What is IWOCS?
IWOCS stands for Intervention Workover Control System. These systems are used in the energy/oil & gas industry for performing interventions and workover operations on subsea wells – such as wellhead maintenance, installation of production equipment and wellbore cleanout.
These systems are used when a subsea well is not producing at its optimal level, or when there is a need to repair or replace equipment in the wellbore.
What equipment is needed for an IWOCS?
In order to design and commission an effective IWOCS system, various pieces of equipment have to come together to make it possible, some of the key pieces of equipment include:
- Control Pod: The control pod is the main component of the IWOCS system, and it contains the necessary control systems, such as hydraulic power, electrical power, and communication systems, that are used to operate the subsea tools.
- Umbilical: The IWOCS umbilical is a specialised cable that provides the necessary power, communication, and control signals between the surface vessel and the subsea equipment. Crucially it has to be able to withstand the harsh subsea environment.
- Hydraulic Workover System: This system allows for the installation, removal, and maintenance of subsea equipment using hydraulic power, such as hydraulic workover tools, BOPs (blowout preventers), and wellhead maintenance equipment.
- Subsea Cameras: These are used to provide live video feeds of the subsea well and equipment to the surface vessel, enabling the operator to monitor the well and make informed decisions about the intervention or workover operation.
- Subsea Sensors: These are used to measure a range of parameters, such as pressure, temperature, and flow rate, in the subsea environment.
- Wireline Tools: These are used to perform a range of tasks, such as logging and perforating the wellbore, and retrieving and deploying equipment.
- ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle): An ROV is a subsea vehicle that can be remotely controlled from the surface vessel and is used to perform a range of tasks, such as installing and retrieving equipment and performing visual inspections.
Fibron IWOCS Umbilicals
We have produced Umbilicals for use in Intervention Workover Control Systems all over the globe, and most recently in March 2023 we were able to announce one of the largest and most functional we have ever produced, you can read about that in our article A Multifunctional IWOCS Umbilical
An IWOCS umbilical is a cable that provides the necessary power, communication, and control signals between the surface vessel and the subsea equipment in an Intervention Workover Control System (IWOCS). The umbilical is a critical component of the IWOCS system as it allows the operator to remotely control the subsea tools and equipment from the surface vessel.
The IWOCS umbilical typically consists of several components, including hydraulic lines, electrical wires, and fibre optic cables. The hydraulic lines are used to transmit hydraulic fluid to operate subsea tools such as hydraulic workover tools and wellhead maintenance equipment. The electrical wires are used to provide power to subsea equipment and to transmit data and control signals back to the surface vessel. The fibre optic cables are used to transmit high-speed data, such as live video feeds from subsea cameras and sensors.
The IWOCS umbilical is designed to withstand the harsh subsea environment and must be able to operate at extreme depths and under high pressure. It is typically made from a combination of materials such as steel, rubber, and plastic, and is carefully engineered to meet the specific requirements of each IWOCS system.
