CASE HISTORY
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BLUE JAY Bulk Transfer System Reduced Crane Use While
Increasing Storage Capacity
Location: North Sea
Results
nnUsed
less rig space for storage
nnEnabled
drilling in poor weather
nnReduced
crane use
nnAvoided
accretion or bridging in
cuttings tanks
Challenges
nnReduce
dependence on skips
nnDrill
2,297- to 3,281-ft (700- to
1000-m), 12¼-in. sections with
oil-based mud
nnContinue
Even with superior capacity, BLUE JAY tanks use less deck space to store the same amount of cuttings as conventional
rig storage cuttings systems.
drilling regardless of
weather conditions
Baker Hughes solution
nnBLUE
A North Sea operator that wanted to reduce its
dependence on offshore skips commissioned
Baker Hughes to deliver a cuttings handling
system that would add rig storage and
pneumatic conveyance to one of its supply
vessels in the Edvard Grieg field development.
The three main objectives were to:
1. Reduce the number of rig-to-boat crane lifts
2. Reduce the time the supply vessel would be
alongside the rig
3. Drill for extended periods of time even
when bad weather prohibits backloads
to the supply vessel.
Rig storage
The Baker Hughes BLUE JAY bulk transfer
system, the tallest and largest-capacity
standing cuttings storage tank on the market,
has a cuttings capacity of approximately 40
tons (36.3 Mg) and is operated from a control
panel that can be placed remotely. In spite
of its capacity, the tank uses less deck space
to store the same amount of cuttings as
conventional rig storage cuttings systems.
The tank’s limited use of deck space and
high transfer capacity make it an ideal
solution for rig-to-boat transfers, offshore
cuttings treatments, and cuttings reinjection
in conjunction with slurrification. The system
offers the added flexibility of transporting
cuttings to shore in skips, if required.
By using a circle feeder to empty it, the tank
also drains fully, leaving very little residue after
the operation is finished. The circle feeder also
offers a fixed transfer rate discharge of up to
60 tons/hr (53.4 Mg/hr).
nnBoat
JAY bulk transfer system
storage tanks
CASE HISTORY
Pneumatic transfer
Once on board the vessel, the cuttings are
transferred to the rig tanks by a dual-pod
pneumatic transfer unit. The lines on the rig
are set up to either divert cuttings to storage
or directly to the supply vessel.
Cuttings already stored in the rig’s tanks
are transported to a dual blower by a screw
conveyor. The dual blower is set up with
a dual set of lines to the supply vessel to
increase rig-to-boat transfer capacity.
Boat storage tanks
The Baker Hughes boat storage tank is 16 ft
(4.8 m) long to allow installation on all supply
vessels on the market. The total width of the
assembly is approximately 38 ft (11.5 m).
The cuttings are diverted to tanks by an
assembly of diverter valves and ultimately
emptied at a waste facility by opening a lid
at the side and using a lifting frame to tilt
the tank and empty it. Emptying and cleaning
each tank usually takes less than 45 minutes.
Performance on location
While drilling the first well for this operator,
Baker Hughes installed four BLUE JAY rig
storage tanks in a 538-ft2 (50-m2) space
for a total capacity of 160 tons (145 Mg).
Mud skips with the ability to hold the same
cuttings volume would require 1,399 ft2
(130 m2) of floor space.
from the rig to 23 tanks on a storage vessel.
Afterward, all of the tanks were emptied at
a waste facility without incident. Using the
BLUE JAY rig storage tank system, the operator
eliminated approximately 560 crane lifts.
The rig was able to continue drilling a 12¼-in.
section during a period of bad weather during
which no vessel loading or unloading was
possible. This was accomplished without having
to fill the rig’s deck with mud skips in advance.
After the cuttings were disposed of, the tanks
were opened to confirm that only limited
residue was left and that there was no cuttings
bridging or accretion on the tank walls.
A total of 425 tons (385.6 Mg) were stored
on the rig, and then pneumatically transferred
Cuttings are pneumatically transferred from the rig to a vessel for transport to a waste facility onshore.
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