Operator recovers broken e-line cable to surface

An operator used a fit-for-purpose heavy-duty wireline retrieval system to recover a broken e-line cable to surface. The successful operation avoided the need for coiled tubing, saving time and costs.

While running in hole with a 2 7/8-in perforation gun on an encapsulated electric-line (e-line) cable, higher than normal pickup weights were noticed at 1,350 ft. This resulted in tension loss and the wire parting at the surface on the upper sheave. Further investigation showed that the retention pin had been installed incorrectly on the upper sheave, causing the cable to run over the pin. This damaged the encapsulation and armors of the e-line cable, resulting in the cable parting. There was a likelihood of further damage to the cable encapsulation from pickup weights taken at shallower depths before the cable parted.

The operator planned to retrieve the fish and 1,270 ft of the 0.350-in e-line cable. A barge was mobilized for the fishing operation to accommodate the potential recovery of the 135-ft BHA fish to surface. If unsuccessful in recovering the fish with wireline, the contingency was coiled tubing fishing. Coiled tubing would potentially lead to a longer fishing operation due to the complex trip rig up and the trip time required.

A comprehensive system integration test was performed utilizing a 7-in wireline retrieval system to ensure that it could bait onto the e-line cable. The wireline retrieval system consists of a combination of interchangeable tool components used for locating and recovering parted e-line. The system incorporates a unique design feature that allows the slotted sleeve to be adjusted to any chosen diameter to suit a range of nominal tubing internal diameter and nipple dimensions.

A plan to recover the e-line cable with 7/16-in Dyform wire and 2 11/16-in ultraheavy-duty toolstring was put into place in case the toolstring was stuck. It would require a larger overpull without tripping the power jars to free it. Several contingencies were planned and in place had this event occurred.

The toolstring and BHA were reconfigured and set to work the wireline retrieval system downhole past a gap at the top of the 7-in liner, maintaining the largest OD possible to prevent the fish cable from passing behind the retrieval BHA. Afterward, the e-line cable was successfully tagged and baited into the wire grab. Pressure control equipment, a slickline unit, surface equipment, slickline crews, fishing toolstrings, BHAs, and fishing specialists further enabled a successful operation. The dediciated specialists were a mobile-ready team with experience in key components and device engineering solutions for heavy-duty fishing projects.

The e-line cable was successfully recovered to surface, where it was back-fed through the dual packoff and to the unit. However, the cable had parted at the toolstring cable head, leaving the upper and lower toolstring in the hole. The tubing and liner were drifted, and the top of the fish was tagged at 77 ft below the bottom perforation with a 5.5-in lead impression block (LIB). The LIB confirmed that the cable head was clean and all the e-line cable had been recovered. This enabled the perforation and stimulation program to proceed.