SAFER Guards - Sensor Activated Failsafe Enabled Rig Guards by Equipe
Lead Participant:
EQUIPE TRAINING LIMITED
Abstract
The project will research, design and develop an innovative, early prototype for an intelligent
guarding system for land based rotary drilling rigs. It will be known as Sensor Activated
Failsafe Enabled Rig Guards (SAFER Guards) from Equipe.
Rotary drilling rigs are used extensively in many economic sectors including; oil and gas,
mining and quarrying, construction, geothermal, water wells and numerous other civil
engineering applications all of which are of substantial size and value both in the UK and
worldwide. However, land based drilling operations are still in many ways unsophisticated
and only very recently regulated despite significant health and safety risks.
Principally fuelled by the strengthening of legislation together with a desire to improve
efficiency and productivity and a genuine need to improve safety there is a substantial market
opportunity for a solution to the challenge of providing guarding systems that perform
efficiently, without adversely affecting rig operation, and that cannot be bypassed by
operators. The project will build on Equipe’s expertise in the field of land drilling and its
initial feasibility work which has identified sensor based systems as the most promising
solution to the problem. Innovation is needed to overcome the technical challenge of sensor
performance in harsh environments. The key project objectives are thus: To research and
assess the potential of current sensor technology; to develop a sensor based solution best
suited to the project challenges; to design and build an initial prototype of a rig guarding
system; and to undertake in situ field trials.
As a result of this project, a substantial market opportunity will be realised by Equipe which
will benefit the UK economy, has significant export potential and important societal and
environmental advantages. Vitally, a major health and safety challenge will be overcome,
resulting in fewer injuries and deaths both in the UK and globally.
Resubmission
guarding system for land based rotary drilling rigs. It will be known as Sensor Activated
Failsafe Enabled Rig Guards (SAFER Guards) from Equipe.
Rotary drilling rigs are used extensively in many economic sectors including; oil and gas,
mining and quarrying, construction, geothermal, water wells and numerous other civil
engineering applications all of which are of substantial size and value both in the UK and
worldwide. However, land based drilling operations are still in many ways unsophisticated
and only very recently regulated despite significant health and safety risks.
Principally fuelled by the strengthening of legislation together with a desire to improve
efficiency and productivity and a genuine need to improve safety there is a substantial market
opportunity for a solution to the challenge of providing guarding systems that perform
efficiently, without adversely affecting rig operation, and that cannot be bypassed by
operators. The project will build on Equipe’s expertise in the field of land drilling and its
initial feasibility work which has identified sensor based systems as the most promising
solution to the problem. Innovation is needed to overcome the technical challenge of sensor
performance in harsh environments. The key project objectives are thus: To research and
assess the potential of current sensor technology; to develop a sensor based solution best
suited to the project challenges; to design and build an initial prototype of a rig guarding
system; and to undertake in situ field trials.
As a result of this project, a substantial market opportunity will be realised by Equipe which
will benefit the UK economy, has significant export potential and important societal and
environmental advantages. Vitally, a major health and safety challenge will be overcome,
resulting in fewer injuries and deaths both in the UK and globally.
Resubmission
Lead Participant | Project Cost | Grant Offer |
|---|---|---|
| EQUIPE TRAINING LIMITED | £204,747 | £ 100,000 |
People |
ORCID iD |
| Pete Reading (Project Manager) |