Auxiliary equipment

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AUXILIARY
EQUIPMENT

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GENERALITY

Auxiliary equipment's functions are:

 protect surface equipment from well pressure

 prevent blowouts from drill pipes
 keep kick situations under control.

Auxiliary equipment include:

 Safety valves and cocks

 Degasser

 Instruments

They also include working-condition control devices and instruments for kick monitoring and
detection.

The most commonly used safety valves and cocks are:

- Upper kelly cock

- Lower kelly cock
- safety valves fore drill pipes
- inside BOP

All sealing parts (cocks, valves, inside BOP) are characterised by the maximum working pressure
value.

Pressure tests

Pressure tests must be carried out with a pressure not lower than 70% of the drill pipes internal
pressure (yield pressure) and of the degree and diameter of the drill string highest section,
assuming the pipes are new.

Testing pressure

Testing pressure must not be higher than the BOP working pressure and in no case it can be higher
than 10.000 psi (API RP 53 regulations).

For these parts, the pressure test should be accomplished whenever the BOP's are tested with
upwards pressure.

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3.1 UPPER KELLY COCK

The upper kelly cock must be installed between

the swivel and the kelly and has a twofold
function:

 insulate the surface circuit (stand pipe and

hose) from the well pressure;
 stop the flow and reduce the kick volume in
case a blowout from the pipes should occur.

In case of a kick, the upper cock can also be

used to insulate the surface circuit when the drill
sticking hampers the kelly retrieval.

It consists of a one-way valve (upwards), with

either manual or automatic locking and a left-
hand thread.

Automatic closure takes place when a

substantial flow from the pipes reaches the
valve.

Manual closure of the cock from the rig floor

can be difficult if the kelly is completely out of
the rotary table.

The internal diametr should be always at least

the same as the kelly diameter to avoid
hampering the flow and to allow tools to pass
when necessary.

Note 1: If the upper kelly cock cannot be closed, the pump safety valve might open, thus causing a subsequent
blowout through the pipes.This type of situation is particularly dangerous and difficult to control.

Note 2: Two cocks are installed on the top drive: one of them is hydraulically operated and the other one is
manually operated.

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The OMSCO upper kelly cock is flapper-shaped with one-way sealing (upwards) and both manual
and automatic functioning. 10.000 and 15.000 psi versions are available.

It does not require any particular maintenance and can be manually actuated (opening and closing)
by using the provided key which must be kept at hand on the rig floor.

Parts

The cock is composed of:

Body: it is bowl-shaped and it

accommodates the flapper
packing unit. It has left-hand
threaded ends.

Flapper: fixed to a pin by a small-sized

key. A rubber sealing is
installed on the flapper and
kept in place by a metal disk.

Pin: it has a set of lip seals

Its characteristic bowl-shaped internal cavity allows the return flow to be oriented to facilitate the
flapper automatic closure.

Note: Automatic closing is not guaranteed and manual closing has to be done in case of failure of one of the
components behind the valve itself or in case of excess pressure from the well.

Operations

To carry out manual closure rotate the pin at 90° (1/4 of a turn) by an hex key. Sealing is improved
by the thrust on the flapper surface from within the pipes. After closing, the valve can be partially
opened by the pump when circulation starts, but complete manual opening has to be accomplished
manually.

During normal operations, the valve must be kept completely opened to avoid erosion and
damages to the flapper and its seat, due to mud passage.

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Maintenance

No lubrication point is indicated since the pin rotates in a mud-free environment. When
maintenance is carried out, the following parts should be checked:
 flapper rubber seal
 sealing seat inside the body
 pin seals and working surfaces on the valve body
 check pin wear with particular attention to sealing zones

3.2 LOWER KELLY COCK

It is installed in the kelly lower part as a further safety valve and it is used to prevent return flow
from the pipes in case the upper cock is either out of service or not accessible. It can be closed to
allow the kelly to be unscrewed and to install an inside BOP on the cock head to carry our
stripping.

It has to be closed manually, using the provided key, which must always be kept at hand on the rig
floor.

The working pressure should be proportional to the installed BOP pressure.

The internal diameter should be at least the same as the tool-joint internal diameter. The external
diameter size must be small enough to permit passage through the BOP.

