Enhancing Perforation Productivity Without

Initial Underbalance.A Novel Technique

A PURETM Gun System
Perforating for Ultimate Reservoir Exploitation

Ian Walton
Larry Behrmann
Perforating Research
Schlumberger Reservoir Completions

Current Paradigm

Overbalanced perforating is damaging.

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Perforating underbalance is the technique of choice

for maximizing productivity.

Perforating Strong Rock

damaged
zone

perforating creates a low-permeability damaged zone around

the perf tunnel
perforating underbalance helps remove the damage

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debris

Three Sources of Damage

Crushed zone reduced permeability.
Mobile fines that plug pores during production.
(Minimized by post-perforation injection.)
Fractured rock debris in perforation tunnel.
(Removed by late time surge flow, only important
where injection is required.)

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(Minimized by shooting underbalanced.)

Crushed Zone Damage Removal

How much underbalance do we need?

How much underbalance do we get?

Depends on ..

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Depends on rock properties (strength, permeability) and

effective stress and maybe on rate of drawdown.

Laboratory Tests
Standard Berea sandstone cores (200 md).
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Shot under downhole conditions at

Schlumbergers Productivity Enhancement
Research Facility (PERF) in Rosharon Texas.

Single-shot Tests (PERF)

10
DP

3
1

9
6
DP

12
4

11
Figure 2A: Experim ental set-up 1. Confining cham ber with
confining fluid (K erosene) 2. Sim ulated wellbore with wellbore
fluid 3. Core sam ple with pore pressure and pore fluid 4. 30
gallon accum ulator with pre-determ ined gas pre-charge 5.
Sim ulated reservoir rock sam ples 6. Differential pressure gauges
7. G un with the shaped charge 8. Shooting leads 9. 5 gallon
accum ulator 10. M icrom eter valve 11. PCB gauges 12. Shooting
Plate

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Choose The Best Perforation?

All tests at 1000 psi underbalance

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Test 1

Test 2

Test 3

CFE = 0.70
Kc/K=0.307

CFE = 0.69
Kc/K=0.304

CFE = 0.61
Kc/K=0.235

Test 4
CFE = 0.21
Kc/K=0.049

Perforation Dynamics
Initial underbalance = 1000 psi

1500
1000

Test 4

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Differential Pressure, psi

2000

500
0

Test 3
-500

Test 1

-1000

Test 2

-1500
-2000

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.2

Time, sec

1.4

1.6

1.8

Static Underbalance Does Not Provide

Sufficient Information

What magnitude and rate of transient

underbalance determine perforation cleanup?
Need to identify and then control the
parameters that influence the dynamics.

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Post perforation wellbore dynamics critical.

Choose The Best Perforation?

Tests shot at 500 psi overbalance

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Test 7

Test 8

Test 9

CFE = 0.92
Kc/K=0.79

CFE = 0.24
Kc/K=0.09

CFE = 0.41
Kc/K=0.19

Perforation Dynamics
2000

Initial overbalance = 500 psi

1500

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Differential Pressure, psi

2500

1000

Test 9

500
0

Test 8

-500
-1000

Test 7

-1500
-2000
-2500

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

Time, sec

0.8

0.9

Overbalanced Perforating

It can also be very damaging.

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Overbalanced perforating can produce

very productive perforations, but ...

Well Underbalance

liquid

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Initial wellbore pressure

< pore pressure

Well Overbalance

liquid

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Initial wellbore pressure

> pore pressure

Gun Overbalance

g
a
s
liquid

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d
e
t

Detonation gas pressure

in the gun
> Initial wellbore pressure

Wellbore Compressibility

dp = c -1 dV/V

V-dV

c=2.5 10-6 psi-1

p+dp

If dV/V=0.01

dp= 4000 psi

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Gun Underbalance

g
a
s
liquid

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d
e
t

Detonation gas pressure

in the gun
< Initial wellbore pressure

Perforation Dynamics
Initial underbalance = 1000 psi

1500
1000

Test 4

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Differential Pressure, psi

2000

500
0

Test 3
-500

Test 1

-1000

Test 2

-1500
-2000

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.2

Time, sec

1.4

1.6

1.8

Perforation Dynamics
2000

Initial overbalance = 500 psi

1500

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Differential Pressure, psi

2500

1000

Test 9

500
0

Test 8

-500
-1000

Test 7

-1500
-2000
-2500

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

Time, sec

0.8

0.9

Perforating Cleanup
Perforation damage/cleanup determined by wellbore
dynamics.

