Universal Wireline Standoff

Abstract

A wireline standoff that may ameliorate the effects of wireline cable differential sticking, wireline cable key seating, and high cable drags by reducing or eliminating contact of the wireline cable with the borehole wall during the logging operation. An embodiment includes a wireline standoff. The wireline standoff may comprise a pair of opposing assemblies. The opposing assemblies may each comprise a half shell, a cable insert configured to be disposed in the half shell, and external fins coupled to the half shell. The wireline standoff may further comprise one or more fasteners configured to couple the opposing assemblies to one another.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wireline assembly, comprising:
 a wireline cable;   a logging tool-string;   a jar; and   one or more wireline standoffs located on the wireline cable above the jar, wherein each of the one or more wireline standoffs comprises a cable insert disposed between a pair of opposing assemblies, and wherein the cable insert comprises an anti-rotation spigot, and further wherein the cable insert comprises aluminum or silicon bronze, depending on well fluid and corrosive properties.   
     
     
         2 . The wireline assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the jar is configured to fire as a result of a firing tension applied to the wireline cable, and wherein a cable drag imparted to the wireline cable increases the firing tension and reduces a jar hammer impact velocity and a resulting impulse. 
     
     
         3 . The wireline assembly of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the one or more wireline standoffs are located on the wireline cable at a distance from the jar which reduces the cable drag. 
     
     
         4 . The wireline assembly of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the one or more wireline standoffs are located on the wireline cable at a distance from the jar which prevents key-seating of the wireline assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The wireline assembly of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the one or more wireline standoffs are located on the wireline cable at a distance from the jar which prevents differential sticking of the wireline assembly. 
     
     
         6 . A method of reducing cable friction above a jar of a wireline assembly, comprising:
 providing a wireline assembly comprising a wireline cable and a jar;   securing one or more wireline standoffs to the wireline cable above the jar, wherein each of the one or more wireline standoffs comprises a cable insert disposed between a pair of opposing assemblies, and wherein the cable insert comprises an anti-rotation spigot, and further wherein the cable insert comprises silicon bronze;   conveying the wireline assembly into a borehole; and   reducing a cable friction caused by the wireline cable contacting a wall of the borehole,
 wherein the reducing results from the one or more wireline standoffs lowering an area of contact between the wireline cable and the wall of the borehole. 
   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising firing the jar by increasing a tension applied to the wireline cable. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising re-cocking the jar by decreasing a tension applied to the wireline cable. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising attenuating a tension applied to the wireline cable. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising preventing key-seating of the wireline assembly. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising preventing differential sticking of the wireline assembly. 
     
     
         12 . A method of assembling a wireline assembly, comprising:
 a. disposing a wireline assembly comprising a wireline cable and a jar into a borehole;   b. placing two parts of a cable insert around the wireline cable at a location above the jar, wherein the cable insert comprises an anti-rotation spigot, and wherein the cable insert comprises silicon bronze;   c. securing the two parts of the cable insert to each other;   d. placing a pair of opposing assemblies around the cable insert;   e. securing the pair of opposing assemblies to each other; and   f. repeating steps (b) through (f) at a different location on the wireline cable above the jar.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the location is selected in order to reduce a friction caused by the wireline cable contacting a wall of the borehole resulting in a lower surface cable tension when logging up out of the borehole and a higher surface cable tension when logging down in the borehole. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the location is selected in order to prevent key-seating of the wireline assembly. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the location is selected in order to prevent differential sticking of the wireline assembly. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the location reduces a tension applied to the wireline cable which causes the jar to fire.