Well Retrieval Tool FAQs

Questions & answers on how to pull out stuff dropped into a well

Variety of Objects Dropped Down a Well

Operators broke cable and now dummy probe is 300 meters down

I have a dummy probe in an open rock hole with a simple small wire attached. The operators made the mistake of overpulling on the cable and breaking the cable with about 300 meters of wire in the hole.

I want to grab the wire. I already have a plan to get the dummy probe free. How can i snare the wire? 2025-02-24 by Milan

Reply: Wire retrieval tool option

@Milan,

You will need to select one of the types of pipe grabbing tools described on this page or perhaps fabricate your own; I'd consider first a small grappling hook and weight as the dropped wire may be coiled enough that the hook can snag it and pull it up.

If that doesn't work, an L-shaped or T-shaped tool similar to the Easy-Reach above on this page can be lowered on a pipe that you can rotate can often snag a wire to pull it back out.

It's quite common to fabricate an appropriate fishing tool that is suited to just what you're trying to grab. Typically it's a simple and inexpensive welding job to make the retrieval tool.

Keep me posted

Daniel

Broken wires are in the way of reaching drop pipe in deep well

Hi guys. I have an old deep water well in 4" casing. The drop pipe is galvanized 1.25".

Unfortunately, The previous owner left no information with it. it is much deeper than I anticipated. The motor went out recently. because it is much deeper than i thought, it is also much heavier than I expected.

My 1 ton lifting strap snapped as I was pulling the pipe and motor up. I didnt even have the first pipe disconnected yet. Down went everything including 3 wires that must have been about 4 or 6 gage. (very thick).

I acquired an old digger derrick truck that I have been using to attempt to pull it up. it is 300' down to the top of the tangled wire mess. i cant get to the drop pipe because the wire is in the way. what kind of tool is best to pull wire out of the way using steel cable? 2023-04-22 by wire in the way

Reply:

@wire in the way,

Can we send a well inspection camera down first?

I'm worried that you're facing a jam up not just heavy pipe.

Someone broke the cap on the well head and dropped a rock down

I have a well head that someone has broken the cap and dropped a rock down. The rock is not round but about 1 1/2 inches thick and about 5 to 6 inches wide and is wedged at about 50 ft. I have been told by the drilling company that drilled the hole that they cannot remove it. I’ve done some research and found that there are several tools and ways to remove items that have been dropped into a well. Is correct. 2021-11-19 by Troy farmer

Reply:

@Troy farmer,

It's often possible to retrieve objects dropped in the well using a proper grabbing device. You might use need to use a combination of a camera and a grabbing tool.

How do I get out old piping from a well used by a windmill?

We found an old well on our property we could see old boards 12 feet down.

A well driller came out with a pressurized line, blew the boards out, but was only able to get down another 10 feet.

He told me earlier that this would bust up rocks so I was wondering if it could be old piping from the windmill that used to run the old pump. If so how do I get it out?

Oh ya the wells about 70 ft deep.

I was trying to check the static water level thru the little vent screw on the top of the well casing with a 4 OZ lead fishing weight. It got stuck and then it came untied.
I'm sure the lead weight needs to come out . Any suggestions? 2020-07-16 by Joe

Reply:

Ick, retrieving a lead, therefore not-magnetic, weight in the well can't be done with a magnet on a string; you're left with small grappling hooks or claw grabbers as described in this article series; Running a camera down the well to actually see the lead weight might be helpful.

How do I grab pump wires dropped in a well

How to grab wires from 3 phase well pump. Wires are only down 10 ft but in way of grabbing pipe. 2020-07-08 by Ruben

Reply:

When your wires are only 10 ft down I would try a grappling hook on the end of a pole.

I dropped a key chain into a 4" steel casing monitoring well

Hello,

I dropped a key chain into a 4" steel casing monitoring well yesterday and iIam trying to find ways on how to retrieve it.

