zeolite Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 I have been on and round drilling rigs and drillfloors for 20 years now and I have never seen such a bunch of gung-ho lunatics and that includes working mainland US. Spinning chains are something I have never seen anywhere and look terrifying. Anybody actually work with them? Link to comment
sczscoob Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 Na, met a few fingerless guys that have worked them!! Link to comment
thefastone Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 Some places in the US, no one can hear you scream "HEALTH AND SAFETY!!!!!" Never actually watched an episode, but Ive seen bits of it... and thats pretty much all I've heard about americans in the oil biz... Dangerous... Link to comment
paul555sti Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 Total mentalists, no safety specs most of the time even when they split the pipe and it blowing out all over them and then the guy going up on the wire to clean the rig whilst its still operating with the risk of the guy getting dragged into it . The one the other night where the guy had the choice to cling on to the hammer or fall fast to the deck. Pool partys with hooters girls though Link to comment
zeolite Posted May 9, 2009 Author Share Posted May 9, 2009 (edited) Well thats the thing. I have been to Texas and seen the local papers full of adverts for ambulance chasing lawyers searching for injured oil workers to work for. I was up in North Dakota drilling a well 5 years ago and the safety aspect was quite focussed eg no slip on boots after a guy sprained his ankle. The drillcrew would still smoke on the drillfloor though! The Cyclone 3 where I was offered many cigarettes My workplace. Luxurious isn't it? My transport for the time. Edited May 9, 2009 by zeolite Link to comment
dipsy Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 See with them using the chain is it any thing to do with they don't have a top drive ie the drill floor is turning the pipe work and the top part is a weight pushing it down .My Dad said its called kelying the way they drilling the hole Link to comment
ciaranrb5 Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 They are flippin mad. Drilling seems a dangerous game at the best of times without cutting corners! Link to comment
zeolite Posted May 10, 2009 Author Share Posted May 10, 2009 I am not entirely sure why you use the spinning chains. One of those rigs is latest tech but doesn't seem to have an iron roughneck and of course they wouldn't have top drives as they are mega expensive and can be quite troublesome. So you you would make up and break out with the tongs and rotary table so I don't know what the chains are for. That Cyclone rig I worked on out in North dakota didn't use spinning chains and it had a Kelly system. Link to comment
westtra Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 in one of the first episodes they explained why they used the chain. Cant entirely remember but i think its because its quicker. Link to comment
RA Dunk Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 There are a few different options to chains, spinner on a tugger (easiest and more practical option), chain tongs (slower and more manual work but safer), iron roughneck (have not seen one one those rigs being filmed yet so kind of rules that out) , rotary table (dont know why they dont use this?), AFAIK the use of chains is illegal in the UK due to safety reasons, but the "good ol boys" still seem to favour them, was pretty happy to see that t**t of a driller get the bullet though Link to comment
zeolite Posted May 10, 2009 Author Share Posted May 10, 2009 There are a few different options to chains, spinner on a tugger (easiest and more practical option), chain tongs (slower and more manual work but safer), iron roughneck (have not seen one one those rigs being filmed yet so kind of rules that out) , rotary table (dont know why they dont use this?), AFAIK the use of chains is illegal in the UK due to safety reasons, but the "good ol boys" still seem to favour them, was pretty happy to see that t**t of a driller get the bullet though Agree about the driller Dunk. I could just see you taking that kind of abuse from a driller. I remember seein an offshore US documentary where an Apache Co man used to abuse roughnecks and drillers alike on the drillfloor. I know what would happen if he spoke to UK guys like that and the first aiders would be busy. Link to comment
RA Dunk Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 (edited) Agree about the driller Dunk. I could just see you taking that kind of abuse from a driller. aye, i guess thats why i called my last tool pusher at transocean a f*****g ar**hole lol funny enough i never did get the promotion i was looking for after that, but i stand by my comments he was a f*****g ar**hole it was just unfortunate it was me who told him so Edited May 10, 2009 by RA Dunk Link to comment
zeolite Posted May 10, 2009 Author Share Posted May 10, 2009 aye, i guess thats why i called my last tool pusher at transocean a f*****g ar**hole lolfunny enough i never did get the promotion i was looking for after that, but i stand by my comments he was a f*****g ar**hole it was just unfortunate it was me who told him so His opinion of you will never be known though For the record I think you are nice. Link to comment
