Memoirs of a GDC intern

Laying of cables on the rig-floor is a very tiresome task, mind bogging if you ask me. This reminds me of the grasshopper. Oh and that’s the structure that holds so many cables and it protrudes into the air just like the legs of the grasshopper. From the grass hopper, all the electrical cables are channels through troughs to all those parts of the rig that need them. Some of the parts that require this power include the 3 DC motors, 2 for Drawworks,one for rotary table, and their respective AC blower motors. There is power for the driller’s console and the dog houses, lighting on the mast, the sensors like hook load sensors, current sensors and cameras. So, you can imagine how many cables we are talking about….so many in fact you will just get tired at their site…..but I was encouraged by the electrical technician, they identify them with codes and uses based on how much you understand the whole system….that's hope for me because at the end of the day I could identify where a few went just from the knowledge I had.

For the electric DC motors, I could see looping done between some terminals so things were easier.

Looking at this collection of cables in the troughs you will wonder how we differentiate the cables that go to one motor from those that go to another motor or pump and its very easy once you understand how the whole system works. This is one of the areas you need some combined effort because just being alone, you can track a cable from the beginning to the end, as you will need help lifting up some cables and pulling others.