Product Bulletin No.

: 10682546-PIB
Rev 01
Release Top Drive Drilling System

Date: August 24, 2012

Subject: Equipment Failure and Dropped Objects Resulting from Jarring Operations

Product: All NOV TDS-11SA and TDS-11HP Top Drives

Affected
Assemblies: PH-75 Pipe Handler Assemblies (P/N 30157288)

Objective: To advise customers/operators of additional safety precautions that shall be

taken during harsh drilling operations such as jarring and rough drilling. The
motions, accelerations and impact loadings associated with these operations will
affect the performance, life, maintenance and safety of all downstream
equipment subjected to such forces.

In the case outlined below, TDS Main Shaft and Pipe Handler components were
damaged and an object dropped from a TDS-11SA Top Drive as a result of
heavy jarring operations. No personnel injuries were reported.

Issue: NOV has been advised that the positionable Pipe Handler Clamp Cylinder
Assembly, sitting free at the bottom of the Pipe Handler Torque Arrester tube in
the drilling position, experienced significant bounce up and down the Torque
Arrester tube due to the impulses that occurred during severe jarring operations.

These impulses caused the Clamp Cylinder Assembly to act as a slide hammer
and, while traveling in the upward direction hit, and failed, the Clamp Cylinder
Safety Pin (P/N 30172179). Pieces of the safety pin fell to the rig floor and the
continued jarring caused the Clamp Assembly to repeatedly strike the Lower
IBOP/Saver Sub connection Tool Joint Lock on the TDS Main Shaft Assembly.

The Joint Lock was forced upwards along the TDS Main Shaft Assembly
approximately 8 inches after the Clamp Cylinder Assembly had failed the safety
pin.

© 2012 National Oilwell Varco 10682546-PIB

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 The safety pin was positioned (stored) in the bottom hole in the Torque Arrester,
just above the Clamp Cylinder Assembly, used for Lower IBOP/Saver Sub
connection make-up and break-out, rather than engaged in the upper hole as
indicated in Delta note 3 of the PH-75 Torque Arrester Assembly Drawing (P/N
30157288), used for make-up and break-out of the Upper IBOP and the TDS
Main Shaft.

Had the Pin been stored in the uppermost of the three holes it would not have
been struck by the Clamp Cylinder Assembly and not caused a dropped object
incident. However, this action would not have prevented damage to the Joint
Locks and other Main Shaft components.

While jarring operations are an accepted part of the overall drilling activity, it is
widely understood that it is detrimental to all rig floor and derrick equipment. As
such, most operators clear the rig floor of personnel during jarring operations
and inspect all associated equipment and structures after such operations. From
the extent of travel and damage to the Pipe Handler components, it is likely that
the above incident developed over a significant period of time and that early
detection of the hammering situation, and a higher safety pin stored position,
could have prevented a dropped object incident and minimized equipment
damage.

Solution: To perform brief periodic inspections at regular intervals during prolonged jarring
operations with specific attention paid to the Pipe Handler Clamp Cylinder
Assembly and Torque Arrester components. Because the Clamp Assembly
hammers downwards as well as upwards during these severe operations, the
components on the Torque Arrester below the body must be inspected as well.
These would include, but not be limited to, the bolts that secure the Clamp Body
support plate to the bottom of the Torque Arrester (See NOV Product Safety
Bulletin D614000747-PIB-001 which directly addressed this bottom plate
security issue with a Secondary Retention Kit, P/N M614005513).

Failure to follow the recommendations and/or guidance in NOV Product Bulletins may
result in death, bodily injury or property damage.

Operators should also refer to previous NOV Product Information Bulletins and Safety Alerts at
http://www.nov.com/drilling for additional information related to this issue and information
regarding safe operation, maintenance, and inspection criteria.

Please contact your local National Oilwell Varco (NOV) Service Center if you have any
questions regarding this safety alert.

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 Figure 1

© 2012 National Oilwell Varco 10682546-PIB

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