The role of compressors in the offshore oil and gas drilling industry.

The role of portable diesel air compressors is specifically designed for drilling needs.

Portable air compressor are essential for many jobs and are used extensively in the construction, automotive, and manufacturing industries. These compressors are available in a variety of shapes and sizes and can be driven in various ways with both electric and gas power.

Continuing the previous article on the role of compressors in the oil and gas drilling industry. We now discuss the use of portable diesel compressors, including their operation. What kind of jobs portable diesel compressors are used for, and the benefits they have over electrically powered stationary air compressors.

Portable diesel air compressors are specifically designed for drilling needs. For example, borehole drilling, which is widely used to drill holes in consolidated formations and larger boreholes that have depths up to the deepest limits. This type of portable diesel compressor allows it to produce pressurized air that serves as the main drilling fluid in this technique.
In Jn the International Journal of Production Technology and Management (IJPTM), Scientist Wilhelm Fein invented the portable electric drill in 1895, in Stuttgart, Germany. In 1917, Black & Decker patented a trigger-like switch mounted on a pistol grip.
This was the beginning of the modern era where drilling machines utilizing laser measuring instruments began to be implemented for workers, so as to avoid measurement errors and to improve measurement accuracy.
Use of Portable Diesel Compressors in the drilling process There are several components that we must know in this portable diesel compressor engine.
The first is the Internal Diesel Motor which acts as a portable compressor drive. The performance of this portable diesel compressor is similar to an electric compressor. That is, the air in the air tank will get pressure, either by rotating the impeller or by closing the air storage room, which will force the air to compress it in a smaller space.

The motor will cycle on and off to maintain a constant level of air pressure inside the tank which can then be released through a valve to power a pneumatic tool to fill the tires.

Here is the drilling process using a Portable Diesel Compressor
On land rigs, compressors are required to supply low-pressure air, around 120 psi, to activate the drawworks. Drawworks are large hoists on drilling rigs that raise and lower drilling equipment. Compressed air is also required to power the various cranes.

These cranes usually have a capacity of about 5 tons. Plus, compressed air will be needed to power the diesel generator. Then compressed air will also be needed to function certain parts of the well control equipment, such as air-operated valves or actuators.

Then for drilling rigs with Kelly, an air-powered device called a Kelly spinner are used when adding new lengths of drill pipe during drilling operations. Air-operated pipe spinners are also often used to join or separate lengths of drill pipe.

In addition, compressed air is needed to move bulk dry powders, (barite, bentonite, and cement) used in the drilling process. On an offshore rig, compressed air will be required for the same. But on floating rigs, there is additional high-pressure air required for motion compensation equipment. For this equipment, a high-pressure compressor capable of providing compressed air up to 3,000 psi is required.

Source : https://kotechgroup.net/industry-applications/the-role-of-air-compressors-in-borehole-drilling/ D.Ramesh, et al; 2019, PORTABLE DRILLING MACHINE, International Journal of Production Technology and Management (IJPTM), Vol. 10 https://hodgeindustrial.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-diesel-portables/