Wanted: 7 workover rigs at ONGC
Lots of companies are likely to be interested in ONGC’s tender to hire seven brand-new workover rigs for its Assam asset.
On March 12 (2024), ONGC invited offers in its tender to hire seven 100-tonne workover rigs of a minimum 550-hp capacity. ONGC will hold a pre-bid on March 26 (2024) and wants bids by April 23 (2024).
"Rigs should be capable of undertaking workover operations in oil/gas/injection/effluent disposal wells up to the required depth based on the capacity of the workover rig with tubing/drill string of requisite size in required sizes of casings, depending on the weight of completion equipment," reads the tender. A source expects there will be plenty of interest.
"Unlike a three or four-year contract, this one is for seven years," he stresses. "ONGC wants brand new rigs; they will not consider any rig which is even one year old."
According to the tender, the rig and equipment should be newly manufactured and not deployed or used anywhere. "Who will not bid in such a tender?" wonders our source.
"Contractors might not have new rigs ready to bid, but they can easily buy new rigs to offer in the tender." He believes ONGC’s 12-month mobilisation timeframe is enough time for contractors to sign MoUs to buy rigs and mobilise them for the contract.
"Even if we place an order now, a workover rig can be manufactured in three to four months," he adds. ONGC’s tender explains workover jobs can include servicing or installing artificial lift equipment, cleaning well bores, gravel packing to prevent sand from entering the well, stimulation, well abandonment, shutting off water or gas, injecting water, retrieving gravel packing apparatus or other tools, multi-layer testing, or repairing casing.