mud pump inspection in stock

This week we’re working on another set of National 12P pumps on board a North Sea semi. We keep your mud pumps running in first class condition – providing onsite inspections, repairs and complete overhaul as well as all associated parts. We support all major brands and models and have team members standing by around the globe.

Cavitation is an undesirable condition that reduces pump efficiency and leads to excessive wear and damage to pump components. Factors that can contribute to cavitation, such as fluid velocity and pressure, can sometimes be attributed to an inadequate mud system design and/or the diminishing performance of the mud pump’s feed system.

Although cavitation is avoidable, without proper inspection of the feed system, it can accelerate the wear of fluid end parts. Over time, cavitation can also lead to expensive maintenance issues and a potentially catastrophic failure.

When a mud pump has entered full cavitation, rig crews and field service technicians will see the equipment shaking and hear the pump “knocking,” which typically sounds like marbles and stones being thrown around inside the equipment. However, the process of cavitation starts long before audible signs reveal themselves – hence the name “the silent killer.”

Mild cavitation begins to occur when the mud pump is starved for fluid. While the pump itself may not be making noise, damage is still being done to the internal components of the fluid end. In the early stages, cavitation can damage a pump’s module, piston and valve assembly.

The imperceptible but intense shock waves generated by cavitation travel directly from the fluid end to the pump’s power end, causing premature vibrational damage to the crosshead slides. The vibrations are then passed onto the shaft, bull gear and into the main bearings.

If not corrected, the vibrations caused by cavitation will work their way directly to critical power end components, which will result in the premature failure of the mud pump. A busted mud pump means expensive downtime and repair costs.

To stop cavitation before it starts, install and tune high-speed pressure sensors on the mud suction line set to sound an alarm if the pressure falls below 30 psi.

Although the pump may not be knocking loudly when cavitation first presents, regular inspections by a properly trained field technician may be able to detect moderate vibrations and slight knocking sounds.

Gardner Denver offers Pump University, a mobile classroom that travels to facilities and/or drilling rigs and trains rig crews on best practices for pumping equipment maintenance.

Severe cavitation will drastically decrease module life and will eventually lead to catastrophic pump failure. Along with downtime and repair costs, the failure of the drilling pump can also cause damage to the suction and discharge piping.

When a mud pump has entered full cavitation, rig crews and field service technicians will see the equipment shaking and hear the pump ‘knocking’… However, the process of cavitation starts long before audible signs reveal themselves – hence the name ‘the silent killer.’In 2017, a leading North American drilling contractor was encountering chronic mud system issues on multiple rigs. The contractor engaged in more than 25 premature module washes in one year and suffered a major power-end failure.

Gardner Denver’s engineering team spent time on the contractor’s rigs, observing the pumps during operation and surveying the mud system’s design and configuration.

The engineering team discovered that the suction systems were undersized, feed lines were too small and there was no dampening on the suction side of the pump.

Following the implementation of these recommendations, the contractor saw significant performance improvements from the drilling pumps. Consumables life was extended significantly, and module washes were reduced by nearly 85%.

Although pump age does not affect its susceptibility to cavitation, the age of the rig can. An older rig’s mud systems may not be equipped for the way pumps are run today – at maximum horsepower.

Increasing drilling capacity includes upgrading the horsepower that drives your mud pumps. Whether your rig is using standard 5,000 psi systems or lower ratings, HENDERSON can upgrade it to 7,500 psi.

A failing mud pump at your site could be caused by a number of reasons. Instead of risking downtime, call HENDERSON to complete a full Tear Down & Inspection service to get you back up and running as soon as possible.

HENDERSON offers a TDI service that consists of complete disassembly of your mud pump. With everything taken apart, our team will inspect the suction manifold, check piston rods for straightness, look for visible washouts and pitting, and even inspect all nuts, bolts, and their threads!

Since horizontal directional drilling (HDD) work tends to be slower in the winter months, particularly when the ground is frozen, winter is a prime time to inspect the power end of the pump and prevent downtime on the job later.

If one waits until an audible problem can be detected, it is often very expensive to repair. All smaller HDD pumps – 100 hp and smaller — tend to use the same type of internal components regardless of the manufacturer.

The largest load bearing area of the pump is the crosshead pin and bushing area. Wear can be detected by locking the intermittent or piston rod with a pipe wrench and rotating the crank shaft slightly. If one can feel any slack it can only be coming from the pin and bushing or the connecting rod bearing. It then becomes necessary to remove the connecting rod assembly consisting of the connecting rod and cross head. If slack is determined in the pin bushing, it will be necessary to press out the pin and inspect the bushing and the crosshead pin in the eye of the connecting rod. Some manufacturers ship bushings that are designed to fit. Others ship them and they have to be reamed to fit the pin after the bushing is installed. The installation instructions and dimensional fits are provided by the manufacturer in the pump manual.

