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Wireline

A wireline operation involves running and pulling tools and equipment into and out of the well by the use of a
continuous-length, small-diameter solid or braided wire mounted on a powered reel at the surface. This can be done
on a wellbore that is still under pressure. Typical wireline operations include perforating, logging, cleaning wells, and
dumping cement. Most wireline surface equipment units are self-contained skids that consist of the wireline reel,
power supply and associated control and connection equipment.

Traditionally, the subsea
system has been a rigid
workover riser package that
provides direct access for the
surface intervention
equipment.
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Coiled tubing
A CT operation involves inserting a continuous and a flexible steel pipe into a well bore to convey various well
servicing tools and to circulate fluids. Steel coiled tubing is made from strips of high-strength steel that are rolled and
seam welded. The tubing is flexible enough to be coiled onto a reel, with diameters that range from 3/4 to 3-1/2 in.
Higher wall thicknesses and the development of new alloys have increased the strength of coiled tubing to allow it to
withstand extreme pressure loadings and have improved its resistance to stress corrosion cracking. Advances are
also being made in the area of light-weight composite coiled tubing.
CT surface equipment units are self-contained hydraulically powered workover units that provide substantial time and
cost savings when compared to using a conventional workover rig. The major advantages that CT offers include:
Faster running speeds into and out of a well since the operator does not have to stop to connect or
disconnect each joint of pipe
Reduced rig up and trip times
Ability to continually circulate fluid through the pipe while the tubing is being lowered into and out of the hole
Localized delivery of downhole fluids, increasing production tubing life and preventing contamination of acid
from tubing scale
Ability to work on live wells
Ability to perform many wireline services can be performed in highly deviated and horizontal well bores by
installing an E-Line inside coiled tubing.
Hydraulic workover

An HWO uses hydraulic cylinders to push jointed sections of pipe into the well, in contrast to the continuous
tube used in CT. The pipe can be inserted either under pressure or after killing the well.
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The advantages of using HWO over CT are that HWO can handle more complex jobs involving deeper reservoirs
with higher pressures. HWO has the ability to use tapered pipe and can adjust the pipe length based on reservoir
depth. HWO operations however are more costly than that of CT operations. The decision to use HWO instead of CT
is dependant on the requirements of the specific application to be performed and the overall economical
consideration. There are three basic categories:
High pressure snubbing refers to pushing pipe into a well under pressure. This is an area where HWO
competes with CT to perform work on live wells
Hydraulic rig assist units assist conventional workover rigs and supplement the work performed by rigs to
make the intervention job much more economical. By definition a rig assist unit is not a stand-alone type unit
and operates only in conjunction with the workover rig
HWO units have the ability to perform a major workover on the well, and compete directly with the work that
is traditionally performed by conventional workover rigs. Major workover jobs typically involve the pulling of
the production tubing for repairs.

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