330-725-4949 ext. 122

Revisiting the Process of Swabbing a Well

Way back in 2013, we wrote an informative post about the process of swabbing a well. Five years later, we thought it would be a great idea to revisit the process of swabbing and its contribution to well control. Perhaps the most important thing to note is swabbing can’t take place without a swab rig. Let’s dive in.

So you’re drilling a new well…

Once you actually drill the well, it’s fractured by  a pressurized liquid, thus opening up the production zone where the oil or gas travels to. Then comes the fun part – the actual swabbing of the well.

What you’ll need…

First,you need a swab rig. The swab rig is used to remove the fluid from the production zones. In order to do this, you’ll have to back the truck as close to the well as you possibly can. Then, the operator raises the mast, aligning it with the center of the well.

Once the mast is centered, the operator then lowers the cable in and out of the well using a winch drum. It’s crucial that the operator has full control of the machine during this very meticulous process.

The process continues until the swab rig is able to remove six barrels of fluid out of the well. This is called a “run” in the oil and gas industry. If you’re lucky, the process of swabbing the well only takes one run, but it’s not uncommon to take two runs or more.

By removing liquid from the well, it increases the pressure well, leading to increased flow of oil and gas. Once the well stops flowing, it’s time to swab the well again.

Swabbing Makes Money…

Swabbing a well is an incredibly important step in well maintenance. Frequent swabbing, with a quality swab rig, doesn’t cost money. It makes money. If you, or your company needs a swab rig, give us a call today. We’ll be happy to help.

Have you heard about the Tiger General Advantage?

At Tiger General LLC, we’ve been supplying oilfields with top quality trucks since 1925. Not only do we provide the best available quality of both new and used winch trucks and other equipment, we also provide stellar after-sale support for all of our customers. Please feel free to contact us at your convenience for more information on getting the winch truck that best suits your individual needs and preferences.