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SLICKLINE CONNECT
Fishing
Locate TOW and Fish Wire

When fishing wire there are two critical factors in relation to the top of the wire. The first is performing the
calculation to estimate it’s position, and second, running the correct tool and locating the top of wire and in
turn making a small nest of wire to facilitate the recovery of the wire.

In this example the wire has broken with the tool string in the well, it’s determined that the tool is free resting
on a crossover, having dropped a number of meters after the wire parted.

A drift was run using 0.125” wire in 3-1/2” tubing, the wire broke with the counter reading 9500ft, the tool
string is sitting on a xover at 10,000ft

Calculating the TOW using the following equation: -

TOW = (D - (C + d - t))+ ((C + d – t) x f) + H

1000

T = estimated top of wire

f = wire fall factor for wire / tubing size
D = depth of tool string, when the wire broke
d = distance from the counter to the zero point
H = distance tool string dropped in the well
C = counter reading end of wire spooled back on surface
t = tool string length

d = distance counter to zero point

f = 14ft / 1000ft
d=a+b+c
D = 9500ft a = counter to lower sheave
d = 124ft b = lower sheave to stuffing box
H = 50ft c = stuffing box to zero point
C = 4450ft
t = 20ft (jars closed)

1) How much wire is in the well = (c + d – t) = (4450 + 124 – 20) = 4554ft

2) How deep was the wire break = (9500 – 4554) = 4946ft

3) What is the total wire fallback = (14 x 4.554) = 64ft

4) Where is the ESTIMATED top of the wire = TOW = (4946 + 64 + 50) = 5060ft

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Locating the Top of the Wire (TOW)

The type of wireline finder used is dependent on the type of completion and where the
estimated TOW is in relation to the completion jewelry
The tool run is used locate and ball-up the top of the wire to create a ‘nest’
Locating the TOW is a critical task, requiring ‘a slow hand and an easy touch’ and skill and
patience
If the wire is not located on the first run, POOH and adjust the tools
If there are difficulties locating the TOW, there are alternative tools that can be run
Always run a tubular jar during wire fishing operations

Warning: Over running the TOW and going too deep into the wire can result in the wire balling up above the
tool string and wireline finder, only run a maximum 25-50ft past the estimated TOW, if the wire can’t be
located POOH and adjust the tool string and wireline finder

Tools to find the TOW: - Solid skirt wireline finder

Split skirt wireline finder
Expandable wireline finder
Wireline scratcher, wireline brush, baited scratcher
Bowen wireline finder / retriever

Wireline Finder, Solid Skirt

A solid skirt wireline finder is a one piece tool designed to locate the top of the wire and then used make a
ball or nest of the broken end of the wire.

It is very important that the size of the wireline finder is correctly selected. From this perspective tubing and
completion jewelry IDs guide the size of the finder. And, the end of the wire will always be found against the
tubing wall reinforcing the requirement for a full tubing ID finder, OD is critical.

Some examples of drift and ID for standard weight tubing:-

Tubing lbs/ft Drift size ID Difference

2 /38” 4.6 1.995” 1.901” 0.094”

2 7/8” 6.4 2.347” 2.441” 0.094”

3 1/2” 9.2 2.867” 2.992” 0.125”

4 1/2’ 12.6 3.833” 3.958” 0.125”

(Tubing drift and ID vary according to the weight of the tubing)

Caution: There will be difficulties locating the TOW when it is below a restriction in the tubing, even when
using expandable wireline finders, wireline scratchers or baited grabs, the operator must adhere to locating
the wire at the calculated depth and not feel tempted to deepen the search.

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Wireline Finder, Split Skirt

With a split skirt wireline finder the skirt has been split into a number of fingers depending on the size of the
tool. The fingers can be adjusted or bent to conform to the exact tubing ID and to run along the tubing wall.

But in some cases this may pose difficulties getting through the Xmas tree or other parts of the completion. A
split skirt wireline finder is a very effective tool for locating the TOW.

Solid Skirt WL Finder Split Skirt WL Finder Petroline Expandable

WL Finder

Expandable Split Skirt Wireline Finder

An expandable wireline finder addresses the difficulty of finding the TOW below a restriction such as a landing
nipple. The expandable wireline finder is made up of an outer housing and an inner multi-fingered wireline
finder. The housing is selected to match the nipple profile, with a no-go shoulder and dimensions to match
the nipple seal bore. The housing is pinned to the multi-fingered finder.

The expandable wireline finder is run to the target landing nipple, by jarring down the pin is sheared releasing
the multi-fingered finder and tool string to run down to the estimated TOW while the housing remains on the
landing nipple. The housing is collected by the expandable wireline finder when the tool string is pulled back
through the landing nipple.

