Canada Oil and Gas Drilling and Production Regulations (C.R.C., c. 1517)

Accident Reports

• 54 (1) A licensee, permittee, lessee or his agent shall report to the Oil Conservation Engineer immediately by telegraph, telephone or radio and confirm by letter

  • (a) any well flowing out of control;

  • (b) all fires that occur at oil or gas wells or storage tanks owned, operated or controlled by him or on his property;

  • (c) all tanks struck by lightning;

  • (d) any other fires that destroy oil or gas; and

  • (e) any breaks or leaks in tanks or pipelines from which any serious loss of oil or gas has occurred.

• (2) In all reports of fires, breaks or leaks in pipes, or other accidents of this nature, the location and name of the well, tank or line break shall be given.

Reservoir Surveys

• 55 (1) The Oil Conservation Engineer may direct permittees and lessees at such time and in such manner as he may deem advisable to conduct all reasonable tests and furnish information in respect of oil or gas reservoirs.

• (2) Notwithstanding the generality of subsection (1), the tests and information to enable the taking of reservoir surveys may relate to

  • (a) the practices and methods employed in operating a well;

  • (b) the volume and source of oil and gas;

  • (c) the pressure of the reservoir as an average;

  • (d) the areas of the regional or differential pressure;

  • (e) gas-oil ratios;

  • (f) the producing characteristics of individual wells in any field; and

  • (g) the producing characteristics of any field.

Safety Regulations

• 56 (1) A person who operates a drilling rig shall take all necessary and reasonable measures to enforce these Regulations and to ensure that they are observed by each and every employee; and a toolpusher and a driller shall take all reasonable measures to enforce the requirements of all such regulations as are applicable to the work over which he has supervision and to ensure that the same are observed by workmen under his charge and direction.

• (2) An owner or any employee shall take all reasonable measures to carry out his duties in accordance with such rules as are applicable to the work in which he is engaged.

General Requirements

• 57 (1) No derrick, buildings, draw works, links, elevator, tongs, machinery, tools or other equipment shall be used that are unsafe, unsuitable or not so constructed, protected, placed and operated as to afford reasonable safety from accidents to persons employed in or around wells.

• (2) The spudding in or drilling operations at any oil or gas well shall not be performed until all moving parts of machinery are securely guarded and until all stairways, handrails and escape lines with escape buggy installed at the derrick platforms are properly installed and fastened in position.

Blowout Prevention

• 58 (1) Where a licensee, permittee or lessee or his agent is drilling a well, he shall install, maintain and use at all times necessary control equipment as required by section 7.

• (2) Except in instances in which loss of circulation occurs through unforeseeable circumstances, sufficient drilling fluid of proper density shall be kept in the well at all times to minimize the possibility of the well blowing out of control.

Derricks

• 59 (1) Every derrick and derrick floor, walk, ladder and platform shall be substantially constructed of structurally sound material to conform with standard practice and shall be kept in good repair.

• (2) Subject to section 60, the engineroom, pumphouse, derrick floor and fourble board shall be properly enclosed to a sufficient height to provide protection against the weather for employees.

Derrick-room Exits

• 60 (1) Where practicable, an exit shall be provided on each of at least three sides of the derrick-room in addition to one from the doghouse direct to the outside.

• (2) The pumphouse shall have two doors leading to two different directions to the outside, placed as far apart as practicable.

• (3) All exit doors of a derrick, including all doors of the doghouse, shall open outwards from the derrick-room and shall not be held closed with a lock or an outside latch when workmen are employed in the main derrick-room.

Derrick Crown Platform and Railings

• 61 (1) On every jacknife derrick constructed for drilling or equipped for redrilling, a platform at least two feet wide shall be provided on at least one side of the crown block, and shall be equipped on its outer edges with a standard two-rail railing 3 1/2 feet high and a toe-board six inches high.

• (2) On every other derrick constructed for drilling or equipped for redrilling, a platform at least two feet wide shall be equipped on its outer edges with a standard two-rail railing 3 1/2 feet high and a toe-board six inches high.

Outside Derrick Platform for Conventional Drilling Rigs

• 62 (1) A platform shall be provided completely around the derrick level with the fourble board or with the principal working platform where necessary.

• (2) The width of such platform shall be not less than two feet.

• (3) Platforms shall be provided with openings not exceeding 30 inches by 30 inches to permit the passage of men climbing derrick ladders.

• (4) A platform shall be equipped on its outer edges with a standard two-rail railing 3 1/2 feet high and a toe-board six inches high.

Inside Derrick Platforms

• 63 (1) Each platform erected on the inside of every derrick, except stabbing boards, shall completely cover the space from the working edge of the platform back to the legs and girts of the derrick.

• (2) The decking plank on the working side of each platform shall be secured to the derrick girts with U and J bolts.

• (3) Each working platform shall be equipped with a wire rope not less than 1/2 inch in diameter securely fastened under and over the platform with U or J bolts, both ends being secured to the same girt of the derrick.

• (4) Stabbing boards shall be constructed of not less than one fir plank three inches by 12 inches and one reinforcing plank two inches by 12 inches or of material of equal strength; all planks shall be free of knots or other defects and shall project at least 12 inches beyond the support on which they rest; pieces of not less than two-inch angle iron shall be bolted near the ends of the three-inch by 12-inch board, either inside or outside the girt supporting the board, and in addition, each end of the board shall be fastened to the derrick with a safety line of 1/2 inch diameter wire rope securely fastened to the inside of the board with U or J bolts at a point not exceeding three feet towards the centre from the girts.

