What is a Hydraulic Completion Unit?
A Hydraulic Completion Unit (or HCU) consists of a Snubbing Unit, Stripping RAMS, and a Primary BOP. The Snubbing Unit contains 2 sets of slips, a stationary and a traveling set, and transfers the load between stationary and traveling slips which allows the operator to run in the hole (RIH) or pull out of the hole (POOH) under pressure. Snubbing units are designed to perform 2 tasks, manage pressure, and to move pipe. Each set of slips has a Pipe heavy and a Pipe light set which allows the operator to maintain control of the tubing under any circumstances. Operators must be highly trained as snubbing units tend to be 100% manual.
Snubbing units have become a popular piece of equipment for well completions as well profiles are extending beyond the capability of Coiled Tubing. Wells that are beyond 10,000 ft can be completed faster, and more cost-effectively with an HCU than they can with Coiled Tubing. Pushing, pulling, and rotating are all features of the Hydraulic Completion Unit that allow them to work at greater well depths than Coiled Tubing.
The latest and most advanced well completions units are provided by Automated Rig Technologies utilizing our patent-pending retractable gripper blocks in our Jointed Pipe Injector. This innovation changes the well completions game by constantly gripping the tubing, instead of the typical manual operation of a snubbing unit. Completions crews are able to work more safely at the forefront of technology with the Jointed Pipe Injector integrated into our Well Completions Unit. The speed of coiled tubing, the reach of jointed pipe, the safety of remote control, and the efficiency of AC Auto-drilling in one package.