Patented Pipe Handling System
Paying for itself
Handling drilling pipes is not a man’s job, it’s not only bad for long-term health but can also be dangerous.
The HARDAB Pipe Handling System is a patented pipe handling system that is not only easy to use but free from sensors and unnecessary movements that take time away from drilling.
It’s really easy.
Pipes are stored in a pipe basket. The pipe basket tilts and a single pipe rolls into the pipe handling arm, a claw closes and secures the pipe. The arm is raised to the rotation unit. It takes mere seconds. For experienced drillers picking up 201 meters of pipe from a finished borehole can take as little as 17 minutes. Without breaking a sweat, equipped to do it day after day for decades of drilling.
Video
How it works
Drill Pipe Basket
Pipe Handling Arm and During Drilling
Picking Up Drill Pipes
Mechanical Design
One of the benefits of the Pipe Handling System is its mechanical design, which means that most issues can be easily resolved with basic tools. For example, if the arm becomes stuck or misaligned, it can often be fixed with a quick adjustment using a propane torch or a hammer. This means that you can minimize downtime and keep your drilling operations running smoothly, even in the event of a problem with the arm. In contrast, systems that rely on electronics or sensors may require more complex repairs and may be more prone to malfunction. The inner tube of the arm is equipped with replaceable plastic pads, which can be easily swapped out if they become worn or damaged.
Real-life Calculations
To better illustrate the benefits the HARDAB pipe handling system can have for your operations and the health of the operators running your rigs we have created two real-life calculations based on drilling in Sweden with the DTH method for geothermal energy.
First calculation example
If a driller operating a drilling rig without a pipe handling system handles 3-meter-long drill pipes that weigh 25 kgs, lifts and handles them twice per drill hole, and drills 3 holes per week that are 201 meters deep, the total amount of material lifted and handled over the course of a year would depend on the number of weeks that the driller works. In Sweden, the general number of weeks that people work in a year is typically around 44 weeks.
Based on these assumptions, a driller handling 3-meter-long drill pipes would lift and handle approximately 442 metric tons of material per year. This is equivalent to approximately 974,446 pounds (lbs) of material.
With such mind-boggling numbers, It can be helpful to compare the weight of material lifted and handled by a driller to everyday objects to get a sense of how much it is. For example, 442 metric tones of material are approximately the weight of:
- 170 pickup trucks like the F150 Raptor or more than half a day.
- 67 large multirole fighter jets like the Saab JAS 39 Gripen
Second calculation example
HARDAB 5K6 drillers often use next-generation plastic-lined drill pipes. With these drill pipes, they enjoy significant cost and time savings. These 6-meter-long pipes weigh 80 kg but offer a number of benefits including 60% lower noise levels, a 15% decrease in drill time, and a 20% reduction in fuel consumption.
On a large project, drillers using these pipes and the 5K6 can drill up to two 300-meter boreholes per day with the right conditions for a total of 600 meters drilled, working 5 days per week and drilling for 44 weeks per year. That means they will lift and handle these heavy pipes for a total of 44 weeks x 5 days/week x 100 pipes/day = 22,000 lifts per year. They must be glad they use the pipe-handling system!
To put that in cold numbers: 80 kg per pipe * 100 pipes per day * 5 days per week * 44 weeks per year = 1760 metric tons
This is a significant amount of weight, and it can be helpful to consider some examples of objects that weigh this much to give a sense of scale. Here are a few examples:
- A large commercial airplane: The world-renowned double-decked Boeing 747, has a weight of around 185 metric tons. This means that the weight being lifted by the pipe handling system is equivalent to over 9 whole 747s!
- A mining truck: The Cat® 797F Mining Trucks Rated Gross Machine Weight is 623 tones which means that the weight lifted by the pipe handling system during a years time is equivalent to 3 Cat® 797F.
It is worth noting that these are just rough estimates and the actual amount of material lifted and handled by a driller may vary depending on a variety of factors. Using a pipe handling system can help to reduce the physical demands of lifting and handling heavy drill pipes, potentially improving the safety and health of the operator.
Learn more about how much you may lift without a pipe handling system per year.
https://www.calculator.hardab.se/how-much-are-your-drillers-lifting/.
Reducing Pain in the Body
Using a drilling rig where the operator needs to lift heavy drill pipes manually can pose significant risks to the operator’s health and safety. Some of the potential injuries that an operator may face when lifting heavy drill pipes include:
- Musculoskeletal disorders: Lifting heavy drill pipes can put a strain on the operator’s musculoskeletal system, potentially leading to injuries such as back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, and wrist pain.
- Slips, trips, and falls: Lifting heavy drill pipes can be physically demanding and may require the operator to move around the drilling rig, potentially increasing the risk of slips, trips, and falls.
- Repetitive strain injuries: Lifting heavy drill pipes repeatedly over an extended period of time can lead to repetitive strain injuries, such as tendonitis or carpal tunnel syndrome.
- Lacerations and abrasions: Handling heavy drill pipes can be awkward and may involve gripping or grasping the pipes, which can increase the risk of lacerations and abrasions.
- Crush injuries: Lifting heavy drill pipes require the operator to lift or move the pipes, potentially increasing the risk of crush and squeeze injuries.
Overall, using a drilling rig where the operator needs to lift heavy drill pipes manually can pose significant risks to the operator’s health and safety, making it important to use a pipe handling system to reduce the risk of injury.
Making a risk assessment
When performing an ergonomic risk assessment, it is important to consider the potential for MSDs and other injuries that may arise from lifting and handling heavy drill pipes. Some specific factors to consider when assessing the risk of MSDs when lifting and handling heavy drill pipes may include:
- The weight of the drill pipes: Heavier drill pipes may require more effort to lift and handle.
- The working posture required: Reaching, twisting, or bending to lift and handle heavy drill pipes may put strain on the musculoskeletal system and increase the risk of MSDs.
- The frequency and duration of the task: Repeatedly lifting and handling heavy drill pipes over an extended period of time can increase the risk of MSDs.
By considering these and other factors during an ergonomic risk assessment, it is possible to identify potential hazards and implement controls to reduce the risk of MSDs when lifting and handling heavy drill pipes. This can help to improve the safety and health of the operator and the efficiency of the drilling operation.
Gallery
See some videos and images of the pipe handling system in action.
Video
Images
