BHA wash tool experience on Transocean Searcher
The BHA wash tool has worked as intended. In my opinion this is a step in the right direction that every drilling rig should consider. It enables us to stay in compliance with red zone requirements without compromising the quality of the craftsmanship on the rig floor. We keep the floor clean while pulling BHA, which is a HSE benefit as a slippery deck represents a risk. It saves time, not having to stop and clean BHA for every couple of meters. The deck crew is also happy, as the string components coming out are cleaner than before.
The tool is custom made to fit our diverter. It's mounted once the diverter is in place and stays there until removing the diverter for pulling BOP/riser. It does not affect any operation. The ID of the tool allows the diverter insert packer to pass through. Rigtools have been easy to cooperate with, and they have delivered full documentation.
We identified a few risks in the process of implementing the tool.
Water contamination of drilling fluids.
Water leaking into the top of the riser fooling us on the volume control.
Dropped objects in the well.
This is how we dealt with them.
Informed the customer's mud company about water amounts and got confirmed that this was no problem. We have double barriers on the water supply. In addition to that, we have procedures to disconnect the supply line when not in use to avoid water unintentionally leaking into the well. We communicated with Rigtools to make sure that they understood what kind of beating it had to be able to take without parting. They ensured us that it had been thought of. As the tool arrived it was easy to understand that it's a robust construction. It's also important to be aware of how much clearance you get from the rotary table to the BHA wash tool, and check this against how deep any type of spiders or other equipment might stick.
Roger Løvslett
Operations planner, Transocean Searcher
