Drilling Equipment, Components and Inspection
Domain focus
This domain tests identification, function, and inspection of drilling equipment: prime mover, drawworks, mast, crown block, traveling block, drilling line, rotary table or top drive, swivel/kelly, mud pumps, standpipe, rotary hose, BOP stack, choke manifold, and kill line. Questions often ask what to check before use and what defect removes equipment from service.
Core rules
- Know each component's function and load path: the drilling line runs from drawworks through crown block and traveling block to the deadline anchor; the deadline anchor and wire-rope terminations are critical.
- Pre-use inspection is visual and functional: guards, leaks, loose fasteners, wire-rope damage, sheave wear, hook latch, pressure ratings, and certification tags.
- Inspect at the required interval and record results. Tag and remove defective equipment; never return it to service on verbal assurance.
- Pressure-test BOP and choke equipment at the interval set by the well-control plan and applicable standard; function-test before drilling out.
- Match rated capacity to the load; do not confuse breaking strength with safe working load.
Worked example
A sling is found with an unreadable capacity tag but no visible damage. The reasoning is: capacity cannot be verified, so the sling is removed from service, tagged, and sent for inspection or retirement. A visual check alone does not restore a lost rating.
Traps
Using a damaged sling because it looked okay; mixing SWL with breaking strength; skipping BOP function tests because the previous shift passed; ignoring wire-rope wear at sheaves and end fittings.