Choosing a Heavy Duty Workover Rig

Heavy duty workover rigs are the big boys of the workover world — built for deep wells, heavy casing, and tough conditions. If you're working in a mature oilfield with deep wells, or you're dealing with sticky wells and stuck pipe, you need a heavy duty rig. But they're expensive, so you want to make sure you're buying the right one for your operation.

When Do You Need a Heavy Duty Rig?

Most onshore workover rigs handle wells up to 2,000-3,000 meters. But if you're working on deeper wells — 3,000 meters and up — you need more pullback force, a taller mast, and a bigger drawworks. That's where heavy duty rigs come in.

You also need a heavy duty rig if you're doing fishing jobs — pulling stuck pipe out of the hole. Fishing jobs require a lot of pulling force, and you never know how much force you'll need. It's better to have more power than you need, than to not have enough.

What to Look For

Pullback Force Rating. This is the most important spec. Heavy duty rigs typically have 150,000 to 300,000 lbs of pullback force. Make sure it's enough for the wells you're working on. If you're dealing with stuck pipe, you need extra margin — you don't want to max out the rig and still not pull it free.

Mast Height. Taller masts let you pull longer stands of tubing, which means fewer trips. For deep wells, a 120-150 foot mast is standard. If your mast is too short, you'll spend all day tripping pipe in and out.

Drawworks Horsepower. Bigger drawworks can handle heavier loads and faster line speeds. Look for a drawworks with enough horsepower to handle the worst case you expect to encounter.

FAQ

Q: How much does a heavy duty workover rig cost?
A: A new heavy duty workover rig starts around $500,000 to $1.5 million, depending on the specs. Used rigs can be 40-60% cheaper. It's a big investment, but if you're doing deep well workover, there's no substitute for the capacity.