Note: During pipe changing, it is kept closed to prevent the mud from flowing from the kelly.

SAIPEM usually adopts HYDRIL's lower cocks, and the following models in particular:

They are both spherical, with full Kelly cock Kellyguard

passage and two-way sealing,
(upwards and downwards).

They are manually operated by

turning the provided hexagonal key
1/4 turn to the right (to close) or 1/4
turn to the left (to open).

A notch on the key seat indicates the

sphere position (closing position is
when it is perpendicular to the key
axis).

Note: Both cocks can be used as safety valves and must be kept at hand on the rig floor for emergencies.

HYDRIL kelly cock

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HYDRIL kelly cock has male and female

connections with the same right-hand
thread as the kelly.

It can be used as a safety head in case of

blowouts occuring during tripping.

Sealing is performed by a hardened-steel

spherical plug mounted on bearings for
better functioning under pressure.

The appropriate rubber "O rings" which

are inserted between the lower and the
higher parts of the body valve and their
seats ensure sealing between inside and
outside environment.

HYDRIL kellyguard

The HYDRIL kellyguard model is rather

smaller and lighter (about half the
kellycock model) thus allowing easier
installing operations.

It has a one-piece body which grants

greater safety. Internal parts are in stainless
steel to prevent corrosion.

The kelly guard is characterised by the

fixed upper seat and by the floating ball for
an easier valve opening at maximum
working pressure ratings.Opening is also
eased by the floating-ball downward
pressurisation which allow pressure values
to find equilibrium.

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Maintenance
Kelly cock Kellyguard

The kelly cock model requires regular
lubrication to smooth movements and prevent
corrosion. A threaded hole below the
openening/closing key seat on the body allows
the inside of the valve to be lubricated by
replacing the plug with a greaser.Before
proceeding to the revision unscrew the two
kelly cock components.
The kellyguard model does not need to be
lubricated regularly, but the seals should be
regularly replaced. As a rule, a revision
should be carried out every 6-9 months, but
in case of oil-based muds it has to be done
more frequently.To proceed to the valve
internal check use a standard extractor to
remove all parts from the female connection.

Note: Before proceeding to the revision unscrew the Note: To proceed to the valve internal check use a
two kelly cock components. standard extractor to remove all parts from the
female connection.

3.3 SAFETY VALVES FOR DRILL PIPES

The safety valve should always be kept at hand on the rig floor to be installed on the drill pipes or,
by using the provided reduction, on the heavy wate. The safety valve must be installed before the
inside BOP, if there is one. The safety valve must be kept at hand on the rig floor, (together with
the inside BOP) in the open position, with the provided key and with the necessary reductions to
connect it to the drill collar being used.

The kelly lower cock models (kelly cock e kellyguard) can also be used as safety valves.

Note: During a blowout control the circulating head which connects with the high-pressure chiksan line, can
never be installed directly on the pipes, but has to be installed above the safety valve or above an inside
BOP.

These valves can be installed even in case of a strong return flow, since their internal diameter,
when fully opened, does not narrow, which means that no obstructions are there to hamper the
flow during installation operations. ( They are also known as "full-opening valves").

They are provided with a special external collar with handles to facilitate their installation.

In case the return flow should be partucularly violent, REGAN has designed a special valve called
"fast shut-off valve" which, thanks to its particular bowl-shaped lower part and to its remarkable
weight, allows installation in all conditions. A safety valve should always be installed above it and
kept open to be closed once the installation has been accomplished. Once the "fast shut-off valve"
has been installed, stripping is not possible anymore, unless the drop-in seat has been installed on
the drill string.

Maintenance: see lower kelly cock maintenance

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3.4 INSIDE BOP

Inside BOP's are check valves used to prevent blowouts from the pipes and to carry out stripping
operations. Because of their function, they must be kept at hand on the rig floor together with all
other emergency equipment.

