Guidance
Well Workover
Well Workover
- BSEE
- Guidance
- Pressure SystemsProcess SafetyRegulation and Legislation
- Loss of containmentPressure systemsRegulation and legislationWell control
- Pressure testingWell intervention
- Wellhead
- Functional testingPermit to work
- Upstream oil and gas
Summary
This regulatory inspection guide presents compliance questions for oil and gas well-workover operations. It covers prior approval, well-control fluid replenishment and measurement, crown-block safety checks, mud-pit level warnings, tubing and wellhead requirements, wireline leakage prevention, and pressure testing of newly installed lubricators against expected shut-in surface pressure.
Classifications: Loss of containment; containment loss.
Classifications: Pressure systems; stored pressure; pressurised systems; pressurized systems.
Classifications: Regulation and legislation; safety legislation; regulatory requirements.
Classifications: Well control; kick control; loss of well control.
Classifications: Pressure testing; hydrostatic testing; pneumatic testing.
Classifications: Well intervention; workover; well servicing.
Classifications: Wellhead; well head.
Classifications: Functional testing; function test.
Classifications: Permit to work; PTW; work permit.
Classifications: Upstream oil and gas; oil and gas extraction; upstream petroleum.
Summary
BSEE inspection items for well-workover operations covering permits, well-control fluid requirements, crown block and mud-pit safety devices, wellhead equipment and wireline lubricators.
Themes: pressure systems, process safety, regulation and legislation.
OIL AND GAS WELL-WORKOVER OPERATIONS (Last Updated – February 2026)
Permits
W-500 HAS THE LESSEE RECEIVED WRITTEN APPROVAL FROM THE DISTRICT MANAGER PRIOR TO CONDUCTING WELL-WORKOVER OPERATIONS? Authority: 30 CFR 250.613(a) Enforcement Actions: S
Fluid Requirements
W-505 WHEN COMING OUT OF THE HOLE WITH THE WORK STRING, IS THE ANNULUS FILLED WITH WELL CONTROL FLUID BEFORE THE CHANGE IN WELL CONTROL FLUID DECREASES THE HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE BY 75 PSI, OR EVERY FIVE STANDS OF WORK STRING, WHICHEVER GIVES A LOWER DECREASE IN HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE; AND HAS THE NUMBER OF STANDS OF WORK STRING AND DRILL COLLARS THAT MAY BE PULLED PRIOR TO FILLING THE HOLE AND THE EQUIVALENT WELL CONTROL FLUID VOLUME NEEDED TO FILL THE HOLE BEEN CALCULATED AND POSTED NEAR THE DRILLER’S/OPERATOR’S STATION? Authority: 30 CFR 250.614(b) Enforcement Actions: W
Safety Devices and Equipment
W-510 IS AN OPERABLE CROWN BLOCK SAFETY DEVICE INSTALLED TO PREVENT THE TRAVELING BLOCK FROM STRIKING THE CROWN BLOCK; AND HAS THE SAFETY DEVICE BEEN CHECKED FOR PROPER OPERATION AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK, AFTER EACH DRILL LINE SLIPPING OPERATION, AND ARE THE RESULTS RECORDED IN THE DAILY REPORT? Authority: 30 CFR 250.611 Enforcement Actions: S
W-515 WITH THE TREE REMOVED, IS A MECHANICAL, VOLUMETRIC, OR ELECTRONIC DEVICE UTILIZED TO DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF WELL-CONTROL FLUID REQUIRED WHEN FILLING THE HOLE? Authority: 30 CFR 250.614(b) Enforcement Actions: S 30 CFR250.614(c)(2)
W-520 WITH THE TREE REMOVED, HAS A RECORDING MUD-PIT LEVEL INDICATOR, WITH BOTH AUDIBLE AND VISUAL WARNINGS, INSTALLED AND IN USE ON THE RIG/RIG UNIT FLOOR WHILE WORKOVER OPERATIONS ARE BEING CONDUCTED? Authority: 30 CFR 250.614(c)(3) Enforcement Actions: S
Tubing and Wellhead Equipment
W-525 DOES THE LESSEE COMPLY WITH THE TUBING AND WELLHEAD EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS DURING WELL- WORKOVER OPERATIONS? Authority: 30 CFR 250.619 Enforcement Actions: S
Wireline Operations
W-750 ARE WIRELINE OPERATIONS CONDUCTED SO AS TO MINIMIZE THE LEAKAGE OF WELL FLUIDS? Authority: 30 CFR 250.620(a) Enforcement Actions: S
W-755 FOR WIRELINE PERFORATING OPERATIONS AND ALL OTHER WIRELINE OPERATIONS WHERE COMMUNICATION EXISTS BETWEEN THE COMPLETED HYDROCARBON- BEARING ZONE(S) AND THE WELLBORE, IS A LUBRICATOR ASSEMBLY CONTAINING AT LEAST ONE WIRELINE VALVE UTILIZED? Authority: 30 CFR 250.620(b) Enforcement Actions: S
W-760 WHEN A LUBRICATOR IS INITIALLY INSTALLED ON A WELL, IS IT SUCCESSFULLY PRESSURE TESTED TO THE EXPECTED SHUT-IN SURFACE PRESSURE? Authority: 30 CFR 250.620(c) Enforcement Actions: W/S