Document No.

5910E264
Page 79

10. SKIDDING SYSTEM

10.1 Functional Design Specification
10.2 Skidding System Operating Instructions
10.3 Drawings

10.1 Functional Design Specification

The skid feet are designed to lift the drilling rig up 5 ¼” off of the ground with the use of
one pancake levelling jack per pad. These pancake levelling jacks are attached to a
bearing pad that is designed very stiff in order to equitably transfer the deadweight of
the drilling rig from the hydraulic pancake jacks through the pad and into prepared
ground for the rig.

Once the rig is lifted up and off of the prepared ground, the rig may be pushed along the
wells for a total distance of 18” per stroke for skidding from driller side to off-driller side.
Also when the skidding foot is turned 90°, the rig may be pushed perpendicular to the
wells for a total distance of 5” per stroke for skidding from the drawworks side to the
catwalk side.

When one stroke is made, the rig is then lowered back down to the ground. The
pancake jacks are then further retracted and the bearing pads are then lifted off of the
ground with a clearance of ½” between the pad and the ground. The pad is unloaded at
this point, in other words, floating.

When the pad is floating in air, either one of two steps may be performed next. The
bearing pad may be repositioned the 18” or 5” back to the original starting point to be
readied for another bite. Or, the rotation cylinder may be engaged once the rotation
locking pin is removed. Then the upper pad can be turned 90° in order to make the
skidding foot travel in the other direction. All of the pads will be in the same alignment
using a locking brace/pin for each pad in each skidding direction and also the guides for
longitudinal skidding. The direction of travel adjustment of these pads occurs when the
pads are unloaded and floating, that is, the rig is sitting on the ground.

Once the pad is repositioned, the rig may be lifted again. The next stroke will travel
either 18” or 5” depending on which direction skidding is taking place at. If less
adjustment is required the rig may be skidded less than the full stroke before
straightening out the pad. The rig rolls on rollers in order to keep the friction forces and
the size of horizontal skid cylinders to a minimum.

At no point will the allowable ground pressures be exceeded on the skid base in either
skidding mode or drilling mode.

All eight of the horizontal skidding cylinders will have interchangeable parts. The four
steering cylinders will be identical, one for each pad. The four pancake jacks are also
identical, one for each of the four pads. This type of design will result in fewer spare
parts required for the rig.

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10.2 Skidding System Operating Instructions

10.2.1 Checks Prior and During Skidding

• Prior to commencing skidding operations, confirm the ground load bearing capacity as
per the Skid Base Operating Load Pattern, drawing 5305L025. Level variations are to
be within ¾’ overall or +/- 3/8” from the mean, where the skidding feet contact the
ground. A level ground with the above tolerance is recommended under the foot print of
the skid base to maintain smooth skidding operation and uniform/predictable shimming.
• Ensure the skidding feet are aligned with the skid base and there are no interferences
between the skidding feet and skid base structure.
• Arrange individual observers at each of the skid feet location who can communicate
with the person at the control panel and check continually for the skid base to be level
and not having any interferences with the skid feet or the directional cylinders. Refer to
Diagram 1.

Diagram 1

• Check the alignment of the rig after each stroke with respect to the intended direction
and the well location.

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10.2.2 Longitudinal Skidding

• Install the locking brace so that there is no rotation of the upper pad with respect to
the lower pad.
• Install guides at the four corners to ensure the skid base remains aligned to the skid
feet. Refer to Diagram 2.
• Maintain the skidding and directional cylinders in float position.
• Extend jacking cylinders uniformly on all skid feet to maximum stroke to raise the skid
base off the ground.
• Engage the skidding cylinders and extend them uniformly on all skid feet to maximum
stroke (18”) to skid the rig. Refer to Diagram 3.
• Place the skidding cylinder in float position and retract the jacking cylinders uniformly
on all skid feet to lower the skid base to the ground. Further retract the jacking
cylinders to maximum until the skid feet lift off the ground (approximately ½”).
• Retract the skidding cylinders uniformly on all skid feet to bring them back to the
original position with respect to the skid base structure.

Diagram 2

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Diagram 3

10.2.3 Transverse Skidding

NOTE: Transverse Skidding is to be used only while correcting the alignment

and/or direction of the skidding to locate the rig at the intended well
location. This can be carried out in between the well locations or at the
well location depending on the correction required. Transverse skidding is
restricted to 5” maximum after which the skid feet come into contact with
the skid base.

• Remove the locking brace and the guides at four corners. Refer to Diagram 4.
• Maintain the skidding and directional cylinders in float position.
• Extend jacking cylinders uniformly on all skid feet so that the skid feet are not in
contact with the ground to carry any load from the skid base.
• Centre the upper pad on the jacking cylinders, if necessary, by engaging the skidding
cylinders.
• Engage and extend the directional cylinders fully so that the upper pad rotates 90°
until it comes to a stop.

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• Install the locking pin so that there is no rotation of the upper pad with respect to the
lower pad.
• Maintain the directional and skidding cylinders in float position.
• Extend jacking cylinders uniformly on all skid feet to maximum stroke to raise the skid
base off the ground.
• Engage and extend skidding cylinders uniformly on all skid feet as required to bring
the rig to the intended well location. Refer to Diagram 5.
• Maintain the skidding cylinders in float position.
• Retract jacking cylinders uniformly on all skid feet to lower the skid base to the
ground and further to maximum till the skid feet lift off the ground (approximately ½”).
• Engage and retract skidding cylinders uniformly on all skid feet to bring them back to
original position with respect to the skid base structure.
• Reverse the above steps to rotate the upper base back to allow longitudinal skidding.

Diagram 4

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Diagram 5

10.3 Drawings

Overall Assemblies
Drawing No. Drawing Title
5305L025 Skid Base Operating Load Pattern
5302B000 Skid Base General Arrangement
5302A005 Skid Base Assembly
5302A006 Skid Base Assembly
5302A007 Skid Foot Assembly
8999X072 Rig Moving System Hydraulic Schematic
8999X073 Rig Hydraulic Schematic

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