The well bay on a drilling platform provides access to the well and accompanying equipment. It can accommodate one or multiple wells and is regularly inspected for safety. Workers wear appropriate safety gear and receive training to work safely on site.
A well provides an access point to a well and accompanying equipment on a drilling platform. On automated rigs, the well bay may make up the majority of the rig, while larger rigs include worker housing, processing facilities, and other facilities. A rig can feature several wells, allowing the oil company to extract resources from several wells using the same rig. Like other components used in drilling, the well bay is regularly inspected to confirm that it is in operational order and must meet health and safety standards set by regulators concerned with oil drilling operations.
This equipment can be used with both dry and wet equipment. For deep water drilling, underground drilling equipment is required, while shallower water operations may use dry rigging above the ocean surface. Depending on the type of well, the situation and the company, the well bay can have one or two levels. The lower level provides access to the wellhead, while the upper level allows workers to manage the controls and hardware on the so-called drilling equipment Christmas tree.
Size determines whether a well can accommodate one well or multiple wells. This is built into the design of the platform, based on the results of oil and gas exploration conducted in the area to determine what type of equipment might be needed. Oil companies work with engineers and technicians to devise the most efficient and effective equipment, including not only the platform, but also pipelines, terminals and other components needed to transport oil from the ocean to onshore refineries.
Inside the well, workers can repair components, operate controls, and conduct tests. Their work may include specific interventions to address well problems, as well as emergency shutdown procedures. Wells may need to be closed so workers can evacuate, for example, if critical safety issues develop on the platform. They can also be individually inspected for workers to assist them, a process that may require production to be halted to clean and replace components in an overhaul.
Workers in the well wear appropriate safety equipment, including hard hats and other gear that may be required by the production company. They also receive safety training so they know how to work safely on site. Oil rigs can be dangerous, especially during bad weather, and workers need to be coordinated and organised.
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