RIG MOVE DIFFICULT DURING SPRING THAW IN WESTERN SIBERIA

Moving a rig and equipment over ice roads and frozen bogs in Western Siberia was quicker, and therefore less expensive, than using a longer route with modern roads, according to Parker Drilling Co.

Rig 1, an arctic workover/completion unit for Parker Drilling, was stacked on location in the Tyumen province after working for the White Nights joint venture near Raduzhnyy.

Rig 2 was modified at the Partech shop in Odessa, Tex., before being sent to Russia for the Tarasov project (Fig. 1).

The BP Exploration Statoil Alliance let contract to Rigs 1 and 2 for a workover/completion project in the Tarasov field, about 1,600 miles northeast of Moscow and about 300 miles north of the Ob river.

Rig 1, a 100 person arctic camp, and support equipment were moved to Tarasov from Novoagansk (560 km), from the Tagrinsk field (610 km), and from the West Varyegan field (500 km), all near the town of Raduzhnyy. The move involved 120 truck loads and required 37 days (Fig. 2).

Several problems complicated the rig move:

There was no existing trucking company with rig moving experience. Phillip Chaney, field operations manager for Parker in Russia, searched in the region extensively until he struck a deal with Holmagor, a trucking concern that usually hauls pipe and tubulars. According to Parker Drilling, Holmagor had excellent equipment but had never moved a rig. Holmagor is based in Noyabr'sk, 230 km from Tarasov.
Twelve trucks were dedicated to the project. About 95% of the equipment was moved by Ural pipe haulers.
Communication with the truckers was challenging. Parker's crew, many of whom spoke no Russian, had to ride along with the Russian drivers. Instructions were shouted in both English and Russian; the drivers and crew members ultimately became dependent on hand language.
The trucking officials were first "walked" through the organization process of hauling rigs, and the trucks were modified to accommodate the rigs and equipment. The Russian drivers were efficient, despite no experience with moving rigs, according to Parker. No plans were made for relief drivers; the drivers had to unload equipment and then immediately return for another load.
The move was complicated by the lack of a straight route or proper roads. The route chosen was shorter but not easier (which had highways and rail spurs in relatively good condition).
On the shorter route, the equipment traveled in a cross country convoy, using narrow concrete slab and ice roads to the first Tarasov well site. Using this more difficult route with ice roads saved 45 days of travel time.
The move began in late March 1993 when the Siberian spring thaw was about to begin. The temperatures varied from 400 to 240 F. During the day the ice roads would thaw and break up, and at night the roads would refreeze forming ice ruts. During the worst period, it took 39 hr to travel 45 km on the ice roads.
Natural springs occur throughout the route. When the springs thawed, the roads flooded with water 3 4 ft deep.
The trucks were often stuck or stalled and had to be pulled out by heavy machinery.
No food or fuel facilities were on the route.
Despite the hardships, shortly after the move Rigs 1 and 2 were put in full operation for the BP Exploration Statoil Alliance project.

The rigs were also prepared for the upcoming winter.