I have tried fishing hooks with no luck, any ideas? 2020-04-01 by EJim

Reply: first try a magnet, then a vacuum

EJ

If the keychain is steel, not nickel, you ought to be able to pull it out with a magnet, perhaps a powerful but small Alnico magnet on a strong line (so as not to lose the magnet in the well too)

I made a tool that will pull a key chain or anything else out of a water or oil well

@EJim,key chain how deep well under water ? You can rig check valve type suction use heavy duty vacuum suck it in release vacuum on pvc check closes you got chain.

Century Foundation Company that posted before we are one in the same. If interested in seeing this tool it is for sale call number or email centuryfoundationcompany@gmail.com

I have a tool I made in my machine shop that will go get ANYTHING in a water well or oil well no difference not like the stuff shown here. Drop a pipe wrench in the hole I will have it back in 5 minuets guarantee. 93sixsevenone 8 one three two 5

It will go any distance bring back anything. It will retrieve and bring it back in about 10 minutes. There is only one of theses tools in the world and I made it. I can make one for any size Id pipe. If you need one contact me. Century Foundation Company magnolia Texas is on net. 2020-06-22 by Paul

Question: lost well pipe retrieval tool itself into the well

I lost a section of pipe and a tool in my well trying to pull out what was dropped in by a previous well company. The pull line broke. Can I just leave it there? (May 31, 2016) Bill

Reply:

Ugh, Bill, I hate when that happens. I speculate that what you snagged were remains of someone's previous attempt to sound the depth of the bottom of the well. Feel better, they, too, lost their weight and hook before you came along.

I don't much like the idea of leaving debris in a well, though it may have no effect until fishing line fouls a foot valve or bits enter a pump through a well screen.

When retrieving stuff dropped into a well it's important to use a line strong enough that you don't easily break it while fishing up fallen items.

Steve: my comments and opinion above to Bill pertain to your well fishing too.

But also we'd prefer not to leave lead items in the well. I'm not sure how much two small lead weights might contribute to detectable lead in your water supply: that would depend on water chemistry, its corrosivity, the formation of a lead oxide coating on the weights themselves, and how much water movement occurs in the well.

My guess is that it'd be better to retrieve the lost weights, hook, bobber, fishing line and other debris from the well.

Leaving them until they clog the pump or foot valve might result in loss of water supply at an inconvenient time (say during Thanksgiving when you have many guests but suddenly there is no water to drink nor to flush a toilet), and pulling the pump is perhaps more costly than another attempt to fish out the fallen stuff in the well.

 

Question: dropped wedding ring into the well

I dropped my wedding ring down my well in my back yard the opening is about 6 inches across and I'm not sure how deep it is.. how can I get it out. Please help. (June 6, 2016) Shawn

Reply:

Oh hell.

It's probably possible to retrieve the ring, though it'll be some trouble. Check with your well driller to see what small-object retrieval tools they have on hand. There are two approaches:

1. A mechanical "grabber" that picks up objects from the bottom of the well

2. Vacuuming: With the pump and piping out of the way and depending on well depth, your well service company might be able to use a 2-line jet large venturi vacuuming approach to see if they can pick up and pump well bottom debris through a screen to catch your ring.

This is the most likely approach if someone local is willing to set it up for you.

Some well drillers offer this service under "well cleaning" procedures and may use a compressed air source rather than a 2-line water jet system.

3. A jet-venturi system used in oil drilling rigs and possibly some well operations can also retrieve small objects but I'd be careful about using this approach as if the bottom of your well has inches thick sediment we don't want to risk pushing the ring deeper into the sediment.

It may be necessary to pull the well piping and pump (if it's a submersible unit) to get those components out of the way.

Question: cliton formation well slip tooth stuck 1,700 feet down. Cheapest way to remove?

Have a 40 year old cliton formation well has 3" tubing as casing and a slip tooth from an 1 1/2 well head and is stuck 1,700 ft down what would be the cheapest way to remove it.

