P = T

where = angular velocity (radians/s)

T = torque output (N·m)
P = power (watts)

The overall power efficiency determines the rate of fuel consumption wf at a given
engine speed.

Heat Energy Input = Qi = wf · H where wf = kg/s fuel used.

3
Fuel Density [kg/m ] H – Heating Value [J/kg]
6
Diesel 863 44 · 10
6
Gasoline 791 47 · 10
6
Butane 563 49 · 10
6
Methane - 56 · 10

P
Overall Efficiency Et .
Qi

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 Example: Rig Power

A diesel engine gives an output torque of 2360 N·m at an engine speed of

1200 r/min. If the fuel consumption rate is 0.12 m3/h, what is the output power
and overall efficiency of the engine?

Solution: Rig Power

2 1200 = 7540 radians/min

1
Output power = P T 7 540 2 360 296 573 W or 297 kW or 398 HP
60
For diesel fuel, = 863 kg/m3 and H = 44 · 106 J/kg
1
Fuel consumption rate = w f 0.12 863 0.02877 kg/s
3 600
So, energy consumption rate 44 106 0.02877 1.266 106 J/s or 1266 kW
297
So, overall efficiency 100 23.5 %
1 266

The fuel consumption given above is 0.12m3/h for a 398 HP engine and this rate
is quite realistic. For planning and economic purposes, we generally use a fuel
consumption rate of 0.3 litres per hour per horsepower. This means we can
expect a 1000 HP engine to use 300 litres per hour of diesel fuel or 7,200 litres
per day. The amount of fuel we keep on the lease is determined by the location
and how easily we can get a fuel truck to the lease and how large the engines are.

Calculations of this type are useful where a detailed analysis of operational

efficiency is required. Note, however, that in a day work contract the rig
inventory determines the type of engine and the available power output and
contractors will likely restrict the maximum speed the engines are allowed to run.

On most rigs, the engine power output is usually well matched to the rig itself.
Changing out engines for specific programs has not happened in the Canadian
industry. Also, in a meterage contract the operator has no control over the
operation.

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Exercise Two
1. What three systems does a rotary drilling rig require power to run?

2. How can power optimization be achieved on a drilling rig?

3. What are the two types of drive systems used to transmit power to rig
components?

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 Summary
In today’s petroleum industry, more than 85% of all wells are drilled with
conventional rotary drilling rigs. Rotary drilling rigs are divided into two distinct
classifications; land rigs and marine rigs. The manner in which these rigs operate
is essentially the same but offshore rigs require a complex support system to keep
the rig and crew out of the water. This support system may be bottom founded (a
jackup) or free floating (a semi-submersible or a drillship).

A rotary drilling rig requires power to run the circulating, rotating and hoisting
system. The power requirements are supplied by internal-combustion engines and
a modern rig may require two or more engines depending upon the well depth and
rig design.

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Module Self-Test
Directions:
Answer the following questions.
Compare your answers to the enclosed answer key.
If you disagree with any of the answers, review learning activities and/or check with your instructor.
If no problems arise, continue on to the next objective or next examination.

1. Compare the characteristics of heavy lands rigs and light land rigs.

2. List the six (6) main features of a rotary drilling rig.

3. What type of engine is most commonly used as prime movers for power
systems?

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 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED:
This material may not be reproduced in whole or part
without written permission from the Director, Centre for Printed in Canada
Instructional Technology and Development. on Recycled Paper
Southern Alberta Institute of Technology,
1301 16 Ave. N.W. Calgary AB T2M 0L4