Slickline vs. Coiled Tubing
Workover
Well interventions can be highly profitable and there are a number of tools to use. Slickline and coiled tubing are the most commonly used and flexible equipment to diagnose and remediate well issues.. Slickline is perhaps the simplest well intervention tool. It is a single strand "piano wire" that due to it's smooth surface is able to have a packing seal directly on the wire, hence the "slick" term. Slickline is in the category of wireline which includes braided and electric line which has strands of wire wrapped together, creating spaces between the strands of wire which requires grease packing to create an effective seal (and hence not "slick"). Slickline can be truck or skid mounted for use on- or offshore and lightweight units can even be transported by helicopter. The wire is wrapped on a drum and a winch is used to run the wire in and out of the well using weights on the end of the wire. A variety of tools can be run on slickline to perform mechanical actions such as setting and pulling plugs, pressure gauges, or safety valves. It is referred to as a wireline which also includes braided line and electric line. Electronic timers can be used to deploy tools using triggers and battery-powered tools. Coiled tubing is also used through tubing and consists of a continuous pipe rolled on a drum with a swivel connection allowing the coil to run "slick" through a packoff and has the advantage of being able to pump through the inside of the coil.
Slickline vs. Coiled Tubing
Workover
Well interventions can be highly profitable and there are a number of tools to use. Slickline and coiled tubing are the most commonly used and flexible equipment to diagnose and remediate well issues.. Slickline is perhaps the simplest well intervention tool. It is a single strand "piano wire" that due to it's smooth surface is able to have a packing seal directly on the wire, hence the "slick" term. Slickline is in the category of wireline which includes braided and electric line which has strands of wire wrapped together, creating spaces between the strands of wire which requires grease packing to create an effective seal (and hence not "slick"). Slickline can be truck or skid mounted for use on- or offshore and lightweight units can even be transported by helicopter. The wire is wrapped on a drum and a winch is used to run the wire in and out of the well using weights on the end of the wire. A variety of tools can be run on slickline to perform mechanical actions such as setting and pulling plugs, pressure gauges, or safety valves. It is referred to as a wireline which also includes braided line and electric line. Electronic timers can be used to deploy tools using triggers and battery-powered tools. Coiled tubing is also used through tubing and consists of a continuous pipe rolled on a drum with a swivel connection allowing the coil to run "slick" through a packoff and has the advantage of being able to pump through the inside of the coil.