They are one-way valves for upwards sealing, they permit circulation and they can be:

 installed on the surface to prevent blowouts from the pipes during drilling and tripping;
 installed on the surface after a kick has been detected
 dropped in the drill string in emergency situations

The valves, together with any other emergency equipment, must always be kept available and
efficient on the rig floor. SAIPEM usually adopts three types of check valves:

1. BAKER valves 2. GRAY valves 3. HYDRIL drop-in valves

(models G and F)

BAKER valves are check valves which are usually installed right above the drill bit, and in case of
a blowout they allow to carry out both downwards and upwards stripping. When the circulation is
stopped, a spring closes the valve automatically, thus preventing the fluid from flowing through
the bit nozzles and entering the pipes. As soon as the drill string is raised , when the pump is not
working, the mud column penetrates into the pipes overcoming the spring thrust and the valve
opens. During string running-in operations, models "F" and "G" do not allow the mud to penetrate
into the pipes and some pauses are required for filling operations.

Note: Most recent models (called "GC" and "FC") allow the descent inside the well with valves in the open
position, and subsequent pipe filling. They will then settle in their final position as soon as circulation
begins.

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Two models are available:

"G" model (flapper) "F" model (dart)

They are composed of an external body with threaded ends and of an internal closing element. The
external part is the same for both models, while the internal part is different.

They are both equipped with sealings to ensure internal sealing:

 flapper-shaped (for the G model)

 dart-shaped (for the F model).

The valve seat is sealed on the body by two lip-seals which are positioned to resist both
downwards and upwards pressure.

BAKER G model BAKER F model

Flapper-shaped check valves with total
opening in order to reduce obstructions to the
mud flow and to allow tools to pass. The
closing flapper allows the valve to be opened
immediately as soon as the circulation starts.
It can be of the blind-sealing type or it can
have an opening ("GA" model) to allow the
string to be partially filled during running in,
facilitating and speeding up tripping
operations.
The hole can be used to read the SIDPP value,
but in case of a kick it also lets in greater
quantities of fluid.
Compared to the "G" model, the "F" model
design is older; it features similar
characteristics and can perform similar
functions.
The main differences can be found in the
dart-shaped closing device which creates a
partial obstruction to the mud flow
hampering at the same time the tool passage.
Hydraulic sealing is ensured by a seal
inserted in the dart and compressed upwards
by a spring.

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GRAY float valve

It's a check valve installed on the surface on the string top

(after the pipes safety valve) to carry out the following:

 run in in stripping.
 run in again to the bottom after the trip out has been
interrupted for safety reasons.

The packer is cone-shaped to reduce the mud abrasive

effect, but it does not allow the tools to pass.

During installation the valve is kept in the open position

by a rod mounted on a threaded pin. Once the installation
has been accomplished, the pin is unscrewed and the
packer, pushed by a spring and by the fluid itself, seals
upwards.

Note: The valve must be kept on the rig floor in the open position.
It is equipped with an external collar with handles to facilitate
installation.

Drop-in valve

The drop-in valve is composed of a valve seat, previously installed on the drill string, and by a
valve insert that is dropped, when necessary, and pumped into the drill pipes.
The drop-in valve seat is installed on the last drill string section, before the drill pipes or heavy
wate.

Valve seat Valve insert

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Operations

Once the valve has been dropped and pumped to its seat, the insert is latched to the seat indented
part by the jaws. When the circulation is interrupted, the well pressure and the spring action push
the internal ball upwards.

A limited return flow, subsequently discharged to keep it under control, allows the insert to latch
into the seat. This will also help to vewrufy if closure has been accomplished.

From that moment on both upwards and downwards stripping operations are allowed.

3.5 DEGASSER

Generality

The degasser is designed to remove

gas from the mud and convey it far
from the drilling installations. It is
used to keep the mud density and,
as a consequence, to keep the
hydrostatic pressure constant.

The mud-gas emulsion is composed

of gas bubbles of different sizes
trapped in the mud. The bubbles
can be naturally removed thanks to
different floating capacities due to
the different densities.

The time required to accomplish

the whole process depends on the
mud characteristics (density,
viscosity, thixothropy) and usually
proves to be too long for
operational practice requirements.

The degasser, when the right procedures are followed, allows a faster gas-removal process.

