In the oil and gas industry, the term wireline usually refers to the use of cable to collect subsurface geophysical and petrochemical data. The subsurface information describes and allows for analysis of subsurface geology, reservoir properties and production characteristics. There are four basic types of wireline: multi-conductor, single conductor, slickline and braided line.

Wireline logs were first developed in 1927 and are used to measure formation properties in a well through electrical lines of wire. Various wireline tools are specially designed instruments lowered into a well bore on the end of the wireline cable. Operation may require additional equipment and methods of controlling pressure.

In the oil and gas industry, the term wireline usually refers to the use of cable, or wireline, to collect subsurface geophysical and petrochemical data. The subsurface information describes and allows for analysis of subsurface geology, reservoir properties and production characteristics. Wirelines are electric cables that transmit data about the well. Consisting of single strands or multi-strands, the wireline is used for both well intervention and formation evaluation operations. Wirelines are useful in gathering data about the well in logging activities, as well as in workover jobs that require data transmittal.

Wireline can also refer to the delivery of well construction services such as pipe recovery, perforating, plug setting and well cleaning, and fishing.

There are four basic types of wireline: multi-conductor, single conductor, slickline, and braided line. Other types of wireline include sheathed slickline and fibre-optic lines.

Slickline is a smooth single strand of wireline with diameters ranging form 0.082" to 0.160". Slickline has no conductor (although there are specialized polymer coated slicklines and tubing encapsulated (TEC) slicklines). They are used for light well construction and well maintenance activities as well as memory reliant subsurface data gathering. Slickline work includes mechanical services such a gauge emplacement and recovery, subsurface valve manipulation, well bore cleaning and fishing.

Used to place and recover wellbore equipment, such as plugs, gauges and valves, slicklines are single-strand non-electric cables lowered into oil and gas wells from the surface. Slicklines can also be used to adjust valves and sleeves located downhole, as well as repair tubing within the wellbore. Wrapped around a drum on the back of a truck, the slickline is raised and lowered in the well by reeling in and out the wire hydraulically.

First developed by Conrad and Marcel Schlumberger in 1927, wireline logs measure formation properties in a well through electrical lines of wire. Different from measurement while drilling (MWD) and mud logs, wireline logs are constant downhole measurements sent through the electrical wireline used to help geologists, drillers and engineers make real-time decisions about the reservoir and drilling operations. Wireline instruments can measure a host of petrophysical properties that form the basis of geological and petrophysical analysis of the subsurface. Measurements include self-potential, natural gamma ray, acoustic travel time, formation density, neutron porosity, resistivity and conductivity, nuclear magnetic resonance, borehole imaging, well bore geometry, formation dip and orientation, fluid characteristics such as density and viscosity and formation sampling.