Slickline Equipment

• Slickline is a method for performing

functions in the wellbore while
containing the wellbore pressures.
Some functions are, installing and
retrieving plugs, bailing sand,
recording bottom hole pressures,
and changing out gas lift valves.
Slickline Surface Equipment

Lubricator Stack

• The basic lubricator stack consist of a

stuffing box, lubricator sections, wireline
valve or blowout preventer (BOP), and a
crossover to the tree connection.
 Stuffing Box

• The stuffing box is used to provide a

seal around the slickline as it moves
into and out of the well.
• A packing nut compresses, the
packing within the stuffing box to
effect the seal.
• A sheave is used to effect a 180deg
bend and to guide the wire into the
stuffing box packing.

Lubricator Stack
Hydraulic Packing Nut

• This type stuffing box with a

hydraulic pump and hose
eliminates potential hazards
associated with personnel climbing
the lubricator stack to tighten the
stuffing box packing.
• With the hydraulic packing nut
feature, the operator can control the
energizing of the packing from the
ground.

Lubricator Stack
 Grease Injector
Stuffing Box

• In this design the lower packing

gland has been removed and a
short flow tube is installed.
• Grease is then injected through
the port between the packing and
the flow tube to lubricate the wire
and reduce stuffing box packing
friction.
Lubricator Stack
 Liquid Chamber

• The liquid chamber is an optional

piece of equipment that is normally
located directly below the stuffing
box.
• Liquid chambers allow lubricants,
inhibitors and chemicals to be
pumped into the lubricator and onto
the wire in situations where it is
necessary to inhibit for corrosion,
provide lubrication to the wire, or
prevent hydrate formation.

Lubricator Stack
Slickline Grease Head

• The slickline grease head,

installed below the stuffing box, is
primarily used on high pressure
gas wells.
• Flow tubes injected with grease
create a seal around the slickline.

Lubricator Stack
 Upper Lubricator
Sections

• In general, lubricator stacks are

manufactured with threaded
end connections that employ
electrometric O-ring seals to
enable the components to be
easily connected without
special tools.

Lubricator Stack
 Lower Lubricator
Section
• The lower lubricator section has been
equipped with two bleed ports for the
installation of bleed valves.
• Higher-pressure gas well might cause
the valve to freeze off when bleeding
down the lubricator, to change service
tools, before the pressure inside the
lubricator is bled off.
• Thus, the other valve can be opened
to finish depressurizing the lubricator.

Lubricator Stack
Manual Wireline Valve

• The wireline valve is used to close

off and seal around the slickline
without causing damage to the
wire.
• As an example, if the packing in the
stuffing box were to prematurely
wear out or be blown out, the
wireline valve would be closed to
shut in the well until the problem
was corrected

Lubricator Stack
Hydraulic Wireline
Valve
• These valves allow remote valve
operation with a hydraulic pump
and hose.
• They are beneficial for service
operations performed on H2S
wells, as they eliminate the need
to manually operate the valve at
the wellhead.
• They are recommended where
the operation of manual wireline
valves may not be safe or
practical.

Lubricator Stack
 Pump-In Sub

• The Pump-In Sub is typically

installed below the wireline
valve.
• This allows access for pumping
fluids into the wellbore during
slickline operations.

Lubricator Stack
Lubricator Stack

• The selection, proper use, and

maintenance of lubricator
equipment for slickline service
operations is critical to the
assurance of personnel safety
and protection of property and
the environment.