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Glite Dictionary
🧵 A signal cable 🔌 Using cables ⛽ A tool cable
wireline

wireline

8.1
A thin cable used to lower tools into an oil or gas well and the work done with it
  • noun
  • /ˈwaɪərˌlaɪn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : cable de descenso
  • The engineer explained how the wireline allows tools to be lowered deep into the oil well.

Examples

  • One guy who worked wireline said he expected to make $300,000 this year.

    Blog text (30)

  • I'm building offshore slickline boxes and repairing wireline units.

    Blog text (28)

  • During the operation, they relied on the wireline to send data from the sensor installed at the bottom of the well.

  • After completing the wireline job, they retrieved the instruments used to measure the pressure in the gas well.

Synonyms

line
vswireline
∞ 1.1

A long thin rope or wire used to carry things

is the thin specialised rope used to lower instruments into wells
cable
vswireline
  • Specialized
282 2.4

A thick strong wire that carries electricity or signals

is thin and used to lower instruments into wells rather than to carry power

Surface Forms

wireline singular
wirelines plural

Morphology

wireline = wire + line (transparent) = wire + line

Though used in a specialized technical context (oil/gas operations), the term still denotes a line made of wire and is inferable from its components.

Etymology

Wireline is built from wire ('thin metal thread') and line ('long rope or cable'), giving the image of a thin metal rope you can lower into a hole. That's why in oil and gas work a wireline is a thin cable used to lower tools or sensors down the well and do work there.