Course:SPPH381B/TermProject/Tylenol -Alex Kitt/Drilling

Introduction

Once the location of well has been determined, a development plan is created to assist in determining which type of drill technique to use. In order to drill the hole, an oil rig is used, which is compromised of six main parts

1) Power System: to provide power, typically a diesel engine

2) Derrick: Structure that holds the drilling apparatus

3) Mechanical System: has hoisting components (to lift pipe) and rotating components (for the drill and drill string)

4) Casing: concrete tubing that prevents the well from collapsing on itself

5) Circulating system: pumps and extracts water from the drill hole

6) Blowout Preventer: valves that release pressure, prevents oil and gas from spouting out at unsafe levels (i.e. blowout)

Generally, the oil well is made in parts: after a section is drilled, it is encased and cemented to prevent collapse. This is repeated until the well almost reaches the required depth, at which point ‘completion’ occurs, whereby the explosives are used to reach the final depth . While this is the basic process for drilling, there are many different methods including: using drilling rigs, percussion or cable drilling, rotary drilling, rotary percussion drilling, electro and turbo drilling, and directional drilling . Of these methods, rotary drilling is currently the most popular:

Hazards Associated with Oil Well Drilling

Generally, oil well drilling is a labour-intensive, highly technical, and hazardous occupation. Hazards arise from high-energy machinery, toxic substances used, and more.

Physical Hazards

Noise: certain machinery and processes cause hazardous levels of noise during drilling (such as the drillbit itself)

Vibration: certain hand-held power tools, when used frequently, can lead to long-term effects such as hand arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) and increased risk for falling

Burns: due to the high temperatures involved, burns may be cause by steam and hot objects

Slips and Falls: Due to weather conditions, workplace cleanliness, and potential tools lying around, workers are at risk for slips and falls. The risk exacerbated due to the height that some workers may be required to work at , .

Extreme weather conditions: Depending on the extraction location, workers may be exposed to very high or low temperatures while they work

Fire: due to the high flammability of crude oil and gas, as well as many other chemicals used on-site, there is a high risk of fire and related hazards. In addition, during the drilling process, a large volume of natural gas and oil may be released, causing blowout .

Struck-by/caught-in/caught-between: moving vehicles, moving and falling equipment, and risk of high pressure lines failing all increase the risk of struck-by, caught-in, and caught-between accidents

More information on struck-by accidents here.

Chemical Hazards

Occupational Irritant Contact Dermatitis: skin irritants, such as acids and bases, present at the work site may cause dermatitis

Inhalation and absorption of toxic substances: toxic substance from the crude oil and other chemicals used by workers include heavy metals, acids, silica, benzene, asbestos, and normally occurring radioactive materials (NORMs) . Hydrogen sulfide gas released from the oil well is also hazardous .

Chemical burns: due to acidic and basic chemicals, such as sodium hydroxide in mud

Biological Hazards

Infectious and parasitic diseases: Depending on the location of the well, workers may be at higher risk for certain endemic diseases

Psychosocial Hazards

Psychological problems due to well location: for wells that are located far away from ‘base camp,’ workers may be affected mentally as they feel isolated and are forced to work in a small team

Ergonomic Hazards

Moving pipe and equipment: lifting and pushing/pulling pipe and equipment can cause injury as they are often very heavy, and work may be repetitive

Misuse of tools: without proper training, continued misuse of specialized tools can lead to personal injury (as well as increase risk of accidents)