HWOU Overview

Peter Malpas
Oct 2019
 Applications

 Sand washing with fluid, nitrogen or foam.

 Unloading with nitrogen, natural gas or foam.
 Fishing lost wireline tools and parted kill strings.
 Washing perforations and acidizing.
 Squeeze cementing and cutting a cement plug.
 Running and pulling production or kill strings.
 Milling in tubing or casing.
 Washing out frac materials.
 Sand consolidation procedures.
 Plug and abandonment operations.
 Through tubing gravel pack.
 Washing paraffin.

Hydraulic Workover Rig Assist

Unit 2
HWOU have come a long way…….

Technique developed in the

1920’s – first hydraulic unit
developed in 1959.

Today they are self contained

operating systems consisting of
modular equipment units that
can be easily transported and
rigged up.

New 225Klbs unit is +/-$3million

Major Components of a Snubbing Unit

1. A Blowout Preventer stack (BOP) with a (A)

spacer spool, (B) an equalizing loop, (C) bleed off
stripper bowl and (D) or annular BOP.
2. The pipe handling equipment consists of (E) a
hydraulic jack assembly with a traveling slip bowl
(F) on top, stationary tandem slip bowl with one
set of slips for (G) “light” pipe on one set of slip
for (H) “heavy” pipe, a (I) window, and (J) rotating
head.
3. A workbasket, set on top of the hydraulic jack
cylinder assembly, provides the Specialist with a
work platform that maximizes visibility and the
control of the process.
4. Control consoles to operate the BOP’s (1.), jack
and slip circuits.

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Typical HWO Rig set up
Major Components of a Snubbing Unit

5. A telescoping mast (L), mounted for pipe handling, has

sufficient capacity and height to handle single joints of
tubing.
6. A dual counter balance winch (K) is mounted on the
workbasket and behind the mast. It allows the operator to
handle two joints of tubing at once. While a joint is being
pulled or run into the well bore, another joint can be laid
down or picked up.
7. A power pack assembly consisting of a diesel engine;
hydraulic fluid pumps and air compressor and tanks to
power all the components of the unit.
8. Miscellaneous equipment includes clamps, toolbox,
storage box, aluminum ladder, guy wire assembly, and
tubing pick up assemblies. (Not Shown)

5
Typical HWO Rig set up
Specifications – Know Them
 Jacking Equipment

Safety Concerns
• Heights
• Pinch Points
• Trapped Pressure
• Live Well Environment – Fire
• Moving Equipment
• High Pressure Hydraulic Oil
• Overhead Lifts
• Environmental – Leaks or Blown Hoses

Maintenance
• Visually inspect connections, hoses, seal and
guides before, during, and after job
• Clean and lubricate as needed.

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Setup/Operation
• Make up bolts to proper torque

• Connect and straighten all hoses to aide in

troubleshooting and reduce trip hazards and
prevent hose entanglement.

• Utilize a level during rig up to insure that equipment

is properly aligned.

• Rig up as planned and note any issues

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Workbasket

• Operator Console
• Preventer Console
• Pipe Handling Winch
• Gin Pole, Upper Support
• Tong Support
• Personnel Escape Poles
• Basket Extensions
• Hose Package
Safety Concerns:
• Heights
• Moving equipment
• Pinch points
• High pressure hydraulic oil
• Environmental – Leaks or blown hose

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Workbasket

Maintenance
• Visually inspect connections,
hoses, seals and guides before,
during, and after job
• Clean and lubricate as needed
Setup/Operation
• Make up bolts to proper torque
• Connect and straighten all
hoses to reduce trip hazards
and prevent hose
entanglement.
• Attach basket components as
required.

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Operator Console
Safety Concerns:
• High pressure hydraulic oil
• High pressure well bore fluids and gases
• Uncontrolled pipe movement
Maintenance:
• Visually inspect unit before, during, and
after jobs (gauges, valves, connections,
labels, etc)
• Clean and lubricate as needed
• Repair hydraulic system leaks as needed
Setup/Operation:
• Secure console to basket
• Connect hose package as required

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BOP Console
Safety Concerns:
• High pressure hydraulic oil
• High pressure well bore fluids and gases
• Pinch points – Counter balance winches
Setup/Operation:
• Secure console to basket
• Connect hose package as required
Maintenance:
• Visually inspect unit before, during and
after jobs (gauges, valves, connections,
labels, etc)
• Clean and lubricate as needed
• Repair hydraulic leaks as needed

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Hydraulic Tongs/Rotary Table

Safety Concerns:
• Pinch points/
• Moving equipment
• Overhead lifts
• High pressure hydraulic oil
Maintenance:
• Visually inspect unit before, during, and after jobs, i.e., hoses,
quick connections, dies, torque and hydraulic gauges, guard
and safety devices, hydraulic cylinders and spring hangers, etc.
• Clean and lubricate as needed
• Repair hydraulic leaks as needed
• Clean and or replace dies as needed
Setup/Operation:
• Install/mount tongs to pole, derrick, crane or jack.
• Connect and straighten all hoses to reduce trip hazards and
prevent hose entanglement.
• Install snub line cable on all rig ups.

