SMALL EXCAVATORS IN THE OIL AND GAS EXPLORATION INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS

In the process of oil and gas extraction, a large number of pipelines are needed to transport oil and gas. Small excavators can locally excavate and 

adjust the pipelines without destroying the overall pipeline layout. For example, when a pipeline needs to be repaired or a part of the pipeline section 

needs to be replaced, the small excavator can accurately excavate the soil around the pipeline so that the pipeline is exposed and easy for workers to 

operate.

For newly laid pipelines, the small excavator can dig the pipeline trench according to a predetermined route. It is able to work flexibly in complex 

terrain conditions, such as mountains and hills, to ensure that the depth and width of the pipeline trench meets the project requirements and provides 

a foundation for the safe laying of the pipeline.

Site levelling and infrastructure construction

Oil and gas extraction sites require the construction of various infrastructures, such as petrol stations, compressor stations, valve chambers and so on. 

Small excavators can be used for site levelling during the construction of these facilities. It can quickly clear the site of weeds, trees and irregular terrain,

 creating good conditions for subsequent building construction.

After the infrastructure construction is completed, small excavators can also be used for the construction of drainage systems in the neighbourhood. 

By digging drainage ditches, it ensures that rainwater and possible oil pollution can be discharged smoothly, avoiding the infrastructure from being 

soaked by stagnant water or contaminated.

II. Oil well field station operations

Wellhead Equipment Installation and Maintenance

At the wellhead of an oil well, there is a lot of complex equipment to install and maintain, such as oil extraction trees and blowout preventers. A small 

excavator can assist the crew in the installation of this equipment. It can carefully excavate a suitable space around the wellhead to place and secure the

 equipment. During maintenance, for some wellhead components that need to be replaced, the small excavator can help remove the old parts and 

prepare for the installation of new parts.

When wellhead equipment breaks down and requires emergency repairs, the small excavator can quickly remove obstacles around the wellhead so that

 maintenance personnel can approach the equipment in time for emergency repairs, reducing the interruption time of oil and gas production.

Tank and Vessel Cleaning

Oil and gas extraction sites have a variety of tanks and containers for storing crude oil, chemical additives, and more. Over time, sediment accumulates 

at the bottom of these tanks and containers. Small excavators can clean the sediments from the bottom of the tanks and containers by using special too

ls on their buckets, such as crushing hammers or buckets. This clean-up is essential to ensure oil quality and storage safety.

During the overhaul or modification of tanks and containers, small excavators can also be involved in digging up the surrounding soil so that these 

large containers can be moved or replaced.

Third, drilling operations to assist

Drilling mud pool excavation and maintenance

During the drilling process, a large amount of drilling mud will be generated, which requires special mud ponds for storage and disposal. Small 

excavators can be used to excavate the mud pool, according to the size and depth requirements of the drilling design, to quickly and effectively 

complete the construction of the mud pool. During the drilling operation, the small excavator can also maintain the mud pool, such as cleaning the silt 

and debris around the pool to ensure that the mud can be circulated and processed normally.

When the drilling is finished, the small excavator can assist in sealing and reclaiming the mud pool. It can clean up the remaining mud in the pool and 

fill and level the pool to restore the land to its original state.

Drilling Rig Spare Parts and Material Handling

There are many heavy rig accessories and a large amount of construction materials at the drilling site. A small excavator can take on some of the 

handling tasks, especially if the site space is limited. It can use the digging bucket to carry the accessories such as drill pipes and drill bits to the side of 

the drilling rig, which improves the efficiency of the drilling operation. Meanwhile, for some small construction materials, such as cement, sand and 

gravel, the small excavator can also assist in transporting them to the designated construction site.