RA Dunk Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 His opinion of you will never be known though i already know his opinion of me, its not very nice For the record I think you are nice. aww bless Link to comment
wilky Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 The use of chains is not illegal in the UK, its just that some places still say this despite not really knowing why. This old wifes tales comes from the early days of drilling when all chains were HT Steel and not Grade 80 Alloy steel as they are now a days. HT steel was very prone to work hardening, and Hydrogen enbrittlement because of the presence of H2S. I have heard all sorts of rubbish about chains being banned for lifts over 1 metre, and chains being banned because of the amount of accidents, spark hazard etc etc etc. BP do not like chains for the above reasons, although nowadays hydrogen embrittlement and work hardning are not really an issue Whatever policy your company adopts you naturally have to work to it, however as long as a chain has a SWL, a serial number and is under a recognised scheme of inspection and is certified then you should be able to use it. Callum W Link to comment
zeolite Posted May 10, 2009 Author Share Posted May 10, 2009 (edited) Cheers Wilky. I now know where to go for all my lifting certs and questions. In this case it is not the use of chains per se but chains for this particular task ie making and beaking joints on the drill string. If you haven't seen it it involves throwing a chain at a joint so it wraps around several times so a load can be pulled on it to torque the joint. One end is fixed to the catworks and the other end is loose with just the friction of the wraps to provide the location for the chain. Bloody dangerous! Edited May 10, 2009 by zeolite Link to comment
RA Dunk Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 The use of chains is not illegal in the UK, i was under the impression they were illegal in the north sea and if there not then they bloody well should be some places still say this despite not really knowing why. the reason why is because of loss of fingers, not breaking of chains Link to comment
zeolite Posted May 10, 2009 Author Share Posted May 10, 2009 The insert removal tools are attached by means of chains aren't they? Link to comment
RA Dunk Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 The insert removal tools are attached by means of chains aren't they? yup onto a tugger, but not a whole lot of danger involved with them compared to the wrapper chains Link to comment
Maxxed_Ross Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 My pairents have been watching this and were horrified at what goes on. I had to assure them that what I do couldn't be further from the TV show They are all a bit mad, and I'm supprised no one has lost body parts yet Link to comment
RA Dunk Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 My pairents have been watching this and were horrified at what goes on. I had to assure them that what I do couldn't be further from the TV showThey are all a bit mad, and I'm supprised no one has lost body parts yet they have, the driller who got fired last week was mising a thumb lol Link to comment
Maxxed_Ross Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 I mean on air that guy on the Viking was missing his big toe too! Link to comment
RA Dunk Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 I mean on airthat guy on the Viking was missing his big toe too! seen one of the guys with a mashed finger last week and another slice his wrist open, both back to work before they stopped bleeding lol Link to comment
hosstheboss Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 I've worked for Weatherford for 20+ years now and spent more years than i should have as a Casing Hand. The only place i have ever seen a spinning chain used was in Oman and you can be sure i stood as far away as possible when they were throwing it round the pipe! These guys on the C5 program are nuts and have obviously had the full labotomy! We used to joke that anyone in a casing or drill crew who used their fingers to order more than 4 beers always needed to use both hands! As for the guys going up into the derreck while thay are still drilling - well they must be completely stupid. I was on a rig when they did this and the riding belt line got caught in the travelling block and they guy was pulled through the Fingers at the monkey board level - made chips outa him, not very nice at all. Link to comment
wilky Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 Ian, Ive just seen what you were talking about, lol yes that is very dangerous. The use of chains for lifting in the North Sea is not illegal! However companies choose not to use them for reasons known to themselves, the reasons I mentioned earlier or perhapes accidents in the past. The use of chains in the manners as shown in the TV program should be banned anywhere. Callum W Link to comment
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