Trying to plug the well and need to get to bottom around 4,000 ft and theirs a hole in the 3" pipe any ideas or will I have to shoot it off above the slip and run tubing in and swallow the 3" with a cutter and cut it off. (July 25, 2016) Greg Myers

Reply:

Greg,

Please help me out by explaining what is a "cliton formation" well. Are you referring to a Clinton sandstone formation water well?

Other readers: Mr. Myers reference to a "slip tooth" probably refers to an anchoring mechanism for a well tool that allows for movement in directions other than straight vertical.

The most expert deep well drillers in the world come from the oil and gas fields. One of their approaches for tool jams such as the one you describe, if a grabbing tool can't remove the fallen object, is to drill through it.

If you're abandoning a well by filling it with concrete, if you can pour concrete past the broken tool you may be able to leave it in place.

Question: top threads broke off when pulling a pipe out of the well; what tool can I use to pull the pipe?

I got an old shallow well and my inner pipe is a inch and a quarter inside the case and the top three threads broke off when was trying to pull it out what kind of tool do I need to get that inner pipe out and where can I find it. (Aug 14, 2016) George

Reply:pipe spear to pull out a pipe that fell into the well

While I like a pipe spear for the situation you describe, most of the well pipe grabbers described in the article above or a home-made version of one of them ought to work; to save time and trouble give your local well drilling contractor a call as they probably have several of these tools at hand plus the lift or winch needed.

Question: removing a pipe with a packed ring at the bottom of the well

Process for removing a pipe with a packed ring at the bottom. (Oct 16, 2015) Terry said:

Reply: try a pipe grabber

The well retrieval tool set includes pipe grabbers. It may take some care not to snag the pipe on an angle when pulling it up the casing, or it may be necessary to remove the existing well pipe(s) and pump to clear passage for fallen items.

Question: OK to leave a dropped submersible pump in a well?

Pls is it advisable to leave a dropped submersible pump in a well and go ahead to install another pump? - (Dec 21, 2015) Akomeno Oteri

Just had the last 22' of galvanized pipe plus the submersible pump break loose and fall approximately 275' into a 6" well. - (Mar 28, 2016) James Macintosh

This will be nearly impossible to retrieve. Can the pump and remaining pipe be left in the well and the new pump and plastic pipe be installed at a lesser distance?

Reply:

Akomeno

You can leave the old pump in the well but at a cost of having perhaps to leave the new pump a bit higher in the column of water - the static head - in the well. If that means the draw-down water volume is significantly lowered that's a concern.

Figure you're giving up less than 36" of accessible water column.

Watch out: A longer term issue might be rust and corrosion or even toxic oil that could poison the water if the pump deteriorates and leaks into the well - not so likely as modern submersible well pumps are designed to be submerged.

In sum I'd prefer to remove the old pump but if there's plenty of water in the water column, that is if there is a high static head in the well, you can probably leave it at the bottom.

See WELL DYNAMIC HEAD & STATIC HEAD DEFINITION

James:

Yes, though the import of that change depends not just on well depth but also on the static head of water - its height in the well. I'd not give up on retrieving a dropped pipe if there are well professionals in your area.

Akomeno Oteri said:

Thank You for your answer to my question on Dropped pump in a borehole. My mid is at rest and I appreciate.

Question: dropping fishing line, weights, well depth sounding string into the well: ok to leave it there?

I was using the "fishing line with a bobber" method to check the water depth of my well. While checking to see if the line was slacked yet i noticed there was even more tension on the line then probably should be. imagine my surprise to find the line had snagged. I had two small rounded lead weights, and a small bobber on the end of the line, I tried to use small items to prevent this.

I worked the line for a few minutes trying to free it.

My efforts were rewarded by the snap of the line...So i now have 100+ ft of fishing line, two small lead weights, and a small bobber kicking around in my well.

To my question, do i really need to worry about this thing?

Like is it worth my time and efforts to pull the pump and try to retrieve this thing, or just wait and see if the line tangles up in my pump? I ran the pump for about an hour earlier (I figured if it was going to fail it may as well do it while i was emotionally prepared to pull and replace it) and it didnt seem to have any issues. Anyone have any thoughts? (May 20, 2016) steve said:

Bill's Suggestion: barbed fish hooks pulled up a plastic pipe

Had good luck retrieving a substantial section of water-filled plastic pipe with foot valve from a 117-foot drilled well.

