Electronic Drilling Recorder

What is an Electronic Drilling Recorder?

An Electronic Drilling Recorder (EDR) is a drilling instrumentation system that acquires, processes, and displays real-time drilling data from sensors and field devices across the rig. The EDR provides Drillers with comprehensive process monitoring via analogue and digital readouts, trend displays, alarm pages, and event logging — giving the drill floor a single, authoritative view of rig operations as they happen.

Formerly referred to as a Rig Monitoring System (RMS) or Drilling Rig Monitoring System, the EDR has evolved significantly in scope and capability. Where early systems focused primarily on surface parameter logging, today’s EDR functions as a full drilling data acquisition platform — integrating sensor inputs, third-party system interfaces, pit volume totalisation, and remote data access into a unified Driller’s interface.

RCP EDR systems are highly customisable and fully tailored to meet specific customer requirements. The complete specification is agreed between the customer and RCP during the Functional Design Specification (FDS) stage, ensuring the delivered system is configured precisely to the rig type, sensor complement, and operational requirements.

Drilling Data Acquisition & System Functions

At its core, the RCP EDR is a drilling data acquisition system — continuously sampling and logging process variables from the drill floor, mud system, rotary equipment, and ancillary rig systems at one-second intervals. Data is stored locally using a First In First Out (FIFO) overwrite principle, with a typical six-month retention period that is optionally expandable to two years or beyond. A Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) server can be specified to extend data logging redundancy further.

The EDR interface provides Drillers with real-time and historical trend displays, configurable high and low alarms, pit volume totalisation including pump stroke totalisation, liquid seal monitoring, BOP and Diverter data display, valve position indication, and fine scale gauge display. Additional workflow tools include pipe tally, personalised screens, chat, report generation, logged data exporting, a calculator, and notes. Remote cloud access is available via a secure AWS cloud-based server.

As a process monitoring system, the EDR integrates across the full range of drilling instrumentation — from hookload and standpipe pressure through to gas detection, pit levels, pump flow, and top drive torque. The PLC operates on a <10 ms computational cycle, ensuring derived calculations including ton-miles, drilling activity hours, tripping speed, and derrick loading are updated continuously alongside measured values. Additional functions are available upon request.

Pit Volume Totalisation & Mud Monitoring

The RCP EDR includes a fully integrated pit volume totaliser (PVT) as a core system function. Pit levels are monitored via intrinsically safe radar sensors across the active mud system, with the EDR providing continuous gain/loss monitoring, selected pit totalisation, and trip tank monitoring — all displayed in real time on the Driller’s HMI.

The system supports standard pit level radar sensors (0–20 m measurement range) and  high-accuracy pit level radar sensors (0–120 m range). The pump stroke and flow totalisation runs alongside pit volume data, with pump strokes, flow counts, and selected pump totalisation all logged and trended through the same interface.

Alarm setpoints for pit volume gain and loss are fully configurable by the Driller via password-protected access. High and low setpoint alarms trigger a flashing on-screen indication and activate the external intrinsically safe sounder/beacon. Alarms are latching type — they can be accepted and silenced, but will only clear once the alarming condition itself resolves.

Monitored & Reported Parameters

The EDR monitors and reports a comprehensive set of drilling process variables as both direct measured values from instrumentation and as derived calculations computed by the PLC. The full parameter set covers all principal drilling, mud system, rotary equipment, and surface infrastructure parameters required for real-time well control, performance monitoring, and post-well analysis.

Alarm Management & System Security

The EDR provides three categories of alarm: user setpoint high and low alarms, hardware alarms, and system alarms. Active alarms are indicated by a flashing on-screen display and activation of the external intrinsically safe sounder/beacon. Alarms can be accepted and silenced via the Driller’s HMI or an optional external accept push button.

All alarms are latching type — an accepted alarm can be silenced, but will only clear once the underlying condition resolves. Alarm setpoints are protected by a Drillers password.

Maintenance & Remote Access

Full system maintenance and calibration is accessible directly via the Driller’s HMI — removing the requirement for a specialist service laptop for routine maintenance tasks. Remote access is available as an option via a secure AWS cloud-based server, supporting remote diagnostics and data review without requiring personnel on-site.

System maintenance functions are protected by a separate Maintenance password, ensuring clear separation between operational and engineering access levels.

System Supply Options

The EDR is available in three supply configurations, allowing operators and contractors to select the scope that best fits their procurement model — whether integrating into an existing sensor infrastructure or taking a complete turnkey package from a single source.

EDR Product Information Summary

Download Electronic Drilling Recorder Product Information Sheet