Technical articles for technicians and engineers
Pick your track: for technicians, how field operations work step by step; for engineers, calculations with worked examples and HSE topics. Every article includes a summary, a diagram, sources and a short quiz.
Gauge cutter on slickline: the job in detail
A practical walk-through of the first run in most slickline jobs: why we run a gauge cutter, how to size it from the tubing and nipples, the toolstring, rig-up and lubricator testing, running in, tagging, pulling out, and reading the marks on the tool.
Technicians: how it worksNitrogen kickoff through coiled tubing
How a liquid-loaded "dead" well is brought back to production by injecting nitrogen through coiled tubing: the physics with numbers, planning, the bottomhole assembly, rig-up, running and pulling steps, and the hazards.
Technicians: how it worksChristmas tree valves: opening and closing sequence, and why
A practical guide to christmas tree valves (master, wing, swab, choke and SCSSV): the usual order for opening and shutting in a well, the engineering reason behind it, and common mistakes on site.
Engineers: calculations & HSEHydrostatic pressure, gradient and ECD: worked examples
Where does 0.052 come from? How to calculate hydrostatic pressure, pressure gradient, equivalent mud weight and ECD in oilfield units (ppg, psi, ft), with worked examples checked by calculation, kill mud weight, trip volumes, and common exam and rig-site mistakes.
Engineers: calculations & HSELOT, FIT and MAASP: procedure, calculation and IWCF-style questions
How a leak-off test (LOT) and a formation integrity test (FIT) are run at the casing shoe, how to read the plot, and how to calculate equivalent mud weight, shoe fracture pressure and MAASP with the rounding rules, plus worked examples and well-control-exam-style questions.
Engineers: calculations & HSEPermit to work (PTW) and job safety analysis (JSA) for a slickline job
How the permit-to-work cycle works according to the UK HSE's HSG250 guidance, and how to build a job safety analysis step by step for slickline work on a producing well, with a hazards-and-controls table, hydrogen sulphide exposure limits, isolation, and a pre-job meeting checklist.
Educational content only: procedures and operating values vary between companies and wells. Always follow your company’s approved procedures, your supervisor’s instructions and the permits in force at your site.