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Derrick in a hoisting system of a drilling rig

Derrick is one of the most important and integral parts in a hoisting and lifting system of a drilling rig. The article explains the derrick and mast in a very easy manner. The function of a derrick in a hoisting system, the general specifications of derrick are mentioned. So anybody who wants to further know about drilling related equipments should read this article and comment for improvements.

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Holes are drilled with long lengths of pipe-with a drill bit at the end – which in a deep hole can weigh two hundred tons or more. This weight has to be suspended in the hole, raised and lowered. A hoisting System accomplishes this task.

One of the main components of the Hoisting System is Derrick

The Derrick

The derrick is the tall, tower like structure which most people think of as an Oil Rig. A standard (pyramid shaped) derrick consists of four steel supporting legs standing on a square base. This base is known as the substructure and the top of this substructure is the drilling rig floor. The supporting legs are joined together with the steel cross bracings which stiffen the structure and give the necessary load bearing strength.

The height of the derrick does not affect its load bearing capacity but will limit the length of the drill pipe sections which may be removed. It is necessary from time to time to pull the entire drill pipe out of the hole. The top of the derrick must be high enough to the rig floor for the pipe section to be taken out of the hole and temporarily stored within the rig structure.

Derrick heights vary from around 90 feet on small land rig to over 150 feet on some large off shore installations. This height is measured from the rig floor.

You will see that there are two platforms incorporated in the structure. Those are labeled:

• Water Table

• The Finger Board (Also called the Monkey Board)

The Water Table is a working platform on the top of the derrick which enables the maintenance to be carried out on the equipment there.

The Finger Board is another working platform is located approximately 90 feet high in the derrick. This is where one of the rig crew (derrick man) works when drill pipe is being pulled from the hole.

A mast performs the same function as the derrick but is usually lighter in construction. It is used on land drilling operations and is capable of being transported between locations as a complete unit or in a couple of sections.