Bought the largest 3-barbed fish-hooks I could find. Rigged a weight on a thin 120-foot rope and jigged for the pipe (as my Newfoundland ancestors jigged for cod back in the day).

Had hoped to go right to the bottom of the well and catch the foot valve-- but that's not what happened. On the second attempt, up came the pipe-- with a hook snagged on a small stainless steel pipe clamp right at the top. The whole operation took about ten minutes, but it involved a lot of luck-- and maybe some genetic jigging skill. - May 25, 2016 Bill said:

Reply by mod:

Ugh, Bill, I hate when that happens. I speculate that what you snagged were remains of someone's previous attempt to sound the depth of the bottom of the well. Feel better, they, too, lost their weight and hook before you came along.

I don't much like the idea of leaving debris in a well, though it may have no effect until fishing line fouls a foot valve or bits enter a pump through a well screen.

When retrieving stuff dropped into a well it's important to use a line strong enough that you don't easily break it while fishing up fallen items.

Steve: my comments and opinion above to Bill pertain to your well fishing too. But also we'd prefer not to leave lead items in the well. I'm not sure how much two small lead weights might contribute to detectable lead in your water supply: that would depend on water chemistry, its corrosivity, the formation of a lead oxide coating on the weights themselves, and how much water movement occurs in the well.

My guess is that it'd be better to retrieve the lost weights, hook, bobber, fishing line and other debris from the well.

Leaving them until they clog the pump or foot valve might result in loss of water supply at an inconvenient time (say during Thanksgiving when you have many guests but suddenly there is no water to drink nor to flush a toilet), and pulling the pump is perhaps more costly than another attempt to fish out the fallen stuff in the well.

Pump stuck down a well

l have a pump stuck down a well. l think it may be 30 metres or so down now. the rope had fallen down and is now stuck down the sides of the pomp stopping it from coming up any more. 60 metres has been pulled out but wont budge now. 2017-09-23 by georgina roebuck

Reply:

Probably your best bet is to contact local well driller who has a tripod and winch and cable and a variety of grabbing tools to try.

Generally you'll be able to snag the rope and pump and pull them up or occasionally have to push them down and loosen them and then pull them up using a cable strong enough that you're not going to break and drop stuff back into the well. when you've cleared the well you may need to inspect the casing for damage.

 

We dropped the pump, pipes, wires into the bottom of the well

While replacing my 1.5 hp well pump, we added 17 ft of inch and an half water line. this brought it too close to the bottom, pumping mud. while pulling it back out , it got hung up . we set up a scaffolding and began pulling with a come along . this caused the line to come apart where we coupled it together . also breaking the rope and wires .

this jarring broke the stuck pump free and it dropped to the bottom of the well . it is roughly 40 ft down. how can i get this 140 ft of line,wire, and my brand new $850 pump out? 2017-08-12 by stu

Reply:

Shoot, I hate when that happens, but you'll feel better to know it happens often enough that there's a whole industry of tools and people using them to pull out stuff dropped into a well. There are a bunch of grabbing tools described on this page.

If you're not experienced with grabbing and retrieving pipes and wires and pumps, I'd call around to some of the older well drillers in the area to see what they have that's close to you.

Often washers, grappling hooks, etc. can grab a dropped wire. But take care pulling that you don't force a jam worse than before. Pull slowly and on resistance try backing off, dropping down a bit, jiggling, and pulling again.

I'd also want to take a look at the well casing once the well has been cleared, since damage can not only foul the water but also contribute to snags again.

 

Long plastic pipe has been dropped into my bore well

A 40 feet long plastic pipe has been dropped into my bore well... How to get it out.. plz help... My Mob No. 9124364678.. If someone is pulling things from bore well professionally, then I will pay for this. Someone please respond. 2017-07-01 by Aswini Kumar Swain

Reply:

Aswini

Some of the retrieval tools described in WELL RETRIEVAL TOOLS are specifically useful for grabbing a pipe that has fallen into the well.

