The recent breakthrough developments of polymer-filled armor cables with crush-free electrical cores, effectively eliminate inherent limitations of wireline logging cables. These novel cables deployed with a complete high-tension conveyance package have effectively reduced deepwater-wireline tool sticking occurrences and the subsequent lengthy fishing operations in emerging Deepwater and depleting reservoirs.

Unique composite polymer technology locks the normally unbound cable armors to the core. Further Coldflow and crush resistant protection is added to the cable core itself. The result is a mechanically rigid, torque-balanced and crush-free wireline cable that effectively eliminates known issues with core codlflow, cable rotation & plastic stretch, armor stranding & bird-caging, while enabling high-tension spooling on a drum without the use of tension relief system (Capstan). With spooling tensions up to 13,000 lbf, instantaneous pulls of 18,000 lbf and a safety margin of 9,000 lbf, the complete high tension package offers tool sticking mitigation capabilities only possible previously with a Capstan package. Additional benefits include but not limited to fully seasoned new cable and reduced frequency of cable maintenance. Furthermore, the elimination of the dual drum Capstan eliminates significant operational risk.

TuffLINE 18000 – a composite cable was deployed successfully without Capstan in Deepwater Australia for an operation including formation pressure and sampling in a reservoir with a high tool sticking potential. In a particularly challenging situation in the Mediterranean where Capstan could not be deployed, TuffLINE 18000 was used in 5 descents resulting in 96 hrs of rig time savings while reducing HSE and operational risk.

With the proven financial and HSE benefits, polymer filled composite wireline cables and the high-tension conveyance package reduce wireline tool sticking risk.