Remote Drill floor Operation

The drill floor is one of the most dangerous areas on a drill ship. Large and heavy pipes are handled on deck and can cause major damage if dropped. The drill floor is also exposed to potential blow-outs from the well. On the Deepwater Horizon, a blow-out caused the death of all personnel located on the drill floor and in the drillers? cabin. The main target of this project is to improve these areas to provide the drilling operators with a safer work environment and a better overview of the drilling process. National Oilwell Varco will develop the technical solutions and provide the equipment needed for the project. Enhanced technical solutions are needed to make the drilling process safer, and NOV will provide this by using its competence and experience with the industry to further develop their existing technology. To succeed with these improvements there have to be made changes, not only in technology, but also in human relations. The drilling process is extremely complicated and delicate, and requires years of experience to master. What these alterations will be is yet to be decided, but this will be determined during the course of the project. The project has high goals and the solution is revolutionary to the industry, but NOV is ambitious and plan to present demonstrations by the end of 2020. The project is also an important contribution to the goals set by the authorities and the industry to improve the safety of the operators and make a better work environment on the drilling floor.

The project had to be closed before offshore testing. Main reason was extended Installation cost, general very low offshore market forecasts and general market belief that the Technology will be a few years in the future. However, results achieved in the project is enabling NOV to further develop and deliver products required in the current market, enabling automation and digitization of the Norwegian Continental Shelf .