Snubbing

Snubbing is a heavy well intervention operation done on a live producing oil or gas well. Snubbing is required when the well has experienced a spike in pressure or a 'kick' which causes the blow preventer (BOP) to close. Snubbing is the process of running the bottom hole assembly (BHA) on a drill string down the wellbore with the help a hydraulic workover rig. This process is down while the BOP is installed as the BOP is used for safety to hold back the pressure on the well. A hydraulic workover rig is required as additional hydraulic force is required to push the BHA and drill string into the wellbore against the additional pressure in the well.