Several North Sea Operators are now using Snubbing Units to undertake operations previously regarded as only within the scope of a drilling rig (such as the running of 7" completions and the undertaking of gravel-packing operations).

Snubbing Units are also increasingly being used to access and service horizontal and extended reach wells which coiled tubing cannot access.

With the use of a Snubbing Unit, through-tubing sidetracking and underbalanced drilling is no longer limited by the technology of Coiled Tubing Drilling. Additional margins are available if a ‘SnubdrilT option is adopted and these are quantified with the presentation of the results a ‘SnubdrilT Case Study.

Snubbing Units can therefore now be regarded as an established means of providing an Operators with a versatile and unique device which offers many advantages over both Derrick Equipment Sets and Coiled Tubing Units.

Keywords:
completion installation and operations, coiled tubing operations, platform, drilling equipment, conventional drilling rig, bop stack, snubbing unit, workover, downhole intervention, upstream oil & gas
Subjects:
Drilling Operations, Drilling Equipment, Well control equipment, Completion Selection and Design, Completion Installation and Operations, Well Intervention, Completion equipment, Coiled tubing operations
Copyright 1995, Society of Petroleum Engineers
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