• (5) The supports on opposite sides of a derrick on which the stabbing board is placed shall be reasonably level, rigid, horizontal and securely fastened.

Ginpoles

• 64 (1) The ginpoles at the crown of every derrick shall have at least two uprights and a cross beam or their adequately constructed equivalent.

• (2) The clearance between the crown platform and the crossbeam shall be not less than seven feet.

Crown Blocks

65 The gudgeons of all sheaves on every derrick crown block shall be provided with bearings fitted with caps or metal straps constructed in a manner that will prevent any gudgeon from jumping out of its bearings.

Fingers

66 On all rotary rigs where fingers are used at fourble platforms, each finger shall be secured to the derrick by a wire-rope safety cable not less than 1/2 inch in diameter attached to the outer end of the finger.

Ladders and Stairways

• 67 (1) On every derrick a ladder shall be provided from the floor to the crown platform.

• (2) All ladders shall be caged or provided with platforms not more than 21 feet apart or with other approved derrick ladder safety equipment.

• (3) Caging for a ladder shall be constructed of metal hoops securely fastened to the ladder, spaced not more than six feet apart, and extended out not more than 30 inches from the rungs of the ladder, hoops shall be fastened together with metal bars at least one inch by 1/8 inch spaced not more than 12 inches apart and the lower loop of such caging shall not be more than eight feet from any landing.

• (4) Platforms shall be not less than four feet long and shall extend at least 30 inches from the rungs of the ladder and shall be equipped with a standard two-rail railing and toe-board as described in subsection 62(4), and platforms shall be provided with openings not exceeding 30 inches by 30 inches to permit the passage of men climbing derrick ladders.

• (5) Rungs shall be uniformly spaced not to exceed 14 inches centre to centre, and the width of the ladder shall be not less than 12 inches between stringers.

• (6) A clearance of at least 6 1/2 inches shall be maintained back of the ladder rungs.

• (7) Each ladder section shall be secured to the derrick with U bolts and shall project at least three feet above its platform.

• (8) No section of the ladder shall lean back from the vertical.

• (9) A stairway and landing platform shall be installed to connect the derrick floor to the catwalk.

• (10) All stairways shall be securely fastened, provided with suitable handrails and kept in a state of good repair.

Auxiliary Means of Escape

• 68 (1) Auxiliary means of escape from the fourble board or the principal working platform on every drilling derrick shall be provided by means of a specially rigged escape line from the working level to the ground.

• (2) Each escape line shall be not less than 1/2 inch diameter soft iron wire rope smooth and free from obstructions.

• (3) The escape line shall be tightened to such a tension that a man suspended on such a line 20 to 25 feet from the anchor will touch the ground.

• (4) The escape line shall be attached to the derrick at a point to provide a ready and convenient means of escape for the derrick man at the fourble board or other principal working platform and shall extend to a securely anchored deadman.

• (5) The length of the escape line shall be twice the height of the derrick to which it is attached.

• (6) Each escape line shall be equipped with a safety buggy provided with a suitable hand brake that shall be kept at the fourble board or principal working platform at all times during which a workman is engaged thereon.

• (7) The safety buggy shall be tested at weekly intervals and a record of such test shall be entered in the Rig Record Book by the toolpusher in charge at the well or other person authorized by the owner of the rig.

Safety Belt and Lines

• 69 (1) Every safety belt shall be capable of withstanding a weight of 500 pounds dropping five feet.

• (2) A safety belt securely fastened to the derrick shall be provided for and worn by each workman when engaged in working above the derrick floor.

• (3) At any stabbing board the safety belt rope shall be attached to a 1 1/8 inch diameter manilla rope, or to a wire rope of equal strength, stretched across the derrick at approximately seven feet above the stabbing board.

• (4) The safety belt rope worn by the derrickman shall be a manilla rope of at least 1 1/8 inches in diameter or wire rope of equal strength.

• (5) The slack in the line of a safety belt rope shall not exceed five feet.

• (6) A toolpusher shall ensure that every safety belt, line and fitting is kept in good repair.

Head Protection

70 Hard hats shall be worn by all workmen when employed on the derrick floor including work on the erection and dismantling of derricks.

Eye Protection

71 Properly fitting goggles of a type suitable for the purposes for which they are being used shall be provided by the employer and worn by the workman at all times when engaged in

• (a) the mixing of chemicals;

• (b) welding operations;

• (c) the chipping of metal or any other operation involving the tapping or hammering of metal on metal;

• (d) the grinding of metal; or

• (e) cleaning by use of compressed air.

Pipe Hooks

72 Where pipe hooks are used above the derrick floor, every pipe hook shall be secured to the derrick in such a manner as to prevent the hook from falling.

Loose Material in Derricks

73 No tools, machine parts or material of any kind shall be kept in a derrick above the derrick floor unless there is occasion for their immediate use, and then adequate precaution shall be taken to prevent their falling on persons below.

Travelling Blocks, Hooks, Elevators and Weight Indicators

• 74 (1) No employee shall ride the travelling block, hook or elevators, nor slide down pipes, kelly hose, cables or rope lines other than the escape line.

• (2) On all types of travelling blocks the points where the cables run on the sheaves must be guarded against personal contact.

• (3) Every drill-pipe casing, tubing and sucker-rod hook shall be provided with a latch or other device to prevent elevator links and other equipment becoming accidentally disengaged from the hook.

• (4) Every drilling rig shall be equipped with a reliable weight indicator to enable the driller to determine the weight being carried on the drilling line.