Evaluation of Factors Affecting Availability of Drilling Rigs in Minerals Exploration inTanzania

Abstract

Ensuring availability for any engineering equipment is crucial towards achieving the expected results including minerals exploration using drilling rigs. In achieving such goals deploying of effective Engineering Maintenance Management techniques is vital. The researchers assessed four minerals exploration drilling rigs and revealed that they experienced frequent breakdowns which result into low availability. This study aimed to
identify and evaluate key factors which affect availability of drilling rigs in Minerals Exploration activities in Tanzania. In achieving the objective the researchers used structured questionnaires, documentary reviews and measuring methods for data collection. The collected data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences Software, Microsoft Excel and Relative Importance Index method. The Relative Importance Index
technique used to identify key factors which affect availability of the drilling rigs. The identified factors include: skilled personnel (0.79), spare parts (0.77), maintenance tools (0.69) and ineffective communication (0.67). During the study it was revealed that most of Exploration drilling rigs deploys traditional run to failure maintenance approaches. The
study provides four (4) strategic recommendations towards improving Availability of drilling rigs in minerals exploration activities which are formulation of the Maintenance Management Policy, developing effective Maintenance Management System, introduction of a Maintenance Management Unit and provision of adequate Maintenance tools, Spare parts, Skilled Staff and Effective communication.