Hydraulic Workover Unit

• A ‘Snubbing System’ is basically a well

servicing system capable of running and
retrieving jointed pipe under live well
conditions (but not necessarily high pressure).
• A snubbing unit or Hydraulic Workover (HWO)
unit can be used for:
– drilling new wells (underbalanced if
required)
– side-tracking existing wells (underbalanced
if required)
– completion (underbalanced if required)
– fishing (underbalanced if required)
– gravel packing (underbalanced)
– perforating (underbalanced)
– clean-out (underbalanced)
• Advantage is that the well does not require
killing.
• Can carry out some work as a rig as long as
tubulars are less than 103/4” OD.
• HWO Unit useful for pulling CT completions
 Live Well Workovers
• less fluids lost to formation = less damage
• shorter time with well off-line
• less problems with kill fluids
 Hydraulic Workover Unit
• HWO Definitions
‘Snubbing’ = process of tripping pipe in well
which as a surface pressure
great enough to eject the pipe
from the well if no restraining
force is applied.
‘Stripping’ = relates to the same operation,
but where the surface pressure
and workstring combination
would result in the workstring
failing into the well under its
own weight if unrestrained.
‘Lubrication’ = process of inserting and
removing BHA and toolstrings
from the well.
‘Hydraulic Workover’
(HWO) = Unit to run/pull tubulars in/out
of well (with or without
surface pressure), using
hydraulic power to transmit
the required forces to the pipe.
 Snubbing - An Introduction
• Snubbing is a live well workover process
that uses standard jointed tubulars
• Rig (cable) assisted snubbers date from the
1930’s
• Hydraulic snubbers a later addition.
 Components
• A pipe movement system - cable assisted or
rig assisted
• A sealing stack of pipe rams that allows
passage of tool joints and equipment into
and out of a well under pressure.
A view of the pressure connection
tube between the upper isolation
chamber and the well.
Hydraulic snubber - top
of stroke.

Schematics
from Cudd
Pressure
Control
Pipe slip
elements in
hydraulic
snubber
1. Close upper or
traveling slips.
2 Open lower or
stationary slips.
3. Activate hydraulic
pressure to pull down
on pipe and force it
into the well.
 Weight Necessary to Pull Wire into a Wellhead
Under Pressure

500
Wireline into the Well, lbs
Weight Necessary to Pull

450
400
0.072" Wire
350
0.092" Wire
300
0.108" Wire
250
0.125" Wire
200
3/16" Wire
150
5/16" Wire
100
50
0
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Well Head Pressure, psi
 Snubbing Pressure vs. WHP and Wire or
Tubing Size

50000
Required to Enter Wellhead,
Snubbing Force or Weight

45000
40000 0.108" Wire
35000 3/16" Wire
30000 1.5" CT
lbs

25000 2-3/8" Tbg

20000 2-7/8" Tbg
15000 3-1/2" Tbg
10000 4-1/2" Tbg
5000
0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000
Well Head Pressure, psi
Hydraulic snubber
nearing bottom of
stroke.
1. Close lower or
stationary slips.
2. Open upper or
traveling slips.
3. Activate hydraulics
to extend cylinders.
Tool joint nearing
slips.
Stop tool joint
immediately above top
pipe ram on snubbing
stack.
Pipe seal
elements
Tool joint above top
ram. System
pressurized below.
Middle pipe seal closed
Ready to bleed
off upper
straddled area.
Upper straddled area
bled off.
Open upper ram and
pass tool joint into
upper straddled area.
Close upper ram and
prepare to pressurize
upper straddled area.
Upper straddled area
pressurized, prepare to
open middle ram.
Open middle ram
and pass tool joint
into well.
 Traveling
slips

Braided line Rig assisted

and pulleys snubbing using
on the rig rig draw works
floor. and snubbing
stack below the
table.
Stationary
slips
 Perforating Guns Run Under Pressure
Description of job Length of Location Depth Surface
guns of well PSI

TCP guns 33/8” using DHSV 1,200’ Valhall/ N. Sea 13,123 2900

TCP guns 33/8” w/auger system using DHSV 250’ Valhall/ N. Sea 12,467 2755

TCP guns 41/2” w/ aligning knobs using DHSV 500’ Valhall/ N. Sea 14,108 3190

Halliburton Deployment system TCP guns 41/2” 850’ Statfjord B 13,123 1957

Halliburton Deployment system TCP guns 41/2” 1,100’ Statfjord C 14,108 1812

TCP guns 41/2” using DHSV 450’ Gulfaks B 15,420 1595

TCP guns 41/2” using DHSV 600’ Gulfaks C 15,092 1740

Halliburton Deployment System TCP guns 4 ½” 2,800’ Statfjord B 16,076 3552

TCP guns 4 ½” using DHSV 1,800’ Sleipner 13,780 3045

TCP guns 4 ½” using DHSV 3,200’ Gulfaks B 17,717 2755

TCP guns 4 ½” Using FIV Valve 1,400’ Veslifrik 12,795 2610

Halliburton Deployment System TCP guns 4 ½” 950’ Gulfaks C 13,780 3190

Halliburton Deployment System TCP guns 4 ½” 1,100’ Gulfaks A 13,451 2682