Not every day in the field is a breeze. Some days are high stakes—especially when you’re dealing with perforating guns, downhole tools, and the kind of wireline services that don’t allow for second chances. This story takes me back to a rig in the middle of nowhere, deep in the cased hole logging world, where a small decision could have led to a major setback.
We were prepping for a standard wireline and perforating job—a typical sequence involving plug setting and a perforation well stage. My wireline unit was rigged up, pressure control equipment in place, wireline tools ready, and the logging cable freshly re-headed. Everything was running smooth, until I reached for the gun string.
That day, the guns were shipped pre-assembled. Not unusual—our shop team had done an excellent job with gun assembly back home. But here’s where things got tricky. I noticed that the bottom gun had been shipped armed. That raised an immediate red flag.
The SOP had been clear—bottom guns must always be unarmed during transport. Especially when working with wireline perforating guns, every detail matters. The spring-loaded contact in the plug shoot adapter, the wiring, the interrupter—all of it plays a role in safe well perforation. The DOT exemption requirements are there for a reason. And I was staring at a potential safety hazard in real time.
In the world of oilfield wireline, safety isn’t optional. I knew what had to be done. I stopped the job, isolated the gun, and rechecked the configuration. That copper 8-gauge multi-strand interrupter wire wasn’t properly in place. A mistake like this, if unnoticed, could’ve caused a premature detonation—or worse.
This is the reality of working in wireline services oil and gas environments. Whether you’re managing horizontal wireline jobs or traditional cased hole wireline, the margin for error is razor thin. That day taught me the value of strict adherence to standard operating procedures and the importance of knowing your wireline equipment inside and out.
It’s one reason I started building wireline-related apps and launching wireline courses—to help new and seasoned engineers understand these processes at a deeper level. Gun loading procedures, understanding plug shoot adapters, maintaining integrity wireline operations—these aren’t just checkboxes. They are what keep us safe and successful out in the field.
I always emphasize in my wireline well logging courses: if you’re working with wireline perforating systems, it’s not just about plugging in a detonator and firing a perf gun. It’s about verifying your wireline control systems, confirming your interrupter is functional, inspecting your downhole tools, and ensuring compliance with all transport and safety guidelines.
The cased hole logging service market is evolving fast. With more wireline service providers entering the field, standards must remain high. Our role as wireline engineers is not just operational—it’s educational. We teach by example, and we learn from every mistake caught before it happens.
That day, I avoided what could’ve been a serious wireline perforating incident. I leaned into the training, leaned on the SOP, and leaned into the responsibility that comes with the wireline business. From wireline tech in the shop to the engineer on location, our workflow depends on complete wireline solutions—done right.
If you’re new to the field, or even if you’ve been around a while, take the time to revisit the basics. Know your wireline truck. Review your gun string. Understand your plug shoot adapters. And most importantly—ask questions, follow procedures, and never assume everything’s ready just because it looks that way.
We don’t just run wireline—we build the future of it.