The snubbing operation will not take 30 days
30 days is the outset to completing snubbing operations factoring in unforeseen setbacks. With the expertize of Boots&Coots/advanced snubbing technology on site, likely no more than 15 days will be needed.
Today's snubbing units can be employed to provide a wide range of services. In essence, a snubbing unit is a hydraulic rig that can do everything a rig can do, plus it can perform under pressure in an under balanced live well state. With the use of the snubbing units' hydraulic rotary, the unit can be employed for fishing, milling, drilling, side tracking or any task needed to remove bridge plugs, cement or deepen wells.
The industry has become more aware of damages caused by heavy kill weight fluids and mud. This has helped make snubbing units more popular in a completion and workover role, versus its' traditional use as a well control response tool.
These types ofcompletions often have laterals extending out thousands of feet. Withcostly stimulations used to help extract the gas more efficiently,operators often times do not wish to turn around and load the well withheavy fluids to complete the well dead.
Coiled tubing has its limitations in reach, due to wall to wallmechanical friction in horizontal wells. Often times the coiled tubingunits cannot reach TD or supply the needed weight on bit to mill upcomposite plugs typically used in completions.
With the snubbing unit's size, ability to handle pressure, rotary capabilities, rigidity of jointed tubing and minimal wall contact, snubbing units have become the chosen resource for these types of completions.
Pipe handling is performed by the snubbing units "gin pole" and "pipewinches". The gin pole is typically telescoped out in excess of 40ftabove the snubbing unit. With the use of dual tubing winches, multiplejoints of pipe can be handled simultaneously, speeding up the operation.Snubbingunits have evolved into one of the most capable and efficient wellservicing tools in the oil & gas industry
Well control is taken very seriously by snubbing contractors. The BOP is the only barrier between the well bore and personnel. Depending upon well conditions, pressures and work performed, the BOP stack configuration varies greatly; there can be a minimum of three BOP's and in some cases, up to ten. All of this is determined in the pre-job phase of the operation.