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The degasser gas-removal procedure is based on the following principles:

reduction of the contaminated depression mechanical shaking

flow thickness

the quantity of gas being depression increases the an increase of the mud-
removed is in direct bubbles floating thrust and flow turbulence helps gas
proportion to the fluid upward speed bubbles to be released
exposed surface

centrifugal action

centrifugal motion imparted to the emulsioned mud pushes

the heavy particles (mud) outwards: they tend to spread on
the wall, while the gas bubbles, due to their lightness, tend
to separate from mud and move towards the center.

Adopting the operational principles described above, the following two typologies can be
distinguished:

 the atmospheric degasser allows the gas to be separated from the mud at atmospheric pressure
(without requiring to create a vacuum); it has limited capacities and
is usually installed on the possum belly to be used when there is a
small quantity of gas contaminating the mud.

 the vacuum degasser is based on the same principles as the atmospheric degasser, but it
also creates a vacuum which facilitates the gas removal.
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Atmospheric degasser
(vertical separator or poor boy degasser)

Gas is removed by:

 fluid thicknes reduction

 mechanical shaking

 centrifugal action

The degasser processing capability depends on

the discharge pipe geometry where a pressure
can be created to prevent the gas from flowing
out with subsequent danger of explosion.

It does not always grant complete separation of

gas from mud, but it is extremely functional and
simple, and it does not require any particular
equipment or maintenance.

Vacuum degasser

To increase the degasser capability, a vacuum is

created within the degasser itself thus adding its
effect to the typical atmospheric degasser action
(mechanical, centrifugal and thickness
reduction).

The vacuum degasser is installed on the mud

circuit and proves particularly useful in case of
high percentages of gas and/or whenever
separations is particularly troublesome (mud
high viscosity)

The SB002 water jet model can work both as an atmosheric degasser and a vacuum degasser.

Vacuum is created by a water jet within a "Venturi tube".

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Parts

The degasser is basically composed of:

Degasser body

It is composed of two semi-spherical parts,

horizontally bolted.

A set of inclined planes with openings is

provided to allow the falling mud to pass and
the released gas to flow upwards.

The upper flanged part is connected with the

centrifugation chamber; the lower part, also
flanged, conveys the treated mud to the tanks
through the provided line which must always
be kept immersed in the mud.

The mud level inside the pipe is kept under

control by a float connected to the outlet line,
thus preventing the mud from entering the
tank tank.

Upper part

It is composed of two centrifigation

chambers, internally finished with lead plates
(only in the jet zone):

 external centrifugation chamber with mud

inlet from the centrifugal pump;

 internal centrifugation chamber with a

smaller diameter and concentric to the
other chamber with mud inlet from the
choke manifold.

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Vacuum circuit

It includes a centrifugal pump which, drawing

water from the tank, conveys a jet into the
"Venturi tube".

The jet speed at the end of the tube produces a

vacuum inside the degasser which facilitates
the gas removal.

The upper part is equipped with a

pneumatically-operated flapper valve to
activate the vacuum circuit: the vacuum can
only be created when the flapper valve is
kept closed.

Operations

The mud to be treated can enter through two different lines:

 choke manifold (blowout control)

 mud tanks (drilling)

The mud jet penetrates with tangent direction into the centrifugal chambers. Here, because of the
different densities (gas-mud) a first separation takes place. Subsequently, the mud falls on the
inclined plates inside the body, where mechanical shaking and mud-thickness reduction give way
to a further gas-separation stage.

The vacuum created by the Venturi tube increases the removal of gas which is then trapped by the
water jet and conveyed by centrifugal action into the discharge line.

The operational mode can be selected through a pneumatically-operated flapper valve positioned
in the degasser upper part, above the upper part: the selection is based on on the mud
contamination degree:

atmospheric mode: the flapper valve is open: the inside of the degasser is directly connected with
the atmosphere through the discharge line and no vacuum effect is involved;

vacuum mode: the flapper valve is closed: the centrifugal pump, by circulation through the
"Venturi tube", creates a vacuum inside the degasser.

Note: To prevent the vacuum from being neutralised by the external inlet, the degasser outlet must be kept
immersed in the mud.

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Start up

1. Open the hydric circuit to fill the water-

feeding tank.

2. If the vacuum mode is going to be

selected, close the pneumatically-
operated flapper valve.

3. Make sure the vacuum-gage valve is

open.

