What Is A Drilling Rig Used For?

A drilling rig is a machine that makes holes in the surface of the earth. Drilling rigs can be very large structures used to house the equipment used to make water wells, gas extraction wells, or oil wells. There are many different types of drilling rigs. The rig used depends on the specific requirements needed for the drilling site. Here are a few different types of rigs.

Land-based rigs

This type of rig is the most common type of exploration. Today's land-based rigs are much smaller and more efficient than those used in the past.

Slim Hole  drilling rigs

A slender drilling rig is much smaller than a conventional drilling rig. It can sometimes be more than twice as small as a conventional one. Compared to conventional drilling rigs, slim hole rigs usually drill less rock and take up less space due to their smaller size. Not all environments allow the use of slimline drilling equipment.

Water Well Drilling Machine

Coiled Tubing Drill Rig

Use rigid tubing to drill a normal hole to form a drilling column. Sometimes continuous tubing is used instead of using a pipe. This has many benefits, such as minimizing equipment footprint and reducing drilling waste. For environmentally sensitive areas, this is a good option. This is most applicable to re-entry wells.

Jackup Drill Rigs

These are used in shallow water (less than three hundred feet deep). A jack-up rig is a floating barge with a drilling structure supported by legs that can be lowered or raised. The jack-up is usually towed to its location. These rigs are very robust as they can withstand strong waves and ocean storms. They are considered cost-effective because they are easy to move when storms hit and they are very robust and durable even in the harshest conditions.

Semi-submersible rigs

These rigs are suitable for drilling in water up to three hundred feet deep. The semi-submersible rig relies on a floating platform to hold it in place.

The design of this semi-submersible rig offers advantages. The semi-submersible rig can operate in a wide range of water depths, including very deep water. Semi-submersible rigs can be attached to the seabed using cables or strong chains, or they can use dynamic positioning to remain stationary during drilling without the need for anchors.

 Drilling Rig

Drillships

For the exploration of things far out in the ocean, a drillship is required. This vessel is designed to drill a hole in waters up to 10,000 feet deep. These drillship rigs float, they can be attached to the seabed and they can also use anchoring systems. They can also use dynamic positioning to remain in the same position during drilling without an anchor.

Oil well drilling is a complex operation and the drilling industry requires the services of personnel and a complex array of machinery and materials to drill oil/gas wells to depths of over 6,000 metres. The drilling industry has made technological advances, however, these advances have not changed the fact that, in addition to the use of complex machinery, successful drilling is the result of a tremendous team effort. A large number of people from operating companies and several service companies work together to drill and complete an oil/gas well.

Drilling rigs are used to drill the hole, which requires qualified personnel, different types of equipment, and the application of a large number of technologies.

 Rock Blasting Drilling Rig

When a drilling project begins, two objectives must be achieved.

To drill and complete the well in a safe manner (personal injury, technical issues) and in accordance with its purpose.

To complete the project at the lowest possible cost.

The overall cost of the well must be optimized and this optimization may affect where the well is drilled (onshore - extended reach or above offshore reservoirs), the drilling techniques applied (conventional or fine hole drilling) and the evaluation procedures carried out to gather subsurface information for future drilling projects.

Rotary drilling is the most efficient technique applied in the oil and gas industry.

It is a drilling technique that relies on the continuous circular rotation of the bit to break up the rock while the drilling fluid circulates through the bit and rises to the surface along the wellbore, making it possible to drill the well safely and efficiently.

A drilling rig consists of a set of equipment and machinery located on what is known as a drilling site. Typically, the rig is not owned by the oil company but by drilling service companies who hire out the rig with an operator and build the well according to the client's requirements.