Downhole or topside, onshore or offshore, oil rigs have some of the most difficult operational requirements in the oil and gas industry.
Drilling deeper, farther, as well as both hotter and colder in increasingly remote locations has made oil rig reliability and serviceability even more vital. Today, their critical joints must be maintained and production downtime minimized, despite ever more extreme operational shock, vibration and temperature demands.
From measurements while drilling (MWD) chassis, top drives, and set screws to high pressure compressor valves, vertical pumps, and beyond, the tapped holes and fasteners holding vital equipment together must operate with virtual 100 percent reliability. Otherwise the cost of production downtime and unscheduled service can be astronomically high, particularly when million-dollar equipment is thousands of feet below ground or sea level in the wellbore.(…)
via Innovative Fasteners Increase Reliability and Rig Productivity.