Your choices are to rent, buy, or make one of those tools that fits into or over the end of the fallen pipe to retrieve it, or to hire a local well drilling company who can do that for you.

Pipe stuck down in irrigation well

Hi thanks for this info. I think I found the source of a problem I was having with my irrigation well. I stumbled on the fact that there is a pipe down in there. Not sure what it is attached to. Until this week everyone told me my well was about 22 feet deep. But then I stuck a 2" PCV down 30 feet into my 22 foot well.

Here is a video that explains it. [QUOTE=Valveman;91792] Yeah looks like steel pipe.

Probably a sub or a packer stuck down there. Most likely just need to move over and drill a new well. [/QUOTE]

I was afraid of that. It's pretty expensive down here. One quote was $4000. If I could just get my intake down 10 feet more if might solve my issue. Are there ways a well contractor can pull this thing out?

I spoke with one here and they said that in my area it has to be a 2 inch well. Pretty much said there's no record in the local government for any permit for a bigger well casing and the fact that now there's a surface pump.

But the casing looks bigger than the 2 inch pipe I stuck down there 3-4 inches maybe... here's another vid I made that explains it better and shows the casing and my pipe.

https://youtu.be/7Loxyr6BkAg 2017-06-05 by Dbeaty

Reply:

DB

Sure, there are well retrieval tools described in the article WELL RETRIEVAL TOOLS.

My best results in getting troublesome stuff out of a well when I called a local well driller who was familiar with well retrieval tools and had some of their own. There are also rental tools - depending on where you live - that can grind up or pull out of wells stuff dropped into or stuck in the well.

Question: plastic pipe fell down into the well

(Aug 13, 2014) Anonymous said:

I have a 2" black Plastic pipe attached to an old well pump.

I tried to remove the pipe and pump to replace it, however, the pipe cap slipped off the pipe, and the pipe and pump fell into the well. The pipe is approximately 50' down, and leaning against the 6" galvanized pipe. How in the world can I retrieve the pipe and pump?

I have read a few threads, but it doesn't seem like there is anything I can just go to the local Tractor Supply and buy. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Reply:

Most well drillers have a collection of grabbing tools to retrieve a fallen pipe or pump - it's worth making those calls.

See WELL RETRIEVAL TOOLS for a description of common well retrieval tools & equipment.

Question: pipe is stuck in the well, we want to cut it off

(Aug 22, 2014) Penny said:
We have a well pump with pipe still attached stuck inside the well. If we can cut the pipe down inside the well we can remove the old pipe and put the new pump in. If there such a tool? How would you make one. Thank you, Penny

Reply:

Penny, in the oil and gas industry experts use chemical cutters (bromine trifluoride) to separate free from jammed pipe sections to enable pipe retrieval from a well, or jet cutters using a circular-shaped charge in very deep wells (much deeper than water wells).

Other well pipe cutting tools include an RCT or radial cutting torch that is actually a ring of metals that ignite to burn through the well pipe, or a DCST - drill collar severing tool, also an explosive charge. These are not appropriate for water wells.

I'm not clear on how cutting off the upper end of the old pipe and leaving the rest in a water-well is anything but trouble; the remaining pipe is likely to prevent dropping the new pump and pipe down to a sufficient depth in the well.

You'll want to free the stuck pipe, possibly simply by manipulating it with a well pipe grabber tool, then retrieve it from the well.

Bottom line, sorry I can't offer smarter help than to say your best bet for fastest repair is to ask for help from a local well driller with some experience (and equipment).

Question: dropped a plastic cap into the well - is this a problem?

(Oct 19, 2014) Jocelyn said:
I dropped a plastic cap down the well today. Is this a major problem? I'm contacting the well people tomorrow.

Reply: probably not

Jocelyin if the cap is small enough to fall past the pump most likely it's not going to cause harm.