A drilling rig audit, acceptance, or commissioning is the process of inspection which proves the rig capability after moving to a location.

1. Rig Audit, Acceptance & Commissioning Procedures
It is a structured process for collecting independent information on the effectiveness,
reliability and efficiency of all systems on a rig, as well as developing plans to correct
any deficiencies found. A rig audit, acceptance, or commissioning identifies critical
control points that must be managed to ensure a successful outcome from the drilling
unit.
To ensure optimal results, audits are conducted during the actual operational phase,
after rig installation, and before moving, allowing real-time assessment of the work
between people, equipment, and the drilling process.
Any Rig Audit, Acceptance & Commissioning Guidelines include the following:
 Firstly, General information on the rig
 Secondly, Energy Sources
 Thirdly, Rig Floor, TDS, Drawworks Acceptance Guidelines
 Fourthly, Mud circulation system
 Fifthly, BOP Stack, Control Unit & Chock Manifold
 Sixthly, Cementing unit acceptance
General information on the rig
These informations includes model, type, year of manufacture, dimensions,
transportability, current location, etc.
Energy Sources
The rig audit for energy sources includes diesel drives, electric drives, generators,
transformers, lighting. Type, model, technical characteristics date of manufacture, date
of revision, availability of the main consumables of all of the above elements. In Rig
Prime movers acceptance & commissioning article, you shall find detailed guideline
that will help you in such process.
Rig Floor, TDS, Drawworks Acceptance / Audit Guidelines
In our simple Rig floor, TDS, Drawworks Commissioning guidelines, we shall cover
the following: Hoisting/Auxiliary Equipment, Rotary Table and Top Drive, Emergency
Generator, Rig Floor, Driller’s House, Mast or Derrick, Tongs & Slips
Lifting equipment includes the following: winches, masts, traveling blocks, crown
blocks, etc. Type, model, technical characteristics date of manufacture, date of revision,
availability of the main consumables of all of the above elements.

2. Rotary equipment includes the following: top drives, squares, pipe walkways,
candlesticks. Type, model, technical characteristics date of manufacture, date of
revision, availability of the main consumables of all of the above elements.
Rig floor equipment includes the following: elevators, links, keys (hydraulic,
pneumatic, manual), auxiliary winches, etc. Type, model, specifications, date of
manufacture, date of revision, availability of the main consumables of all of the above
elements.
Mud Circulation System
The mud circulation system includes: Pump Systems, a Low-Pressure circulation
system, Solids Removal Equipment. Rig Audit For Mud Circulating System article
shall cover the important procedures to perform successfully inspection for Mud
Circulating System.
Pump systems include the following: mud pumps, their number, drill sleeves, backfill
lines, high and low-pressure supply lines. Type, model, specifications, date of
manufacture, date of revision, availability of the main consumables of all of the above
elements.
Low-pressure circulation system includes the following: Tanks, their number, mixing
funnels, tanks for reserve drilling fluid, sand traps, filling tanks, etc. Type, model,
specifications, date of manufacture, date of revision, availability of the main
consumables of all of the above elements.
Equipment for drilling mud cleaning includes the following: vibrating screens, their
number, sludge separators, sand traps, centrifuges, degassers, etc. Type, model,
specifications, date of manufacture, date of revision, availability of the main
consumables of all of the above elements.
Rig Audit For BOP Stack, Control Unit & Chock Manifold
For the rig acceptance of the well control equipment on any onshore, offshore rig, 3
main terms are necessary got inspected:
 Chock manifold acceptance pressure test
 The Bop stack acceptance pressure & function tests
 Bop control system acceptance
The BOP and BOP equipment include the following: BOP (what, how many), wellhead
connections, pressure indicators, manifolds, check valves, ball valves, pipe subs, etc.
Type, model, specifications, date of manufacture, date of revision, availability of the
main consumables of all of the above elements.
Cementing unit acceptance

3. Cementing unit may or may not be a component of the drilling rig. But in all cases, we
shall include it in our rig audit once it is assembled. And you can do so with the help of
Cementing unit acceptance procedures article.
Other Rig Audit Terms To Check
Pipes include the following: drill pipes , casing pipes, heavy pipes , weighted pipes ,
light pipes, liners, non-magnetic pipes , subs for connecting all of the above pipes, etc.
Type, model, specifications, date of manufacture, date of revision, availability of the
main consumables of all of the above elements.
Logging equipment on the rig floor includes the following: pressure gauges, recorder
indicators, etc. Type, model, specifications, date of manufacture, date of revision,
availability of the main consumables of all of the above elements.
Fishing equipment includes the following: bells, taps, SHMU, scrapers, etc. Type,
model, specifications, date of manufacture, date of revision, availability of the main
consumables of all of the above elements.
Download Rig Acceptance Checklists
In the end, we believe that any drilling engineer or rig supervisor would need a rig audit
or acceptance checklist. So, we have gathered a collection of rig inspection checklists
according to API and Osha recommendations in Rig acceptance checklists article.
Written By: Drilling Maual
Ref: API & Osha Rig Acceptance Checklist, Eni Manual For Rig Acceptance