Shah Deniz Gas Field

Providing Rig Safety mats for the Shah oil field drilling deck.

The Shah Deniz field is one of the world’s largest gas-condensate fields. It is located 70 km south-east of Baku in Azerbaijan. BP operates Shah Deniz on behalf of its partners in the Shah Deniz Production Sharing Agreement.

In 2004 Real Safety was contacted by the design team at National Oilwell. Their client BP wanted us to provide a solution, that would protect the entire drilling deck with antislip material. Now, what might seem like a straight forward solution on land, is slightly more complex on a drilling rig.

Requirements

Heavy mechanical tools and pipes are handled around the rotary table. An ultra strong impact absorbing material is required
The foothold must be maintained during emergency situations, when the workspace is flooded by mud and oil
Drilling fluids, detergents and lubricants are aggresive on any installed material
In the set-back area, drill pipes are stacked in an upright position, exposing the floor to extreme
pressure on concentrated spots
Water and mud spills must be effectively directed away from the floor to the drain boxes
Tripping hazards, due to differences in floor levels, must be avoided
Access to hatches, mouse hole and tool fasteners must be enabled
Cleaning and maintenance by high pressure washing should be easy

Solution

Real Safety worked with the design team and came up with a complete solution, covering the entire drilling deck. During installation in Baku, our team supervised the local team.

The solution consisted of:

Drill floor mats: 30-47mm elastomer
Setback mats: 45-55mm elastomer
A total of 220m2 Drill floor protection was installed