Optimizing performance in oil and gas drilling equipment

Learn how Lesjöfors developed durable compression springs designed to reduce pressure on offshore drilling equipment and support more reliable operation at sea.

Offshore oil and gas production platform supported by large yellow columns at sea.

Project overview: Project overview: supporting offshore drilling performance

Oil and gas drilling equipment needs to perform reliably in demanding and often unpredictable offshore conditions. When drill bits encounter particularly hard rock formations, the resulting impact loads can lead to breakage, resulting in downtime and costly replacement operations.

A Norwegian oil company approached Lesjöfors with a clear objective – to develop a carefully engineered solution that would help reduce peak loads when the drill bit came into contact with hard rock, supporting the long-term performance of essential offshore drilling equipment.

Explore our coil springs

Offshore energy platform viewed from a walkway, set against the ocean at sunset.

Design criteria for the drilling equipment project

What was the brief?

The brief was to develop a series of powerful custom springs for oil and gas applications capable of withstanding the extreme loads generated by drilling equipment, while maintaining optimum performance in high operating temperatures.

What makes the project special?

During offshore drilling, the mechanical process of drilling beneath the seabed generates very high temperatures as the drill advances through hard rock formations. This extreme heat directly affects the material properties of compression springs.

As a result, the project introduced an additional challenge – developing a spring material that could maintain consistent performance and reliability despite prolonged exposure to elevated temperatures.

Lesjöfors worker examining a row of black metal springs in a manufacturing facility.

What did Lesjöfors do?

Working closely together, our expert material scientists and design engineers identified a material solution capable of meeting the strict performance requirements of the application. Access to a wide range of spring materials was essential in selecting the most suitable option for both load capacity and temperature resistance.

As a leading spring manufacturer, Lesjöfors maintains extensive material availability to support demanding applications, including the largest stock of chrome silicon in the world.

What challenges did Lesjöfors overcome?

Our ambition has always been to find the most efficient solution possible – both for us and for our customers. It is essential that our solutions deliver high-quality engineering, with the right product for the right function, delivered cost-effectively and on time. The extreme conditions associated with this offshore drilling application challenged these objectives, but through careful engineering and material selection, we successfully overcame them.

Looking to design a custom component?

What our clients say

The process has become even more efficient

"We can now work unhindered on the oil rig, the process has become even more efficient thanks to the design and to date no similar problems have occurred."

Norwegian oil company

Stacked steel coil springs inside a Lesjöfors manufacturing facility.

Manufacturing offshore drilling equipment springs

Large springs with wide wire diameters, commonly used across oil and gas drilling equipment, mining, and rail applications, require a hot winding process. The controlled application of extreme heat allows wire diameters of up to 80 mm to be coiled accurately.

During manufacturing, the wire is heated to approximately 900 °C, oil quenched, and then tempered to complete the heat treatment process. This approach enables the spring material to be formed to precise specifications, supporting reliable performance in demanding offshore drilling environments.

Learn more about our technology

An offshore oil drilling platform standing on steel legs above calm blue ocean water, with mountains visible on the horizon under a clear blue sky

A collaborative process for offshore drilling applications

Due to the specific requirements of the application, a dedicated cross-functional team – including material scientists, geoscientists, and design engineers – worked closely together to deliver a precision-engineered solution for our client within the oil and gas industry.

Learn more about our services

Explore more case studies

Gymnast performing an inverted handstand on a blue gymnastics floor inside a training gym.

Springs in gymnastics equipment

Lesjöfors engineered a series of precision springs to further enhance the performance gained by athletes using sprung floors.

Read full case study

Underside view of the Öresund Bridge spanning open water at dusk, highlighting the scale and structure of this major piece of bridge infrastructure.

Springs for the Öresund Bridge

Overcoming the vibrations on the longest combined road and rail bridge in Europe required our proven spring engineering and manufacturing expertise.

Read full case study

A red pickup truck drives on a sunlit, winding road through a desert landscape, with mountains in the background and a yellow curve sign ahead.

Springs for pick up trucks

Learn how we designed a nest of springs that solved a repetitive weight issue, reduced the damage to heavily loaded pick-ups, and improved cost efficiencies.

Read full case study