The next area of concern is the connecting rod bearings themselves. If visual wear can be seen, use a micrometer and measure the crankshaft journals to make sure they are not out of round. If the journals check out, then all is needed is new connecting rod bearings. Some manufactures utilize shims to get the correct fit to the journal. Others provide automotive style bearings that only require correct torque to the rod cap for correct installation. There are pros and cons concerning automotive style vs shim bearings. Shim type bearings does allow for oversized connecting rod bearing should the journals be worn. This allows for turning down the crank journals a few thousands and utilizing a larger connecting rod bearing. If a pump uses automotive style precision bearings and the journals are out of round, it is necessary to replace the crankshaft.

Wiper box packing keeps the oil within the power frame and external contamination from entering the power end. The packing is easy to inspect and essential for longevity of the power end. The wiper box packing must remain in excellent condition at all times. Allowing the pump to set for extended periods of time or letting external contamination build on the packing shortens the lifespan.

If one waits until an audible problem can be detected, it is often very expensive to repair. All smaller HDD pumps – 100 hp and smaller — tend to use the same type of internal components regardless of the manufacturer.

Inspection of the power end allows the owner to dictate when repairs are necessary rather than allowing the pump to dictate during the middle of a job when repair is required. If problems are detected early, repair is relatively inexpensive. If a problem is not detected early, that problem often leads to more unnecessary wear and affects other components of the pump. An early fix to any problem is relatively inexpensive. Allowing the problem to continue can often cost several thousands of dollars and downtime on a job.

Many things go into getting the most life out of your mud pump and its components — all important to extend the usage of this vital piece of equipment on an HDD jobsite. Some of the most important key points are covered below.

The most important thing you can do is service your pump, per the manufacturer’s requirements. We get plenty of pumps in the shop for service work that look like they have been abused for years without having basic maintenance,  such as regular oil changes. You wouldn’t dream of treating your personal vehicle like that, so why would you treat your pump like that.

Check the oil daily and change the oil regularly. If you find water or drilling mud contamination in the oil, change the oil as soon as possible. Failure to do so will most likely leave you a substantial bill to rebuild the gear end, which could have been avoided if proper maintenance procedures would have been followed. Water in the oil does not allow the oil to perform correctly, which will burn up your gear end. Drilling mud in your gear end will act as a lapping compound and will wear out all of the bearing surfaces in your pump. Either way it will be costly. The main reasons for having water or drilling mud in the gear end of your pump is because your pony rod packing is failing and/or you have let your liners and pistons get severely worn. Indication of this is fluid that should be contained inside the fluid end of your pump is now moving past your piston and spraying into the cradle of the pump, which forces its way past the pony rod packing. Pony rod packing is meant to keep the oil in the gear end and the liner wash fluid out of the gear end. Even with brand new packing, you can have water or drilling fluid enter the gear end if it is sprayed with sufficient force, because a piston or liner is worn out.

There is also usually a valve on the inlet of the spray bar. This valve should be closed enough so that liner wash fluid does not spray all over the top of the pump and other components.

Liner wash fluid can be comprised of different fluids, but we recommend just using clean water. In extremely cold conditions, you can use RV antifreeze. The liner wash or rod wash system is usually a closed loop type of system, consisting of a tank, a small pump and a spray bar. The pump will move fluid from the tank through the spray bar, and onto the inside of the liner to cool the liner, preventing scorching. The fluid will then collect in the bottom of the cradle of the pump and drain back down into the collection tank below the cradle and repeat the cycle. It is important to have clean fluid no matter what fluid you use. If your liners are leaking and the tank is full of drilling fluid, you will not cool the liners properly — which will just make the situation worse. There is also usually a valve on the inlet of the spray bar. This valve should be closed enough so that liner wash fluid does not spray all over the top of the pump and other components. Ensure that the water is spraying inside the liner and that any overspray is not traveling out of the pump onto the ground or onto the pony rod packing where it could be pulled into the gear end. If the fluid is spraying out of the cradle area and falling onto the ground, it won’t be long before your liner wash tank is empty. It only takes a minute without the cooling fluid being sprayed before the liners become scorched. You will then need to replace the pistons and liners, which is an avoidable costly repair. Make a point to check the liner wash fluid level several times a day.

Drilling fluid — whether pumping drilling mud, straight water or some combination of fluid — needs to be clean. Clean meaning free of solids. If you are recycling your fluid, make sure you are using a quality mud recycling system and check the solids content often throughout the day to make sure the system is doing its job. A quality mud system being run correctly should be able to keep your solids content down to one quarter of 1 percent or lower. When filling your mud recycling system, be sure to screen the fluid coming into the tanks. If it is a mud recycling system, simply make sure the fluid is going over the scalping shaker with screens in the shaker. If using some other type of tank, use an inline filter or some other method of filtering. Pumping out of creeks, rivers, lakes and ponds can introduce plenty of solids into your tanks if you are not filtering this fluid. When obtaining water out of a fire hydrant, there can be a lot of sand in the line, so don’t assume it’s clean and ensure it’s filtered before use.

