Workover Equipment: The Tools of the Trade
Workover equipment is the specialized machinery and tools used to service and maintain oil and gas wells. It's not just the rig itself — it's everything you need to do the job, from the derrick and drawworks down to the small hand tools. Workover equipment is built tough, because oilfield work is hard on equipment, and you can't afford for things to break down in the middle of a job.
The Main Pieces of Workover Equipment
The Workover Rig. This is the big piece — the truck-mounted or skid-mounted unit with the mast and drawworks. It's used to pull and run the tubing and tools in and out of the well. The rig is the heart of the workover operation.
The Drawworks. This is the winch that raises and lowers the drill string. It's powered by the rig's diesel engine, and it has multiple braking systems for safety. The size of the drawworks determines how much weight you can pull, which determines how deep a well you can work on.
The Mast or Derrick. This is the tall tower that holds the drill string. On workover rigs, it's usually a telescopic mast that folds down for transport. The height of the mast determines how long a stand of tubing you can pull at once, which affects how fast you can trip in and out of the hole.
Downhole Tools. These are the tools that go downhole to do the actual work — things like perforating guns, fishing tools, packers, and subs. Each job needs a different set of downhole tools, and workover crews carry a wide variety of them on the rig.
Fluid Handling Equipment. This includes pumps, tanks, and mixing equipment for handling drilling fluid, acid, cement, and other fluids used in workover operations.
FAQ
Q: What's the difference between workover equipment and drilling equipment?
A: They're similar, but workover equipment is lighter and more mobile. Drilling rigs are built to drill new holes, which requires more power and capacity. Workover rigs are built to service existing wells, which means they're smaller, faster to mobilize, and cheaper to operate. You don't need a huge drilling rig just to pull a pump out of a well.