Workover

Workovers are major operations performed on wells to restore, maintain or improve their production.

 

How it’s important to us

A efficient well  production rate over time strongly depends on the good conditions in which they are maintained. For this reason, workover is very important in the oil and gas industry.

Workovers are carried for mechanical reasons such as damaged equipment that needs repair or replacement, fishing operations, etc. Other reasons can include structural damage within the well, well re-completion (transfer of zone), well stimulation (using acid/solvent, fracturing, injecting steam, or waterflood and CO2), or well conversion (from production to injection)).

Workovers should not be confused with minor well servicing. Depending on what needs to be performed and the equipment installed in the well, the process can be different from one well to another but still remains complex.

It usually involves:

• Controlling the well and preparing the well site before the arrival of the workover unit,
• Securing the well before installing the workover rig,
• Installing the workover unit,
• “Killing” the well,
• Replacing the Christmas tree by the BOPs,
• Removing of the completion equipment,
• Downhole operations and replacing the BOP’s by the Christmas tree
• Removing the workover unit.