Operation, Inspection, Maintenance, and Repair of Drilling and Well Servicing Structures

API RECOMMENDED PRACTICE 4G FOURTH EDITION, APRIL 2012

ERRATA, SEPTEMBER 2013

ADDENDUM 1, AUGUST 2016

Operation, Inspection, Maintenance, and Repair of Drilling and Well Servicing Structures

Upstream Segment

API RECOMMENDED PRACTICE 4G FOURTH EDITION, APRIL 2012

ERRATA, SEPTEMBER 2013

ADDENDUM 1, AUGUST 2016

Special Notes

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Copyright © 2012 American Petroleum Institute

Foreword

Users/owners may require a period of time to bring existing structures into conformance with new criteria. Due to the number of structures involved and the limited availability of qualified inspectors, the date of the first inspection for existing structures should remain flexible.

This standard shall become effective on the date of publication. The forms in annexes A through D are intended for free exchange between owners/operators of the equipment or users of API 4G.

Shall: As used in a publication, “shall” denotes a minimum requirement in order to conform to the publication.

Should: As used in a publication, “should” denotes a recommendation or that which is advised but not required in order to conform to the specification.

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This document was produced under API standardization procedures that ensure appropriate notification and participation in the developmental process and is designated as an API standard. Questions concerning the interpretation of the content of this publication or comments and questions concerning the procedures under which this publication was developed should be directed in writing to the Director of Standards, American Petroleum Institute, 1220 L Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005. Requests for permission to reproduce or translate all or any part of the material published herein should also be addressed to the director.

Generally, API standards are reviewed and revised, reaffirmed, or withdrawn at least every five years. A one-time extension of up to two years may be added to this review cycle. Status of the publication can be ascertained from the API Standards Department, telephone (202) 682-8000. A catalog of API publications and materials is published annually by API, 1220 L Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005.

Suggested revisions are invited and should be submitted to the Standards Department, API, 1220 L Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005, standards@api.org.

1. Scope 1

   1. Objective 1

   2. Structures Covered 1

2. Normative References 1

3. Terms, Definitions, and Abbreviations 1

   1. Terms and Definitions 1

   2. Abbreviated Terms 3

4. General Principles 4

   1. Procedures 4

   2. Personnel Qualifications 4

   3. Training 5

5. Use and Maintenance 5

   1. General 5

   2. Loading 6

   3. Bolted Structure 6

   4. Racking Platforms 6

   5. Changes in Rig Location 7

6. Inspection 7

   1. General 7

   2. Inspection Categories 8

   3. Frequency of Inspection 9

   4. Acceptance Criteria 9

   5. Rejected Equipment 9

7. Repair 10

   1. General 10

   2. Corrosion 10

   3. Fire and Heat Exposure 10

8. Modification/Upgrade 11

   1. Planning 11

   2. Design and Modification 11

   3. Padeyes 12

   4. Lifting Eyes 12

9. Documentation and Records 12

   1. Inspection and Repair Records 12

   2. Identification/Traceability 13

10. Unidentified Equipment—Load Rating Determination 15

    1. Procedure 15

    2. Qualification 15

11. Foundation Requirements 15

    1. General 15

    2. Leveling and Shimming 16

12. Raising/Bridle Line Inspection and Replacement 16

13. Guying for Portable Masts with Guylines 17

    
    

    1. General 17

    2. Standing Ropes 17

    3. Frequency of Inspection 17

    4. Guywire End Terminations and Hardware 18

    5. Pretension of Guywires 18

14. Guywire Anchors for Portable Masts with Guylines 18

    1. General 18

    2. Capacity Verification 18

    3. Alternative Anchoring Practices 20

    4. Pull Testing and Site Preparation 21

    5. Responsibilities of Contractor, Operator, and Testing Company 21

15. Foundations for Masts and Substructures 22

    1. Foundations and Supplemental Footing 22

    2. Wellhead Cellars 24

16. Low-temperature Operations 24

Annex A (informative) Drilling Mast Visual Inspection Form 26

Annex B (informative) Well Servicing Masts Visual Inspection Form 36

Annex C (informative) Drilling Derrick Visual Inspection Form 43

Annex D (informative) Substructure Visual Inspection Form 51

Bibliography 57

Figures

1. Typical Mast Lifting Lugs 12

2. Recommended Guying Pattern 14

3. Guywire Sag (Catenary) 19

4. Anchor Spacing and Capacity Criteria 20

5. Portable Mast Location Preparation 23

Tables

1. Inspection Types and Frequencies 9

2. Inspection Criteria 11

3. Safe Bearing Capacity of Soils 24

Operation, Inspection, Maintenance, and Repair of Drilling and Well Servicing Structures

1. Scope

   
   

   1. Objective

      
      

      This document provides guidelines and establishes recommended procedures for inspection, maintenance, and repair of items for drilling and well servicing structures, in order to maintain the serviceability of this equipment. The information in this document should be considered as supplemental to, and not as a substitute for, the manufacturer’s instructions and the recommendations in API 54.

      
      

   2. Structures Covered

      
      

      Items of drilling and well servicing structures covered by this document include:

      
      

      • masts/derricks and accessories;

        
        

      • substructures and accessories.

      
      

      NOTE 1 Crown block sheaves and bearings are covered under API 8B.

      
      

      NOTE 2 Offshore masts, derricks, substructures and accessories are not under the scope of this document relative to 6.2.4, Category IV inspection requirements.

      
      

2. Normative References

   
   

   The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.

   
   

   API Specification 4F, Drilling and Well Servicing Structures

   
   

   AISC 335-89 1, Specification for Structural Steel Buildings—Allowable Stress Design and Plastic Design

   
   

   ASNT SNT-TC-1A 2, Recommended Practice for Personnel Qualification and Certification in Non-Destructive Testing

   
   

   AWS D1.1 3, Structural Welding Code

   
   

3. Terms, Definitions, and Abbreviations

   
   

   For the purposes of this document, the following terms, definitions and abbreviated terms apply.

   
   

   1. Terms and Definitions

3.1.1

certification

The act of endorsing as meeting set standards or requirements.

1. American Institute of Steel Construction, One East Wacker Drive, Suite 700, Chicago, Illinois 60601, www.aisc.org.

2. American Society for Nondestructive Testing, 1711 Arlingate Lane, P.O. Box 28518, Columbus, Ohio 43228, www.asnt.org.

3. American Welding Society, 550 NW LeJeune Road, Miami, Florida 33126, www.aws.org.

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