PO Box 709327 | Tulsa, OK 74170-0327
What is the slip & cut process?
A Step-By-Step Description
The following is a step-by-step description of the slip and cut process normally conducted on a drilling rig to replace the old drilling line. The metric to determine when the right time to slip/cut the drilling line is calculated in ton miles. This metric is kept with the rig maintenance records. The slip & cut operation is executed when the milestone for replacing the drilling line is met.
Procedural Process
1. Call crew together and have a pre-job safety meeting to discuss the process and procedure for slipping and cutting drilling line. Understand the presence of overhead risks such as falling cable, tools, pinch points, proper lifting techniques for lifting and pulling used drilling line off the rig floor.
2. Note everyone’s job assignment before the slip and cut process begins. Rig Manager or Driller to make the job assignments, i.e. running the air hoist, draw works, removing/replacing the horse head and dog knot and disposing of used drilling line.
3. Check for proper required PPE, tools and equipment.
4. Hang the drilling blocks in the derrick to remove the weight of the blocks off the drilling line.
5. Loosen and release the horse head to allow new drilling line to be strung into the mast through the crown, traveling block and draw works.
6. Remove the front panel section of the draw works, and set aside.
7. Use the air hoist to tie onto the drilling line, and pull the slack drilling line up into the derrick as it is spooled off the draw works.
8. Insert the drilling line into the Cable Shark unit and secure the compartment door.
9. Find and mark where the drilling line should be cut.
10. Use the remote control device to control the Cable Shark unit, move the drilling line up/down until the mark is found to cut the drilling line.
11. Engage the Cable Shark brakes on the cable both on top and bottom.
12. Use the Cable Shark remote control device to cut the drilling line. This removes the safety hazard of having rig employees injured by cutting the open and exposed drilling line.
13. Thread the drilling line downward until the old cut drilling line falls out of the Cable Shark unit.
14. Pull the remainder of the old drilling line out of the draw works and remove the dog knot from the end of the old drilling line.
15. Discard the old drilling line off the rig floor and properly dispose.
16. Use the Cable Shark remote control to thread the new drilling line through the Cable Shark unit until there is enough slack drilling line to retie the dog knot onto the draw works.
17. Line up the Cable Shark unit and drilling line onto the first groove of the draw works drum.
18. Use the Cable Shark remote control to set the drag on the Cable Shark unit.
19. Release the Cable Shark brakes.
20. Slowly begin to turn the draw works drum and spool the new drilling line through the Cable Shark unit and onto the draw works drum grooves by gently lowering the air hoist with the slack drilling line so it feeds through the Cable Shark unit onto the draw works drum. This process assures the drilling line is tightly spooled onto the draw works drum (The need to have a rig hand use a sledge hammer to tap the line onto the draw works spool is eliminated with this process.)
21. Once all the slack drilling line is spooled onto the draw works drum, release the new drilling line from the Cable Shark unit and move the Cable Shark unit to its storage area and lock the unit into place.
22. Use the draw works to spool the necessary number of wraps for the new drilling line onto the draw works drum.
23. Once the proper number of wraps of new drilling line is spooled onto the draw works spool, lock the draw works and reinstall and tighten the horsehead.
24. Unhook the drilling blocks from the mast and make sure all the drilling lines are in place, tight and travelling properly through the sheaves of the crown and drilling block.
25. Replace the front panel section of the draw works.
At this juncture – the slip and cut process is complete. Continue with the next drilling operation.
Mounting Installation
We envision the Cable Shark unit is being mounted on a single “I” beam above the draw works. The “I” beam would be connected either with dog ears on the side of the draw works or on a stand on either side of the draw works. The Cable Shark unit would be installed on the “I” beam and travel along the beam to track the drilling line going back and forth on the draw works spool. The mounting mechanism would allow the Cable Shark unit to line up with the perpendicular location of the drilling line to enable the line to feely move through the Cable Shark unit. Once the unit is mounted and the drilling line enclosed in the unit, the drilling line is completely controlled by the operator using the remote control and the operator of the rig hoist.