The complete wellbore, reservoir and gun

characteristics must be evaluated to determine the
optimum perforating systems/process to minimize
perforation damage.

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Over/Underbalanced perforating can produce clean

perforations as well as damaged perforations.

More Tests
Client problem - low permeability, hard rock, low
productivity, acidization required to bring wells on.

SLB performed two perforation-flow tests (oil):

Test 1: 4000 psi UB.
Test 2: 500 psi OB.

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Client proposed solution - high underbalance: required

low wellbore pressure (500 psi).

Laboratory Test Results

5000
Te s t 1 4 0 0 0 p s i U n d e r-b a la n c e
Te s t 2 5 0 0 p s i O ve r-b a la n c e TR U S T

4000

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3000

Pressure, psi

2000
1000
0
-1 0 0 0
-2 0 0 0
-3 0 0 0
-4 0 0 0
-5 0 0 0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0 .4

0.5

Time, sec.

0.6

0.7

0 .8

0.9

Laboratory Test Results

Fines continually reduced productivity.

Test 2: Single shot skin = 0.79 (CFE=0.56).

Stable PI.

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Test 1: Single shot skin = 3.17 (CFE=0.24).

Field Results
Two options:

Option two chosen - nipple in string might have

created problems.
Results, six horizontal wells: SPE 77364
Zero skins, eliminated $150K acid jobs on four wells.
One well depleted, first well had operational issues.

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Overbalance - required use of a packer.

Modest underbalance (400 psi) - required modification
of gun system, no packer.

More Lab Tests

Gas @ Residual Brine Saturation

overbalance

500 psi

1000 psi

1500 psi

2000 psi

underbalance underbalance underbalance underbalance

-1000 psi
overbalance
PURETM

CFE = 0.59

CFE = 0.5

CFE = 0.56

CFE = 0.61

CFE = 0.64

CFE = >1

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-1000 psi

CT7-28 (Conventional @ 2000 psi u/b)

Pressure (psi)

8000
6000

Pore

4000

SWB

2000
0
0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

Time (sec)

0.6

0.7

0.8

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10000

CT7-30 (PURE @ 1000 psi o/b)

8000
6000

Pore

4000

SWB

2000
0
0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

Time (sec)

0.6

0.7

0.8

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Pressure (psi)

10000

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CT7CT7-28
Conventional

CT7CT7-30 PURE

2000 psi u/b

1000 psi o/b

More PURETM Field Tests

Anadarko tight gas well, Weber formation.
Permeability 0.5 1.5 md.

Permanent completion; 264 ft. 2-7/8 guns @ 4 spf.

Initial overbalance = 3000 psi.
Production exceeded expectations at 5.5mmcfd without acid
stimulation.
All previous wells required acid stimulation to produce.

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Reservoir pressure ~3050 psi.

More PURETM Field Tests

GOM oil well
Reservoir pressure ~ 5200 psi.
Minimum initial underbalance <500 psi.
Meet production expectations assuming zero formation and
perforation skin.

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Permanent completion, 40 ft. 4.72 HSD guns with MAXR.

More PURETM Field Tests

Caspian Carbonate: hard, tight, oil
Laboratory Tests
skin= 25 after perf, 3 after repeated acid flush/ injection/ production cycles
2. 1000 psi initial ub using PURE (3000 psi dynamic ub), killed with mud
skin=1.4 before kill, 2.2 after cleanup (production)

Field results
Perforated close to balance using PURE design with mud in hole
Excellent productivity

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1. Conventional ob with mud in the wellbore,

A Few Questions?
Effectiveness in low pressure wells; no lab data?

Effectiveness in gas wells; limited lab data.

A recent PURE test gave a CFE > 1 versus positive skins
when perforated conventionally from a static 500 psi
overbalanced to 2000 psi underbalance.

Effectiveness in gas wells with gas in wellbore; no lab

data?

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Model shows a potential dynamic underbalance of 80%

of reservoir pressure.

Summary

Static underbalance is not enough to determine

perforation cleanup.

Need to identify and control the parameters that

influence the dynamics.
Need data on gas and low pressure wells (gas and
liquid in well).
Need to translate the lab results to field application.

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Need to analyze the wellbore dynamics during and

immediately after perforating.

Publications
SPE 71642 Laboratory Experiments Provide New
Insights into Underbalanced Perforating

SPE 77364 New Underbalanced Perforating

Technique Increases Completion Efficiency and
Eliminates Costly Acid Stimulation

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