The Hydraulic Latch Assembly

The Rig Latch System—technically, its name is “Hydraulic Latch Assembly”—is an apparatus that mounts on a wellhead. It allows some wellhead actions to be executed remotely, thus eliminating the need to have a man stationed there in a man-basket. Thus, the Rig Latch System adds a degree of safety to the proceedings.

The area immediately surrounding the wellhead is essentially “ground zero” in a well completion (frac-ing) operation. That’s why frac crews call that area the “red zone.” The pressures in the lines that surround a wellhead during a frac job are enormous. It’s called “pressure pumping” for a reason. The frac fluids being pumped down a well during a completion job can exceed 9,000 pounds per square inch.

The Rig Latch System removes any need for having personnel in the hot zone when it’s necessary to make or break connections. Moreover, the system allows the frac crew and the wireline crew to operate simultaneously, and thus saves a lot of time each “trip” downhole. Not every wireline company uses Rig Latch, but Integrity Wireline does. It’s one more reason why Integrity Wireline has a stellar safety rating. Plus, it saves customers’ money. And it makes everyone more productive.

When Integrity Wireline uses its Rig Latch on a job site, the wireline crew can release the lubricator from the wellhead simply by operating controls housed in a control box. All from a safe distance away. Additionally, the crew can open valves remotely and perform other tasks.

Integrity provides industry leading reliability, routinely completing hundreds of runs per misrun. However, if there is a misrun, with Wireline operating ahead of frac, there is time to run back in hole and perforate any zones that that were missed, all without any non-productive time.

If you’d like to know more, here’s a great video on this equipment. This is from the system’s manufacturer, Forum Energy Technologies.