Verification and recertification of drilling and well control equipment
Using industrial standards and best practices to improve equipment uptime and reliability
Equipment used in drilling operations must work all the time, every time. Documentation requirements are increasing the burden on equipment owners.
Until recently, the industry did not have a consistent method of providing guidance on equipment refurbishment.
DNV saw this challenge and implemented a recommended practices (DNV-RP-E101) which describe in detail how to assess, refurbish, test, and recertify drilling equipment. Initially intended for use in Norway and the US, the generic processes may be adapted to other legislations and equipment.
The purpose of recertification is to verify and document that the equipment's condition and properties are within specified acceptance criteria and requirements stipulated in recognized codes and standards.
The verification process documents the steps performed to recertify the equipment, based on objective evidence that it is capable of operating as intended.
In the past 10 years, DNV has applied DNV-RP-E101 (formerly DNV-RP-E101 and DNV-RP-E102) to more than 500 projects, including work-overs and complete drilling systems.
We recommend that blow-out preventers, well-pressure control equipment – and other equipment used for drilling, completion, work-overs and well intervention operations – are recertified at least every five years.