Industries
Frac crane services
The right crane for the lift, with NCCCO-certified operators and riggers for frac jobs. Based in West Texas, working statewide.
Crane service for frac jobs
Frac work is a core part of what we do. We bring the crane and the crew for lifts on the pad, from rig-up to rig-down.
Lifts we take on include:
- Rig-up and rig-down lifts
- Setting and moving frac equipment
- Lifting frac iron and manifolds
- Equipment moves between pads
Frac pad rig-up and rig-down crane lifts
Most frac crane work comes at rig-up and rig-down. Before the pumps start, frac trees and valves go onto the wellheads, the zipper manifold is set, and high-pressure iron is laid out between the manifold trailer and the wells. When the last stage is pumped, the same pieces come off in reverse so the pad can be cleared for flowback or the next crew.
On a zipper frac, wells take turns: while one is pumped, wireline perforates and sets plugs in the next, and a crane often holds the lubricator for that work. Multi-well pads in the Permian Basin are crowded with pumps, blenders, sand equipment, water lines and trucks, so the crane spot has to reach the wellheads and manifold without blocking the pump line or the sand route.
- Get the pad layout and rig-up schedule from the frac supervisor.
- Pick a crane spot that reaches the wellheads and stays off the iron.
- Run the JSA with the frac, wellhead and wireline crews.
- Set frac trees, valves, zipper manifold and iron in rig-up order.
- Stay out of the pressure red zone during testing and pumping.
- Reverse the sequence at rig-down and clear the pad.
Crane and operator for frac jobs
Every job goes out with the right crane for the lift, an NCCCO-certified operator and a rigger.
Frac schedules move, so give dispatch the pad details and timing as early as you can. Have these on hand:
- Pad name, GPS location and lease road directions
- Number of wells and the wellhead layout
- Frac tree, manifold and iron weights
- Rig-up and rig-down dates and who calls the crane
- Whether wireline needs the crane between stages
- Operator's site safety and H2S requirements
Rigging plans and safety plans for frac jobs
Frac pads put a crane next to high-pressure iron, and pressure testing and pumping set up red zones nobody enters. Lifts fit into the gaps in that schedule, and nothing is lifted over or near iron until lines are bled down and the supervisor clears it. We write rigging plans and safety plans that set the crane spot, the swing area and the exclusion zones around the pad's rules.
Wind is the other big factor. Frac trees stand tall and lubricators taller, and a West Texas gust can turn a load without warning. The plan sets the conditions where lifts stop, names one signal person and keeps tag lines on any load that can spin.
Book a crane
Call dispatch or send a lift request. Tell us the load, the location and the date.
FAQ
Questions about frac crane services
Do I need a crane for the whole frac job or just rig-up and rig-down?
Either way works. Some jobs call the crane for rig-up and rig-down only. Others keep it on the pad between stages to handle the wireline lubricator, swap valves or move iron. Tell dispatch which one you need and for how many days.
Where should the crane set up on a crowded frac pad?
The spot is usually agreed with the frac supervisor before rig-up. It needs to reach the wellheads and the zipper manifold, sit on solid pad ground clear of buried lines, and stay out of the pump line, the sand route and the pressure red zone. Send the pad layout and we'll plan around it.
Can you help move frac equipment to the next pad?
Yes. A pad-to-pad move needs lifts at both ends: loading trees, valves, manifolds and iron at the old pad and setting them at the new one. Share the move schedule and both locations so the crane work follows the rig-down on one pad and lines up with the rig-up on the next.
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