Tour (pronounced “tower”)
25 July 2017Upper racking arm
25 July 2017Two and three arm system
See Horizontal tubular transfer.
- A two arm system is the combination of an upper tailing arm and an intermediate hoisting/racking arm. A three arm system is the combination of a two arm system and a lower racking arm often added to aid in stability of handling drillpipe on a floating vessel, and some systems also use the lower racking arm as a riser tailing device. Each arm (in most cases) is independently controlled in a separate cabin or control station. Usually the arms are hydraulic systems used in conjunction with an air or hydraulic-operated latched fingerboard.
- Upper Tailing Arm: A heavy duty guide arm used as an upper racking arm to replace the derrickman’s function of manually moving stands of drill pipe from the fingerboard to the elevators and back. It does not hoist the stand. The upper tailing arm is usually installed underneath the diving board between the fingerboards and operated by a man standing on the diving board or standing on the drill floor. Generally used on land rigs or smaller jack up offshore rigs where there is no to limited rig motion
- Intermediate Racking Arm: Usually the hoisting mechanical device in a two or three arm pipehandling system connected to the derrick in the middle of the set-back, guiding the center of a drilling stand between the set back stored position and the well center. The arm is usually controlled locally or integrated in an automated or semi-automated system ran from the drill floor or in the driller’s cabin.
- Lower Racking Arm: Primarily a guide arm often used as a second or third arm in a pipehandling system. The arm is usually controlled locally or integrated in an automated or semi-automated system ran from the drill floor or in the driller’s cabin.
- Lower Tailing Arm: A heavy duty guide arm. Sometimes used as a lower racking arm but primarily used for the tailing and guiding of the riser on a floating vessel and as a general heavy lifting crane. Usually on the rig floor or suspended slightly above the rig floor.