“Coordinating drilling equipment from multiple origin points requires careful sequencing and constant communication. Green aligned inland movement and vessel scheduling, so the equipment moved smoothly from Texas to Ghana.”
TESTIMONIAL | OIL & GAS CLIENT
WHY DO DRILLING PROGRAMS OFTEN REQUIRE EQUIPMENT TO MOVE FROM MULTIPLE ORIGINS?
Drilling programs rarely begin with equipment staged at a single location. Major rig components are often stored, serviced, or prepared at different facilities before they can be assembled at the drilling site. Derrick sections, engines, mud pits, and structural components may each originate from separate yards depending on availability and readiness. For international drilling projects, those components must ultimately converge at the port of export before continuing to the field location. When the equipment exceeds container dimensions, the movement shifts into breakbulk handling, where each unit must be lifted and loaded individually for ocean transport.
WHAT MAKES DRILLING EQUIPMENT A NATURAL FIT FOR BREAKBULK SHIPPING?
Drilling rigs are built from large steel assemblies designed for durability and field conditions rather than container transport. Derrick structures, mud pits, and rig substructures frequently exceed standard container height and width limitations. Breakbulk shipping allows these oversized components to move as individual units. Instead of being containerized, each piece is lifted directly onto the vessel using heavy lift equipment. This approach allows large drilling components to move intact without disassembly.
HOW DID GREEN WORLDWIDE SHIPPING® EXECUTE THESE TEXAS-TO-GHANA SHIPMENTS?
Green Worldwide Shipping® (Green) coordinated two breakbulk shipments of drilling equipment from Texas to Ghana in support of an active drilling program. The first shipment originated in Houston and weighed approximately 96,000 pounds (43,545 kg). The cargo included derrick sections, CAT engines, mud pits, a drill rig substructure, and a Kelly drive bushing. The components were staged individually prior to loading, reflecting the size and structural design typical of drilling equipment. The second shipment moved from Freeport and weighed approximately 80,000 pounds (36,287 kg). This movement included a complete drilling rig unit identified as a Wilson 42B-500. Because these components exceeded container dimensions, both shipments moved as breakbulk cargo and required heavy-lift handling to position the equipment for loading before departure for Ghana.
WHAT SHOULD OIL AND GAS OPERATORS EVALUATE WHEN EXPORTING DRILLING EQUIPMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS?
For oil and gas operators preparing drilling equipment for international deployment, the challenge is rarely the movement of a single component. It is the coordination of multiple oversized pieces of equipment originating from different facilities, each with its own readiness timeline and handling requirements.
Breakbulk shipping remains a practical solution because it allows large drilling components such as derricks, mud pits, engines, and rig structures to move intact rather than being disassembled to fit container dimensions. Oil and gas companies that work with experienced project cargo providers like Green benefit from teams that evaluate drilling equipment movements through the operational realities of oil and gas logistics while supporting the schedules required for international drilling programs.
WHAT IS BREAKBULK CARGO?
Breakbulk or project cargo consists of individual pieces of freight that are loaded and secured directly onto a vessel rather than transported in containers. This method is commonly used for oversized equipment such as drilling rigs, heavy machinery, steel structures, and large industrial components that exceed standard container dimensions.
CLICK TO LEARN MORE: PROJECT CARGO
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BOTTOM LINE, WE SPEAK FREIGHT. ISN’T IT TIME TO MOVE FREIGHT FORWARD?
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