NOV MHH-3 mousehole hoist
What it does
The mousehole is the hole in the rig floor, off to the side of the rotary, where the next joint stands. The MHH-3 lifts that joint high enough to stab it into the string hanging in the elevators. It is a small hoist for one joint, not a catwalk and not a drawworks.
Which rig it fits
It fits a rig floor that still uses a mousehole. A public load rating, wire size, and lift height were not in the NOV sheets used for the other machines here. Do not read a capacity into the “3.” The hoist has to be rated for the heaviest joint that will go through that mousehole, including heavy-weight drill pipe and collars if those are stabbed there.
How to tell it apart
A PipeCat brings pipe from the rack. An STV guides stands at the fingerboard. The mousehole hoist only handles the joint already in the mousehole. The three machines show up together on a mechanized floor, and none of them replaces the others.
What to check before you buy
Read the rated load and the wire size on the hoist, and confirm the sheaves and the controls are in the sale. A hoist rated for drill pipe is not automatically rated for collars. Ask for the API certificate rather than inferring one from the model.
Sellers list what they have, so this exact model is not always up. Pipe Handling & Rig Floor Tools is where that kind of equipment is listed.
Ratings that matter
| Role | Lifts one joint from the mousehole for stabbing |
|---|---|
| Location | Rig floor, at the mousehole |
| Capacity | Nameplate and API certificate; not inferred from the model suffix |
Compare with
Sources
Catalog ratings are for the published configuration. A used machine can differ by year, upgrade, and nameplate. 9LINE does not inspect equipment or take part in the sale.