There’s a sinking feeling you get when the logging cable goes tight and doesn’t bounce back. When you realize the wireline truck isn’t moving the string an inch. When it’s not a plug, not a gun, not a debris problem—but a mechanical failure built into your own toolstring.

That’s exactly what happened to us on a pump down perforating run where we differentially stuck a Baker setting sleeve—and ended up crushing it mid-run.

It wasn’t obvious at first. The toolstring went in just fine. We had clean tension, the wireline control systems were showing solid reads, and the plug fired as expected. But the trouble started on pullout. The string snagged, tension spiked, and the line went rigid.

We backed off, worked the string, and eventually worked it free. But when we got the tools topside, we saw the damage clear as day. The unvented Baker sleeve had collapsed into an oval. It looked like it had been cranked down with a hydraulic press.

That job rewrote our standard procedure for plug setting operations and taught us the value of running vented sleeves—especially in high-pressure wells with fluid movement.

What Went Wrong – Pressure Differential in Action

Here’s the issue: during pumping operations, pressure builds up outside the sleeve. If the sleeve is unvented, the internal pressure stays at well hydrostatic while the external pressure increases rapidly from pump-down activity.

That difference—internal vs. external pressure—compresses the sleeve, especially if it’s built with thinner walls like many standard models. The sleeve warps. The OD increases. And just like that, your wireline tools are no longer slick enough to come out smoothly.

This creates all the ingredients for:

• Differential sticking on the plug

• Collapsed sleeves that deform toolstring geometry

• Full-on fishing wire line operations if the string locks up downhole

We were lucky we didn’t lose the entire gunstring. But others haven’t been so lucky—and this scenario has resulted in full pipe recovery jobs in the past.

The Fix: Always Run Vented Setting Sleeves on Pump Down

After this misrun, we changed how we build strings for cased hole wireline work, especially on horizontal wells and perforation wells where pump down perforating is routine.

Here’s the current standard operating procedure we follow:

Pump Down Firing Head and Plug Setting SOP

1. Use Only Vented Setting Sleeves for All Pump-Down Runs

• The vent allows pressure to equalize inside and outside the sleeve.

• This eliminates collapse risk during wireline and perforating jobs.

2. Identify Sleeve Type During String Build

• Vented sleeves should be tagged with red or yellow indicators.

• Confirm wall thickness and vent hole integrity.

3. Double Check Sleeve Type in Job Sheet Review

• Engineers and operators must confirm sleeve selection during morning rig-up checks.

• All sleeves must be logged in the gunstring diagram.

4. Avoid Thin-Wall Sleeves in High-Pressure Wells

• If vented sleeves aren’t available, run thicker-walled sleeves like Magnum-type tools.

• Never substitute unvented sleeves for speed or convenience.

Why This Matters in the Wireline Services Market

In the competitive world of wireline services oil and gas, the difference between a smooth operation and a full-on downhole pipe recovery job is often just a single component.

Using the wrong sleeve may:

• Lead to string deformation

• Complicate wireline well logging runs

• Trigger misfires in perforating systems

• Create retrieval issues in cased hole well services

Today’s clients expect more than just successful perforation services—they expect proactive prevention. Running the right hardware is one of the few things we can always control.

Bringing This Into Wireline Courses and Crew Training

We’ve now added this scenario to every wireline course we teach. Crews learn:

• How to identify sleeve types by material, color, and thread

• How pressure differentials affect tool components

• What happens when sleeves collapse mid-run

• How to adjust toolstrings for formation evaluation, cement bond log, and other cased hole logging operations

Trainees also get hands-on practice comparing vented and unvented sleeves using cutaways and failed components from real field runs.

The Cost of Overlooking the Small Stuff

Most wireline failures don’t come from explosive damage or dramatic events. They come from mismatched sleeves, skipped checks, and assumptions that something “should be fine.”

That’s why, in our operation, sleeve verification is non-negotiable. From wireline techs to engineers, everyone owns the integrity of the string.

This practice now applies to:

• Perforating gun assemblies

• Wireline perforating gun toolstrings

• Plug and abandon operations

• Even production logging services with high-tool-count strings

If the sleeve isn’t vented, it doesn’t go in the hole. Period.

Final Thoughts – Pressure Doesn’t Forgive

In wireline, everything looks fine—until it isn’t. The moment we allow pressure differentials to go unchecked, we risk losing everything we built into the job. Tools. Time. Trust.

So if you’re managing a wireline company, building strings for cased hole logging, or just trying to scale up in the wireline services market, remember: the right sleeve makes all the difference.