Rig

[Finfeatherfur]

The Main Pass rigs were built originally for Global Sante Fe but have since been sold, and I think the Adriatic rigs have also gone. The picture shows the Main Pass IV jack up drilling rig on location of a 4-pile production platform. Large tugs tow the drilling rig where it needs to go, with the legs elevated. Once on location, the legs are lowered to the sea floor and the rig is positioned by a survey company to insure it is in the right place. Once the rig is positioned, the rig fills ballast tanks with sea water to add weight then begins the jack up process which sinks the legs into the mud. Once penetration of mud ceases, it is held there for a specific amount of time to insure the rig legs do not sink any further. Then, the ballast water is pumped out and the rig elevates to a height above the production deck. The cantilever of the drill floor section then extends outward over the production platform, holes are cut throught the decking, and a new well is started. Obviously, sometimes new holes are not needed if they are entering an existing well for service work or side tracking. Just set the BOP's on the existing well and "wolla", your making hole. That is the reader's digest version of it. These jack ups are here one day and gone the next, and chances are, the production platform may be gone by now also. The federal government has decided that these platforms need to go if they are not making money, which really po's me.

[Matt G]

Originally Posted by Finfeatherfur

The Main Pass rigs were built originally for Global Sante Fe but have since been sold, and I think the Adriatic rigs have also gone. The picture shows the Main Pass IV jack up drilling rig on location of a 4-pile production platform. Large tugs tow the drilling rig where it needs to go, with the legs elevated. Once on location, the legs are lowered to the sea floor and the rig is positioned by a survey company to insure it is in the right place. Once the rig is positioned, the rig fills ballast tanks with sea water to add weight then begins the jack up process which sinks the legs into the mud. Once penetration of mud ceases, it is held there for a specific amount of time to insure the rig legs do not sink any further. Then, the ballast water is pumped out and the rig elevates to a height above the production deck. The cantilever of the drill floor section then extends outward over the production platform, holes are cut throught the decking, and a new well is started. Obviously, sometimes new holes are not needed if they are entering an existing well for service work or side tracking. Just set the BOP's on the existing well and "wolla", your making hole. That is the reader's digest version of it. These jack ups are here one day and gone the next, and chances are, the production platform may be gone by now also. The federal government has decided that these platforms need to go if they are not making money, which really po's me.

That sounds way more interesting than the boring crap I do all day!