Local Electrical Room Module for Drilling Rigs
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Solution Overview
Problem
In oil and gas well drilling, the increasing length and weight of drillstrings pose challenges for efficiently managing electrical power distribution, particularly in maintaining protection from vibrations and shock for electrical components as the drilling rig moves and depths increase.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a modular well construction apparatus with a local electrical room module that includes a skid, boom, and raisable apparatus, where electrical components are initially at ground level for protection and can be raised with the rig floor, utilizing a boom to support power and communication cables, and a power system that includes transformers, rectifiers, and inverters to manage power distribution efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If electrical components are mounted on the rig floor structure and raised with it, then power distribution to drilling equipment is simplified, but the components are exposed to vibrations and shock from drilling operations
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical system is divided into two segments: the LER (local electrical room) remains on the ground/substructure level, while the rig floor structure with drilling equipment is raised separately. This segmentation allows the electrical components to stay protected from vibrations and shock while maintaining simplified power distribution through dedicated cable routes.
Solution Approach 2:
A dedicated cable routing system acts as an intermediary between the ground-level LER and the raised rig floor equipment. These cables are specifically routed to connect power and control signals while being isolated from the vibrational environment, mediating the connection between protected electrical components and operational drilling equipment.
2Productivity
If the rig floor structure is raised above the substructure, then drilling operations can proceed with proper equipment positioning, but cable management and electrical connections become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
Cable routes are planned and prepared in advance during the rig assembly phase. Cables are pre-routed through designated pathways from the LER to the rig floor equipment before the rig floor is raised, preventing tangled connections and simplifying subsequent cable management during drilling operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical connection system is designed to maintain consistent electrical potential and signal integrity regardless of the rig floor's position. This is achieved through proper grounding, shielding, and routing of cables that compensates for the height difference and movement between the ground-level LER and the raised rig floor equipment.
3Reliability
If electrical components are kept at ground level, then protection from vibrations and shock is improved, but power distribution to raised equipment requires longer cable runs
Solution Approach 1:
The cable routing system is designed to be dynamic and adaptable, allowing for efficient power distribution despite the height difference. Cables are routed through optimized pathways that minimize length while accommodating the raised rig floor position, and the system can adjust to different operational configurations without excessive energy loss.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus having a skid, a boom having a first end attached to the skid and pivotable around an axis proximate the first end such that a second end of the boom raises and lowers relative to the skid, and a room mounted on the skid. The apparatus may further include a raisable apparatus supported by the second end of the boom and having one or more plug panels configured to connect to one or more first cables. The apparatus may also include second cables routed from the raisable apparatus and attached to and supported at least in part by the boom, wherein the second cables may be configured to provide electrical power to the raisable apparatus.