In my years of working with wireline logging and cased hole well services, I have seen firsthand how a small failure can turn into a costly mistake. Recently, we encountered a problem with setting tool parts that were not manufactured by the original tool supplier.
Over the last 60 days, two rupture disc retaining nuts backed out of Baker setting tools. This seemingly minor issue resulted in the need for a fishing wire line job on coiled tubing, leading to over $60,000 in costs. The root cause? The retainer nuts were made by a third-party supplier with no engineering standards or quality control.
It became clear that saving a few hundred dollars on replacement parts wasn’t worth the financial risk and operational downtime it caused.
Best Practices for Setting Tool Procurement
To ensure safety, reliability, and wireline perforating efficiency, we’ve decided to standardize our approach to setting tool procurement. Here’s what I recommend:
- Stick to Approved Suppliers – We now source setting tools only from Owen and Baker. These vendors meet industry standards, ensuring the parts are manufactured correctly.
- Remove Third-Party Parts from Circulation – Any setting tool or replacement part that doesn’t come from the original manufacturer is now out of service. This prevents unexpected failures in wireline services oil and gas operations.
- Cost vs. Risk Analysis – While non-standard parts may save money initially, the financial burden of a fishing job, downhole pipe recovery, or lost perforation well time outweighs any savings.
- Preventative Maintenance & Inspections – Regular wireline serviceability inspections can catch potential failures before they occur, keeping wireline well logging operations running smoothly.
The Impact on Wireline Companies
For wireline service providers, choosing the right setting tool vendor is crucial. Using non-standard parts can lead to:
- Unexpected setting tool failures in perforating services
- Increased costs due to unexpected wireline pressure control equipment issues
- Downhole tool malfunctions, risking the integrity of cased hole logging
- Pipe recovery operations, further delaying cased hole wireline jobs
By sticking to proven vendors, wireline companies can ensure well integrity, optimize operations, and improve safety.
Key Takeaways
- Only purchase setting tools and replacement parts from trusted manufacturers to maintain safety and efficiency in wireline and perforating jobs.
- Avoid non-standard parts to prevent costly failures in wireline well logging and formation evaluation.
- Prioritize quality over cost savings when choosing wireline equipment to avoid unnecessary expenses on wireline services oil and gas fishing jobs.
- Routine maintenance and inspections are key to identifying wireline control systems issues before they escalate.
The lesson is clear: When it comes to setting tools, cutting corners isn’t worth the risk. Stick with quality, ensure well perforation reliability, and keep operations running safely.