Use of mouseholes is standard operating procedure for almost all drilling rigs. They allow crew members to add additional 30 ft joints of drillpipe to the drillstring as needed more quickly and efficiently.
Mousehole Connection Procedure
When the bit drills down, and the kelly is near the rotary table, another piece of drill pipe must be added in order for drilling to continue. That next piece of pipe is standing in the mousehole, which is located in proximity between the rotary table and vee-door.
The drilling crew swings the kelly out over the mousehole and inserts it into the awaiting joint. The driller then spins up the kelly using the kelly spinner or spinning chain and the crew uses tongs to torque the joint.
The kelly and new joint are raised to remove the pipe from the mousehole and screwed it into place in the drillstring. Another piece of pipe is then placed box end up in the mousehole to await the next connection.
So far, so good. But what if you could extend the length of pipe in the mousehole? That would enable crews to drill further with each addition.
Advantages of Keystone Energy Tools Rotating Mousehole
Instead of drilling an additional 30 ft, Keystone Energy’s Rotating Mousehole tool triples the length to 90 ft, reducing the time it takes to make up connections by as much as 66 percent.
In addition, the mousehole tool rotates tubulars beneath the rig floor creating a safer environment for the crew by eliminating the need to turn the stand inside the derrick while, at the same time, continuing drilling operations. It also enhances safety by reducing the amount of exposure required during connection operations.
Because it is installed below the rig floor, the mousehole tool remains out of sight and can be covered when not in use to prevent injury.
By enabling the drilling crew to increase the speed and efficiency of make up and set back stands of drillpipe while the top drive drills ahead, it results in a cost savings both in terms of time and manpower. The rotating mousehole can also be used to breakout and lay down drill pipe during the last trip out of the hole.
Keystone Energy is one of only two providers of rotating mouseholes in the oil & gas industry. Because we’ve built them for years, we’ve learned a thing or two about how they function.
Our units are designed to address two weak points often experienced by other rotating mousehole tools such as stripping of the motor mount bolts holes and freezing of slewing ring bearings due to contamination of drilling mud in the housing. We also provide complete in-house remanufacturing of rotating mousehole tools.
Contact us to learn more about the advantages offered by using Keystone Energy’s Rotating Mousehole tool.
Our experienced sales team is dedicated, always here to support our customers and distributors and ready to answer any questions that you have regarding our products. We pride ourselves on same-day quotes and expedited shipping.