Wireline scratcher, wireline brush, baited scratcher

Using a conventional wireline scratcher a length of Slickline wire is looped through the holes so that the
lopped wire covers the full circumference of the tubing. The wire will have to be compressed to enter the

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tubing, and possibly for the first several feet have to be jarred or tapped down until it adjusts to the tubing
size and passes freely. The advantage of a wireline scratcher used as a wireline finder is that the wire loops
are in continuous contact with the tubing wall and the likely hood of passing the TOW is reduced. Caution will
have to be taken passing though downhole jewelry, SPMs for instance.

Wireline Finder / Retriever

A wireline finder / retriever has a multi fingered skirt threaded to the body of the tool and an inner movable
mandrel with a tapered lower sub which grips the end of the wire against a corresponding taper in the tool
housing. The lower multi fingered sub are changeable to match the tubing ID. The wireline finder / retriever is
an effective tool in tubing but will require caution passing through landing nipples or other completion
jewellery as the lower skirt fingers can be easily bent or in extreme circumstances broken when attempting to
pass a restriction. The wireline finder / retriever should be run on a pulling tool.

Bowen Wireline Baited Wireline Two Prong

Finder Retriever Scratcher Wireline Grab

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As the tool is run the skirt will tend to ride up in respect of the inner mandrel and when the top of the wire is
found the wire will pass inside the lower skirt and up inside the tool housing, this will be identified by a
tension loss. On pulling up the inner mandrel moves upwards and traps the wire between the taper on the
inner mandrel and the corresponding taper in the housing.

With the wire trapped, the fish can be recovered to surface – from this point onwards the fishing string must
be kept in tension to maintain the wireline finder / retriever’s grip on the wire, any downward movement of
the tool string will allow the housing to move up and the grip on the wire to be released.

Wireline Grab / Wireline finder

Another effective wire finder and fishing combination is the wireline grab with a built in finder. The lower
wireline grab is threaded to a multi-fingered wireline finder top sub

Baited Grab
The baited grab is similar to the Wireline scratcher described above, where wire is looped around the prongs
and top sub of a conventional wireline grab. The grab should have holes drilled along the lengths of the
prongs through which the wire will be looped and firmly attached to the grab.

Baited Grab and Wireline Scratcher

There are addition tool combinations that improve the options of finding the TOW and fishing the wire in a
single run. An effective combination is the baited grab run below a wire brush. The wire brush can be
configured in a couple of ways, either with straight conventional wire barbs cut or a combination of circular
wire brushes mounted on a single mandrel. The objective is to ensure that if the end of wire passes the baited
grab it will be located by the wire brush, in either case the end of the wire can be bent into a nest for recovery

Tubular Jar
A tubular jar is always used in place of the conventional spang jar during fishing operations. There is a
possibility that the end of the wire may become tangled and jammed in a spang jar rendering it inoperable,
where as a tubular jar this is unlikely to occur.

Caution: - There is a lot of danger associated with passing the top of the wire with a wireline finder, especially
if the wire is found deeper in the well. The wire may ball up above the tool string and cause serious problems
and additional fish. If the wire is not located be prepared to pull to surface check and change the tool string.
The end of the wire could be hooked into a collar or a nipple recess and will need additional persuasion to be
caught.

Procedure for Locating TOW

1) If the wire breaks downhole during a slickline operation
Pull the end of the wire back to surface, check the counter reading when the end of the
wire is on surface
Determine if the tool string is free or stuck downhole
If it is considered free, perform the TOW calculation
2) Before starting any fishing operation, perform a risk assessment, ensure contingency planning
addresses all potential scenarios, verify all of the required equipment is on site. The pre-job
toolbox meeting should review the operation, all procedures and assign roles and responsibilities

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3) Of critical importance is the functionality of the surface equipment, specifically the WLV. The
functionality and integrity of the WLV must be verified prior to starting any fishing operations
4) Rig up as much lubricator as possible, this will make back threading steps simpler when working
with the recovered end of the wire
5) The method of locating the TOW and the tool used will depend on the preference of the
personnel involved. The tool string will include a tubular jar in place of a spang jar
6) Run the finder / tool to approximately 25’ above the estimated TOW. Check and record the
dynamic tension (pulling tension), this should be performed at a very low speed and carefully
noted
7) Run downhole at low speed observing the weight indicator very carefully. If the top of the wire is
not located after passing the estimated TOW by +/- 10ft, pull up very slowly past the estimated
TOW by +/- 10ft, constantly checking the weight indicator
8) Repeat - run in-hole at low speed observing the weight indicator very carefully. If the top of the
wire is not located after passing the estimated TOW by +/- 15ft, pull up very slowly past the
estimated TOW by +/- 5ft, constantly checking the weight indicator
9) Repeat steps 6) and 7) working down the well to NO deeper than 25-50ft below the estimated
TOW
10) If the top of the wire is not located pull out and check the tools. Consider increasing the working
diameter of the finder and run back in the well and repeat steps 6) to 8)
11) When the top of the wire is found, tension will slowly subside as the wire gradually takes the full
weight of the fishing string to the point where the jar closes. At this point it is possible to make a
nest of the wire by first tapping down and then jarring down

Caution: - It is important to only ball up only a minimum length (5-10ft) of wire, if the nest is too big there
may be difficulties pulling the wire to surface, especially passing through completion jewelry and the
Christmas tree

12) Pull out of the well with the finder and install a wireline grab in the tool string.

