FEATURED PROJECT: Odoptu Rig Rails

Odoptu Rig Rails

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Thompson Metal Fab fabricated (38) ‘rig rails’ for ExxonMobil’s Sakhalin Island development, in two installments. In total, well over 2,300LF of rig rails were supplied. These rig rails allow massive drilling structures to move from well to well by using hydraulic ‘claws’ that hook into slots on the rig rails and allow the drilling rig to push/pull its way along the drilling pad.

To avoid shifting the center-of-gravity on the heavy drilling rigs, flatness tolerance is critical along the 60′ (and larger) top flanges, and running transverse from flange-to-flange. Additionally, the location of the slots is critical and must be lined up evenly (again, across the top flange and from flange-to-flange) to ensure the rig claw system runs evenly and without additional stress on any one claw.

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

- Nearly ½-mile of rails were supplied to the field

- Manufactured with low-temperature materials (CVN = 20/15 ft/lbs @ -40o C)

- Manufactured per AWS D1.1