What Types of Drilling Rigs Are There?

This article describes the main types of drilling rigs.

First Understand What is a Drilling Rig?

A drilling rig is a complex set of machines, units and mechanisms.

What is the Function of the Drilling Rig?

A drilling rig is a mechanical device that drives a drilling tool to drill underground to obtain physical geological data during the process of exploring or developing mineral resources.

The main function of the drilling rig is to drive the drilling tool to break the rock at the bottom of the hole, and to lower or raise the drilling tool in the hole. It can be used to drill cores, ore cores, cuttings, gaseous samples, liquid samples, etc., to ascertain the conditions of underground geology and mineral resources.

What Are the Classification Methods of Drilling Rigs?

Land Rig Installation Simulator

Drilling equipment usually has the following types:

1. Conventional land drilling rigs

2. Desert Rig

3. Vehicle-mounted drilling rig

4. Coiled tubing machine

5. Deviated Well Drilling Rig

6. Offshore drilling platform

7. Drillship

1. According to the drilling method

(1) Impact drilling rigs, such as wire rope impact drilling rigs, vibration drilling rigs, etc.

(2) Rotary drilling rigs, such as drilling rigs used in rotary table drilling.

(3) Downhole power drilling tools, such as turbo drilling tools, screw drilling tools, electric drilling tools, etc.

2. According to drilling and depth classification

(1) Ultra-deep well drilling rig. A drilling rig with a diameter of 114mm drill pipe, a nominal drilling depth of more than 7,000 meters and a maximum hook load of more than 4,500 kN is used.

(2) Deep well drilling rig. A drilling rig with a diameter of 114 mm drill pipe, a nominal drilling depth of 4000-7000 meters and a maximum hook load of 2250-4500 kN

(3) Medium and deep well drilling rigs. A drilling rig with a diameter of 114 mm drill pipe, a nominal drilling depth of 1500-4000 meters and a maximum hook load of 900-2250 kN is used.

3. According to power equipment

(1) Diesel engine drives the drilling rig. A drilling rig powered by a diesel engine through mechanical transmission or hydraulic transmission.

(2) AC drive drilling rig. It is suitable for use in oil fields with industrial power grids.

(3) DC drive drilling rig. The working unit is driven by a DC motor.

4. According to the driving mode

(1) Drive alone. Each working machine is individually driven by generators of different sizes, which are mostly used for electric drive. The transmission is simple and the installation is easy, but the power utilization rate is low and the total mass of the equipment is large.

(2) Unified drive. The same power unit drives the three working groups of the drawworks, drilling pump, and turntable. This method is used by most rigs. Only one drilling pump can be included in the unified drive; the other drilling pump is operated separately. Although the unified drive drilling rig can be adjusted mutually when the engine fails and has a high power utilization rate, the transmission is difficult to install and modify, and its efficiency is low.

(3) Group drive. The combination of power is between independent drive and unified drive. The power utilization rate of this kind of drilling rig is higher than that of a single drive. It is also possible to install two groups of working machines on different heights and scattered sites.

Drilling Simulation Training System

Esimtech is a high-tech enterprise integrating scientific research, design, production, maintenance, sales and computer application technology in the oil and gas industry. Committed to the simulation system development of petroleum engineering and petroleum equipment, a series of application results with completely independent intellectual property rights have been achieved, and a number of domestic and international patents have been obtained, and it has become a member of IADC and IWCF.

It has developed petroleum engineering over the course of more than 20 years through perseverance and unceasing efforts, including drilling, well control, logging, oil and gas production, downhole operations, oil and gas gathering and transportation, fracturing and acidizing, drilling rig installation, coiled tubing, and snubbing operations. The full range of application sites for the oil and gas sector is covered by our product line.