A workover is a maintenance procedure for oil or gas wells that involves interventions to correct problems. It may be outsourced to specialist companies and requires planning. The process involves pumping heavy material down the borehole, removing equipment, cleaning and replacing components, and checking the well’s integrity. Once completed, the well is cleared for use again. Workovers are invasive and costly, so companies must weigh the cost of repair against potential production. If a well is unlikely to produce much more, it may be better to plug it.
A workover is an extended service on an oil or gas well that requires interventions into the well itself to correct a problem with the well. Some oil and gas companies can do this work themselves, while others choose to outsource it to specialist workover companies. The time required may vary and the well will not be productive during maintenance. You also need some planning to prepare ahead of time, whether the event is a planned or emergency response.
A well may need a workover if it becomes unstable or unsuitable. Sometimes a safety problem develops, equipment fails, or a well needs renovation. Wells that are not producing may require a workover in order to pace the well to see if more material can be obtained before plugging and abandoning it. Engineers can determine when a workover is needed and provide recommendations on the most appropriate actions to take.
The first step in the process is a borehole, where workers pump heavy material down the borehole to stop production. The density of the material prevents oil and gas from entering the well, freeing it up for work. Subsequently, the personnel will remove the material inside the well so that it can be accessed. Their work may involve inserting and removing various equipment, cleaning and replacing components, and checking the integrity of the well to determine if problems such as leaks or collapses could develop.
Once the staff is done, they can clear the well for use again. The oil and gas production personnel will reinstall the normal well rig and resume production. Workovers are a very invasive form of well maintenance and workers usually follow a careful protocol when bringing the well back into production. This may include environmental health and occupational safety checklists, to make sure the well is operating safely.
Workover specialist companies travel the world with teams and equipment. The cost of this procedure depends on the nature of the repair required, and the oil and gas company must weigh this when considering investing in a well rehabilitation. If a well is unlikely to produce much more, it might make more sense to kill it and plug it, moving on to another well. It can be difficult to accurately predict production, even with advanced engineering practices, and the process of evaluating a well before a workover can involve feedback from a variety of specialists.
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