As drilling operations grow more complex, how can drill floor supervisory technology maintain safety without compromising efficiency?
Your equipment is running, fast. Pressure is high, and key machinery like your mud saver and iron roughneck aren’t in their safe positions. You know exactly what this means, and so does your crew. Your rig is in full operation and the rig floor, is a red zone.
So why are you still experiencing red zone breaches on the drill floor? And how can you better monitor and control this?
The Reality Behind the Red Zone
On a drilling rig, there can be multiple simultaneous operations and permits running at any given time. From rig crews to service parties, following the movements of every person can seem like an impossible task in busy periods. And with stop-start scopes and testing happening all at once, unauthorized personnel stepping into the red zone can unintentionally happen.
“Red zone breaches on drill floors are extremely dangerous due to the presence of heavy machinery, high-speed operations, high-pressure systems, and the reliance on automated processes,” explains Holger Egbers, Digitalization Projects Manager.
“Any unauthorized presence in the vicinity increases risk of incidents and is extremely hazardous. If not properly managed, catastrophic failures could occur.
Coupled with the fact that drill floors often rely on automated systems for repetitive tasks and sequential operations, personnel breaches can also disrupt these processes, leading to operational inefficiencies and downtime,” he says.
“Monitoring and controlling access to red zones is critical to both ensuring the safety of personnel and the smooth functioning of drilling operations.”
Holger Egbers
Digitalization Projects Manager
Introducing FX-Red Zone Supervision
Despite clear indicators and experienced crews, red zone breaches continue to pose serious risks on the drill floor and traditional monitoring methods are dating, fast.
Recognising the risks for our crews and customers, we developed FX-Red Zone Supervision (FX-RZS). A cutting-edge AI-powered tool designed in-house at Kenera by drillers for drillers. It aims to bring real-time clarity to red zone activity and help crews act before a breach occurs.
We are currently deploying the technology on three of our H&P mobile land rigs in Oman.
“Using AI to analyse video feeds in real time to detect people entering conditionally unauthorized or restricted zones, the FX-RZS enhances safety by responding to breaches in real-time,” explains Holger.
So far, FX-RZS has achieved a 41% reduction rate in red zone breaches and significantly increased crew situational awareness.
“The powerful AI tool seamlessly integrates with existing drill floor infrastructure. It digitally maps out and calibrates any drill floor and works with real-time machine data to determine when the area is safe to enter, and when it’s not. It tracks positions for various equipment and monitors key parameters such as block speed, standpipe pressure, and top drive speed,” he says.
Egbers explained how FX-RZS works on a user intuitive traffic light system.
“When machine operations are in a safe bracket, personnel on the drill floor will see a green light. If someone enters the monitored area in safe status, the driller will see a green flashing light, so they know personnel are present before starting up operations.
But when a machine gets above a set threshold, these lights will be red, and alarm can sound making it simple for everyone on board to understand red zone status in real-time.
“Once detected, FX-RZS then records personnel movements in the area to provide bespoke reporting and data on breaches and trends.
You can track hotspots, times and personnel on board, and match up certain activities with drilling operations to when the highest or lowest number of breaches happen, allowing you to act accordingly to improve safety and efficiency where it matters this most.” says Holger.
Driving Safer Operations with Smarter Supervision
FX-RZS represents a significant step forward – combining AI, real-time data, and intuitive design to deliver smarter, safer supervision on the drill floor.
“More than just a tool, it’s a shift in how we think about safety. It’s proactive, data-driven, and seamlessly integrated into daily operations. For the first time, we’re able to match and analyse any hazardous activity at any time in the red zone on this level of detail. And we’re excited about what this means for the future of rig safety and operational excellence,” explained Egbers.
“More than just a tool, it’s a shift in how we think about safety. It’s proactive, data-driven, and seamlessly integrated into daily operations. For the first time, we’re able to match and analyse any hazardous activity at any time in the red zone on this level of detail. And we’re excited about what this means for the future of rig safety and operational excellence.”
Holger Egbers
Digitalization Projects Manager
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