SolutionHi-spec <strong>Hiab</strong> cranescustomised for energyindustry’s unique needsA leading Dutch energyfirm, Nederlandse AardolieMaatschappij B.V. (NAM)has purchased five highlyspecialist service vehiclesdeveloped by Cargotec,each complete with twopurpose-built <strong>Hiab</strong> cranes.In the field of oil and gas provision, time iscrucial and safety is paramount. Nowhere isthis more prevalent than when repairing andmaintaining the wells used to tap into the naturalgas and oil which serves homes all roundthe world.NAM Well Service is the servicing divisionof NAM – the largest gas producer in theNetherlands. The principle role of the divisionis to ensure that all oil and gas wells under itsjurisdiction are always functional. This caninvolve regular maintenance or emergencyrepairs and both require a process called wireline well intervention.Cees Mollema, Segmentation Manager ofCargotec EMEA Customer Solutions, said:“When problems occur in a well there arethree options; try and repair the damage usingwire line well intervention <strong>method</strong>, replacethe entire riser pipe section, or drill a newwell. With this in mind, a fastand effective <strong>method</strong> of repairand an effective ongoing maintenanceprogramme is obviouslypreferable.”The basic principle used to service wellshas been the same for 100 years. The techniqueinvolves a steel wire being inserteddown to depths of up to 4 km below the earth’ssurface to clean, repair or replace the damagedpart. During the servicing or repairprocess gas can enter the atmosphere so it istherefore imperative that no sparks occur andsafety becomes of paramount importance.Unique solutionAn integral part of wire line maintenance orrepair are the service vehicles which attendthe scene, housing much of the equipmentused in the process. They are traditionally fittedwith an extended boom to support andcontrol the wire line as it is inserted into thewell. Since 1994, this role has been performedfor NAM Well Service by seven DAF trucks fittedwith <strong>Hiab</strong> cranes. However, after 16 yearsof impressive service, the company decided toupgrade the fleet.It enlisted the proven services of Cargotecto develop a product using its <strong>Hiab</strong> brand oftruck-mounted crane technology. After extensivedevelopment and modification work tomeet the needs of NAM Well Service, Cargotecsuccessfully designed, built and deliveredthe five new multi-faceted trucks to unrivalledspecifications.The final solution comprisesa DAF truck with loadplatform to which two <strong>Hiab</strong>cranes and a Rotzler winchare affixed. The first <strong>Hiab</strong>boom is a locally modified H477 stiff boommodel which extends to a maximum height of21.3m (needed to feed the wire line through thetop of the lubricator assembly). The second isa 055 DS variant which lifts a Mobile ElevatedWork Platform (MEWP) to a height of 7.5m.With the addition of a host of specialistfeatures, remote control for all functions,and ATEX* zone 1 certification – achievedby ensuring that all electrical power can beremoved from both booms and vehicle chassiswhen operating - the trucks are truly uniqueand provide a tailor-made solution whichcould potentially revolutionise wire line wellservicing worldwide.Working in tandemJan Kuipers, Team Leader Wire-Line at NAMWell Service, said: “We originally used servicetrucks from another supplier but the performance,service and spare parts ability wereall sub-standard. In 1994, <strong>Hiab</strong> developed anew truck-mountable crane perfect for use inthe oil and gas industries due to its long boom.We took delivery of seven, mounted on DAFtrucks, and they have served us well for manyyears.“However, the latest order, the result ofongoing and successful cooperation betweenNAM and Cargotec, takes our servicing capabilityto new levels in terms of the speed withwhich we can respond and the safety for thoseworking at the well.“The two companies worked closelytogether throughout the development stage12 <strong>Hiab</strong> Method
“With the meWP and the stiffboom cranes on the samevehicle there is no need forscaffolding alongside the well.”<strong>Hiab</strong> Method 13
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