4. Open the vacuum-circuit valves.

5. Open one of the two inlets of the

contaminated mud coming from the
choke manifold or from the centrifugal
pump.

6. Start the Venturi-tube feeding centrifugal

pump.

Note: In case of a pump failure, use the installation hydric circuit to feed the Venturi tube by closing valves
on steps 1and 4 and opening the discharge line.

Maintenance

 After each operation, clean the inside of the tank tank with water.

 Inspect wear plate conditions inside theupper part and check the pneumatic flapper valve
functioning and positioning.

 Check periodically the degasser efficiency and functioning, by filling the tank with water and
verifying through the vacuum gage the internal vacuum value.

Note: The approximate recommended value is 0.5 kg/cm² (absolute value), in case of a higher value inspect
all vacuum circuit components

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3.6 INSTRUMENTS

Generality

The installation is equipped with a set of instruments to monitor the operating conditions, to
promptly detect and control any kick. Correct functioning and positioning, together with precise
interpretation of all information supplied by the instruments are therefore of the utmost importance
to ensure correct operations and installation safety conditions

The most important instruments installed include:

 trip tank / possum belly

 level indicators (pit level indicators and PVT)
 flow meter
 mud density detector
 gas detector
 pump-stroke counter

Trip tank/possum belly

The trip tank is a high and narrow mud container with little linear capacity, which allows accurate
measurement of the mud flowing in and out of the well. It is used during tripping to detect
swabbing.

The level can be read by a graduated rod. On some models a recorder is installed to allow
continuous monitoring of level variations.

API 53 RP regulations state the following:

 total capacity: 10-40 barrels (1.5 - 6 m³)

 linear capacity: lower than 42 gallons/inc (63 liters/cm)

SAIPEM installations usually feature the following values:

- total capacity 3 - 4 m³
- linear capacity 10 liters/cm.

Pit level indicators

The pit level indicator is used to detect mud-tanks level variations (gain-loss indicator) and to
record volume variations inside the tank (recorder), which makes it particularly suitable for kick
detections. The volume value is given by the tank level measurement and recording is carried out
throughout the 24 hours. It is equipped with acoustic and light alarms and allows the operator to
choose the correct range beyond which the alarm starts.

The instrument can be air- or electricity-powered.

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Parts

The pit level indicator is composed

of:

 float (sensor)

 indicator

 recorder

Operations

Sensors are positioned on the

installations tanks.

The signals are collected in one

single point (averaging relay) where
their average is calculated to
determine the final record value.

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Flow meter

The flow meter is installed on the pipe tube and is used to control the fluid flow from the well. It is
the most important instrument to detect a kick.

The most common type is the flapper type which is composed of:

flapper sensor: inserted inside the pipe tube to detect outgoing fluid quantity;

indicator: installed on the driller's consolle, which supplies fluid percentage value with
reference to maximum tube flow-rate. It is equipped with acoustic and visual
alarms which are activated whenever the detected value exceeds the limits
previously defined by the operator;

recorder: it can be installed to obtain non-stop recording of fluid variations.

The flapper sensor must always be kept clean because of sediments and of baryte decantation, to
prevent the flow values from being affected.

Mud density detector

It allows mud-density and contamination

measurements at the well inlet and outlet.

Measurement can be accomplished through the

fluid weight, and it can be either automatic or
manual.

Manual: use the provided scales to weigh the

fluid samples.

Automatic: it directly gives the density value; it

is installed on mud-suction tanks to
read density values of the inlet mud
and on the flow line to read density
values of the mud flowing out of the
well.
By comparing the two values, gas contamination can be detected.

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Gas detector

Thanks to the gas detector, the presence of gas

trapped in the mud flowing out of the well can
be detected.

It is composed of two parts:

sensor: it is generally installed on the shale

shaker tank

recorder: installed in the geology booth to

detect the presence of gas "units"

Pump-stroke counter

The most common pump-stroke counter is composed of a sensor mechanically actuated by the
pump movement which conveys the signal to the indicator.

It gives the progressive pump-stroke and frequency (strokes/minute) number.

The pump-stroke counter is installed on each pump being used in the installation and allows the
progressive stroke number to be set. When such number is reached, the acoustic alarm is
automatically actuated.

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