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Rotary Table

Know the capabilities of the

rotary table:
• Torque
• RPM
• Ensure interlink to jacking
system
Circulating Swivel
Safety Concerns
• Moving equipment
• Pinch points
• Overhead lifts
• Loose objects
• High pressure
Maintenance:
• Visually inspect packing, connections, safety cables, clamps and
hammer unions before, during and after job. Circulating swivels
can not have any line pipe threads in their connections. All
connections must be molded integral connections or premium
tubing threads.
• Clean and lubricate as needed
Setup/Operation
• Install and torque circulating swivel to safety valve and tubing.
• Confirm safety clamp is installed properly.

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Counterbalance Winch

Safety Concerns:
• High pressure hydraulic oil
• Pinch points
• Moving equipment
Maintenance:
• Visually inspect unit before, during, and after
jobs
• Clean and lubricate as needed
• Monitor fasteners
Setup/Operation:
• Secure counter balance to basket
• Connect hoses to winch

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Integrated Jack

Safety Concerns:
• High pressure hydraulic oil
• Pinch points
• Moving equipment
• Overhead lifts
Maintenance:
• Visually inspect unit before, during, and after jobs
(rotating head, connections, spline tube, cylinders,
fasteners, etc)
• Clean and lubricate as needed
• Repair hydraulic leaks as needed
Setup/Operation:
• Attach guy wires, hoses and tag lines to the jack prior to
picking up the unit.
• Connect the crane pick up sling to the top of the jack.
• Use the crane to lift the jack assembly

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 Stationary Slip Window Assembly

Safety Concerns:
• Moving equipment
• Pinch points
• High pressure hydraulic oil
• Environmental – Leaks or blown hose
Maintenance
• Visually inspect connections, hoses, seals and guides before,
during, and after job
• Clean and lubricate as needed
Setup/Operation:
• Make up bolts to proper torque Connect and straighten all hoses
to reduce trip hazards and prevent hose entanglement.

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Slip Bowls/Spiders

Safety Concerns:
• Pinch points
• Moving equipment
• Sudden movements – Remote Operation,
sliding pipe.
Maintenance:
• Visually inspect unit before, during, and after
jobs (Slip dies, seals, packing, fasteners, hoses,
etc.).
• Clean and lubricate as needed
Setup/Operation:
• Install and torque fasteners as required.
• Connect hydraulic hoses.
• Confirm proper size slips and guides.

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Access/Work Window

Safety Concerns:
• Overhead Lifts
• Moving equipment
• Pinch points
• Caught Between
• Escaping well pressure
Maintenance:
• Visually inspect connections and guides before, during, and
after job
Think ahead
• Clean and lubricate as needed • Have a plan to handle all of the larger
Setup/Operation: BHA/Completion components
• Make up bolts to proper torque • Loose pup joints
• Install and secure proper guides. • Need false rotary

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Access/Work Window
Access/Work Window
Telescoping Mast

Safety Concerns:
• Moving equipment and loose objects
• Pinch points
• Over head lifts
Maintenance:
• Visually inspect connections, cables, clamps
and sheaves before, during, and after job.
• Clean and lubricate as needed
Setup/Operation:
• Install and secure mast to work basket and
stationary slip window with proper pins.
• Insert counterbalance winch lines through
sheaves and secure to work basket.
• Telescope out mast with minimum hydraulic
pressure while monitoring cable deployment.
• Pin mast as directed by supervisor.

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Hose Package
Safety Concerns:
• Overhead lifts
• High pressure hydraulic oil
• Pinch points
• Environmental – Leaks or blown hose.
Maintenance:
• Visually inspect connections, hoses and seals
before, during, and after jobs.
• Clean and lubricate as needed.
Setup/Operation:
• Connect crane to hose package lift sling.
• Lift hose package and connect to the
workbasket.
• Connect hose ends in the workbasket and on
the power pack.

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Fuel/Hydraulic Tank

Function:
• The fuel/hydraulic tank provides fuel and hydraulic
oil to the Snubbing Unit power pack.

Safety Concerns:
• Environmental – Leaks, Flammable

Maintenance:
• Visually inspect unit before, during, and after jobs
(Hoses, valves, seals, hatch, etc.)
• Clean and lubricate as needed

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 Power Pack
Safety Concerns:
• High-pressure lines
• Hot surfaces

Setup/Operation:
• Inspect diesel lines
• Check fluids
• Connect hoses to all hydraulic connections
• Vent all hydraulic pumps
• Crank diesel engine
• Load hydraulic pumps as directed by supervisor.

Maintenance:
• Clean and lubricate unit
• Visually inspect unit before, during, and after jobs
• Check Fluids (diesel, hydraulic oil, gear oil, motor oil, water) levels
• Drain water from the pneumatic (air) system
• Repair hydraulic system leaks as needed

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 Questions

06/11/2023