Problem
The company Akita Drilling is a drilling rig operator headquartered in Canada. The company operates about 20 plants, most of which are stationed in Canada. The working conditions at such drilling rigs as here at an oil production facility in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, are sometimes characterised by extremely adverse weather conditions. Components that can easily withstand vibrations as well as storms, are critical for the reliable operation of the drilling rigs. Specifically, the operating company was looking for a suitable solution for the energy and signal supply of the top drive, which guides the drill pipe into the earth and pulls it out again. In addition to robustness, the operating company was looking for a cable solution that could be integrated into the existing system as easily as possible.
Solution
To replace the previously used service loop in the Canadian conveyor system, the system operator finally decided on an e-loop from igus. The modular energy chain system is designed for cable guidance in suspended and 3-dimensional applications. A pull rope inside the chain relieves the strain on all cables and protects them from the tensile forces that occur when the top drive moves up and down in the system. However, the system operator benefits in terms of availability and maintenance costs, in particular from the high weather resistance and robustness of the energy chain, which easily withstands vibrations and impacts. Even a major practical test - a snowstorm - has already been mastered by the e-loop without any problems.
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