Why Explosive Safety Isn’t a Checklist—It’s a Mindset

Posted on by Crissa Fel Tawadan

You can tell a lot about a wireline crew by how they handle explosives—not when everything’s going right, but when the pace picks up, the client is breathing down your neck, and you’re five stages deep into a pump down perforating job.

I remember one particular perforation well out in West Texas. Wind kicking up, clouds starting to roll in, and a tight frac schedule hanging over our heads. The job had already seen multiple tool swaps, and we were fighting the clock.

It would’ve been easy to rush.

Instead, we stopped. Held a safety meeting. Ran through the full explosive safety checklist—line by line. The crew knew it wasn’t just paperwork. It was what stood between a smooth run and a preventable incident.

That decision saved the job.

What the Explosive Safety Checklist Covers

Whether you’re new to wireline services or deep into the wireline oilfield, here’s what that checklist covers and why it matters.

Before Ballistic Operations Start:

  • Grounding clamps are checked and installed between wellhead and structure
  • Warning signs posted around the wellsite
  • Stray voltage tests under 250 millivolts
  • Wireline truck meters are checked for insulation and continuity
  • Radio silence enforced
  • No welding within 1,000 feet
  • No thunderstorms or dust storms nearby

General Explosive Handling:

  • Detonators stay in the magazine until they’re needed
  • Electrical checks are done with approved blaster meters
  • Detonators always placed in safety tubes prior to arming

Arming the Device:

  • Power panels turned off
  • Safety key removed and kept outside the unit
  • Gun area cleared of all nonessential personnel
  • Voltage check done on the “hot” wire
  • Only approved crimpers and cutters used
  • “Electrical Before Ballistical” (EBBA) always followed

Removing Explosive Devices:

  • Assume the device didn’t detonate
  • Hold safety meeting again at 200 ft
  • Re-enforce radio silence
  • Carefully disconnect detonators—ballistically before electrically
  • Check for trapped pressure in perforating guns

Why This Matters in Real Jobs

I’ve worked with crews that skipped steps—and paid the price. Misfires. Lost tools. Even close calls with fishing wire line when explosive devices didn’t fire cleanly.

The cased hole logging service market is competitive. Clients want fast, flawless execution. But speed means nothing if safety isn’t locked in.

Using the checklist helps prevent:

  • Tool damage
  • Personnel injury
  • Lost stages
  • Downhole pipe recovery operations
  • Wireline gun failures
  • Unplanned NPT (Non-Productive Time)

And most importantly, it reinforces a culture where every crew member knows their role in staying safe and effective.

What I Tell Every Wireline Tech in Training

If you’re working through wireline courses, building your experience, or learning to handle perforating systems, remember:

  • Always treat explosive devices as live, even if they’re supposed to be inert
  • Never rush through an arming process
  • Never assume a device has fired unless verified
  • If you can’t complete every step of the checklist—stop the job and call management
  • The safety key stays out until the explosive device is more than 250 feet below surface

Field-Proven, Not Just Theory

This checklist isn’t theory. It’s built from years of job site experience, engineered to keep you alive and keep the job running. Whether you’re doing wireline and perforating, well integrity, or a full production logging run, explosives require respect, process, and planning.