Cavitation is a whole other detailed discussion, but all triplex pumps have a minimum amount of suction pressure that is required to run properly. Make sure this suction pressure is maintained at all times or your pump may cavitate. If you run a pump that is cavitating, it will shorten the life of all fluid end expendables and, in severe cases, can lead to gear end and fluid end destruction. If the pump is experiencing cavitation issues, the problem must be identified and corrected immediately.

The long and the short of it is to use clean drilling fluid and you will extend the life of your pumps expendables and downhole tooling, and keep up with your maintenance on the gear end of your pump. Avoid pump cavitation at all times. Taking a few minutes a day to inspect and maintain your pump can save you downtime and costly repair bills.

Created specifically for drilling equipment inspectors and others in the oil and gas industry, the Oil Rig Mud Pump Inspection app allows you to easily document the status and safety of your oil rigs using just a mobile device. Quickly resolve any damage or needed maintenance with photos and GPS locations and sync to the cloud for easy access. The app is completely customizable to fit your inspection needs and works even without an internet signal.Try Template

Fulcrum helps us improve our processes and make our work environment safer by streamlining inspections, surfacing inspection-related insights, and managing follow-up actions. Once you close the loop from action to insight to further action, the possibilities are limitless.

The 2,200-hp mud pump for offshore applications is a single-acting reciprocating triplex mud pump designed for high fluid flow rates, even at low operating speeds, and with a long stroke design. These features reduce the number of load reversals in critical components and increase the life of fluid end parts.

The pump’s critical components are strategically placed to make maintenance and inspection far easier and safer. The two-piece, quick-release piston rod lets you remove the piston without disturbing the liner, minimizing downtime when you’re replacing fluid parts.

The NOV Fluid End Expendables and accessories add value to your drilling rig by increasing the operating range of existing mud pumps while reducing their maintenance and downtime. Fluid End Expendables are in-stock and ready for delivery at World Petroleum Supply, Inc.

National Oilwell Varco develops the highest quality, field-proven fluid end expendables and accessories for all pump manufacturers to provide extended run times and longer service life.

Mud pump liners The ceramic, chrome iron sleeved, and hardened steel liners are manufactured using only the highest-grade materials and offer extended run times with excellent resistance to abrasion, erosion, and corrosion.

Mud pump piston rods We manufacture crosshead extension rods, quick connect rods, self-aligning rod assemblies, and piston rods for all types of mud pump manufacturers. All rods are manufactured from high-quality materials and machined to exact tolerances to provide long life and superior service

Mud pump pistons We offer pistons of all styles and compositions designed for various types of drilling applications. All pistons are designed to provide consistent run times, minimize downtime, and reduce maintenance.

Created specifically for drilling equipment inspectors and others in the oil and gas industry, the Oil Rig Mud Pump Inspection app allows you to easily document the status and safety of your oil rigs using just a mobile device. Quickly resolve any damage or needed maintenance with photos and GPS locations and sync to the cloud for easy access. The app is completely customizable to fit your inspection needs and works even without an internet signal.Try Template

Fulcrum helps us improve our processes and make our work environment safer by streamlining inspections, surfacing inspection-related insights, and managing follow-up actions. Once you close the loop from action to insight to further action, the possibilities are limitless.

A properly serviced pulsation dampener is critical for your mud pumps’ efficiency, safety, and performance. Unfortunately, there aren’t many resources available to educate personnel on executing safe and effective servicing procedures. Please review the following steps with your personnel for safe pulsation dampener maintenance.

Since the NOV A1700-PT Triplex Mud Pump was built approximately 60 years ago, the industry has widely accepted the three cylinder or triplex style pump. Triplex mud pumps are manufactured worldwide, and many companies have emulated the original design and developed an improved form of the triplex pump in the past decade.

NOV A1700-PT Triplex Mud Pumps have many advantages they weight 30% less than a duplex of equal horsepower or kilowatts. The lighter weight parts are easier to handle and therefore easier to maintain. The other advantages include;They cost less to operate

One of the more important advantages of triplex over duplex pumps, is that they can move large volumes of mud at the higher pressure is required for modern deep hole drilling.

NOV A1700-PT Triplex Mud Pump is gradually phasing out duplex units. In a triplex pump, the pistons discharge mud only when they move forward in the liner. Then, when they moved back they draw in mud on the same side of the piston. Because of this, they are also called “single acting.” Single acting triplex pumps, pump mud at a relatively high speeds. NOV A1700-PT Triplex Mud Pump has three pistons each moving in its own liner. It also has three intake valves and three discharge valves. It also has a pulsation dampener in the discharge line.