Wireline Grabs
After a wire nest has been created downhole a wireline grab is run to latch into the nest and fish the wire. A
wireline grab consists of a top sub with fishing neck and tool string connection pin and a number of prongs
welded to it. The number of prongs, 2, 3 or 4 depend on tubing size. Each prong will have a number of upward
facing barbs welded to it, the barbs on each prong will be offset to maximise the ability to catch the wire.

A wireline grab should always be run with a rope socket above and connected to the tool string by a jar up to
release pulling tool. This allows for a safety release if the wire cannot be recovered or if there is an issue with
the wireline grab downhole.

Procedure for Fishing Wire

1) Run the wireline grab down to above the nest of wire, check and note the dynamic tension, lower
the tool string and attempt to latch the nest, pull up slowly, checking tension and observe when
the weight of the wire is taken by the fishing string. If recovering a tool string with the wire it

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should also be possible to see when the jar on the lower tool string opens and when the full
weight of the fish is taken by the wireline grab
2) As sometimes happens the first attempt the latch the wire nest is not always successful and the
wire slips off the grab, it may therefore be necessary to work the grab into the nest by tapping
down a number of times prior to pulling up
3) When it is confirmed that the wire nest is fully latched in the grab, start to pull out of the well,
pull at a slow constant speed. Downhole restrictions will show an instantaneous tension increase
as the wire nest passes through
4) Slow down when approaching the surface, do not stop, keep puling at a slow and constant speed
5) Pull up inside the lubricator assembly and tag the stuffing box and apply the winch drum brake,
do not lower the tool string
6) Close the WLV and bleed off the lubricator assembly and perform an in-flow test

Fishing Wire Surface Procedure

1) After a successful in-flow test, disconnect the lubricator assembly at the quick union directly
above the WLV, and raise the lubricator assembly by 2ft

Note: When picking up the lubricator wire must be spooled off the unit to compensate – this is a critical steps
and requires the focus all personnel involved

2) Install a wireline clamp around the wire directly above the WLV.
3) With the wireline clamp installed, lower the wireline grab

Caution: It may be necessary to jar the wireline grab down and out of the lubricator assembly, when it come
free it will drop suddenly, no personnel should be in vicinity of the WLV during this step

4) Cut the wire as close as possible to the wireline grab, taking care to secure the cut end of the
wire, remove and lay down the fishing string
5) Lay the lubricator assembly down, shorten the assembly to one lubricator section only
6) Back feed the wire through the lubricator and stuffing box and connect the wire to the wire from
the winch
7) Pick up the lubricator and stuffing box assembly and position it above the WLV, take up sufficient
tension to enable the removal of the wireline clamp
8) Lower and reconnect the lubricator to the WLV, taking care to maintain tension on the wire to
avoid any wire slippage through the closed WLV rams
9) Equalise across and open the WLV
10) It may be necessary to move or re-position the hay pulley or remove the counter assembly to
allow the passage of the wireline know connecting the two wire ends
11) When sufficient wire has been pulled from the well it will be necessary to make up a full
lubricator assembly, required to accommodate the fish tool string
12) This will require the use of the WLV, the wireline clamp, cutting the wire, back feeding the wire
and making up a wireline knot to reconnect the two wire ends, repeat steps 19) to 26)

Caution: -After clamping the wire, make sure sufficient wire is pulled off the unit before cutting the wire, this
way repositioning the hay pulley and counter will not be required

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Note: - With reference to step 6), if there is insufficient wire above the WLV for back feeding, it will be
necessary to take steps to add more wire, which can be done by using a shortened fishing string
Make sure the maximum number of lubricators are rigged up
Shorten the fishing string to a upside down rope socket, male x male tool string connection
crossover, 3ft stem and rope socket
Make up a new ‘upside down’ rope socket and connect it to the tool string
Reconnect the lubricator
Equalise across and open the WLV
Pull up to the stuffing box and re-start the procedure from step 1) above

Caution: - Under certain circumstances it may be necessary to strip wire through the closed WLV rams, this
should only be done when there is no other alternative. Operations must then be suspended until the WLV is
redressed and retested or alternatively replaced

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