Field Ops

Wireline Cable Pull Tests and Downhole Tension Records

Before a toolstring enters the hole, the crew records a cable pull test. That test is not ceremonial. It is a controlled tension check that compares the cable load to the weakest point in the downhole assembly and the rated breaking strength of the cable. The result tells the operator whether the run can start and what the cable should read at depth.

What the record should show

A good cable pull test record includes the cable size, the weakest point in the string, the measured tension, the free point indicator reading and the name of the person who witnessed the test. Some wireline programs also record brake drag and the number of wraps on the drawworks drum. Those details become useful when a stuck tool is analyzed later.

Weak point notes

The weakest point is often a fishing neck, a packer or a perforating gun. When that number is documented before the run, the crew has an objective standard for tension alarms. If the line pulls to a known weak point before the tool reaches bottom, the operator can stop instead of pulling through hardware.

Documentation and the field ticket

OpsFlo can capture wireline run tickets and cable pull test logs in a structured record that keeps the tension reading, weak point and witness attached to the well and date. When a post-run review or an incident investigation needs the pre-run numbers, they are in one place instead of a handwritten tally sheet.

Keeping those records in one system makes https://opsflo.app/ workflows easier to search after an audit, with wireline run tickets and cable pull test logs attached.

Sources and further reading

• API RP 54: Occupational safety for oil and gas well drilling
• API RP 49: Wireline operations
• OSHA 1910.176: Handling materials
• API RP 2009: Wireline operations safety