Perforation in oil and gas wells

PERFORATION
Since the pay zone is sealed off by the
production casing and cement, perforations
must be made in order for oil or gas to flow
into the wellbore.
Perforating incorporates shaped-charge
explosives which creating a jet of high-
pressure, high-velocity gas.
It can be overbalance or underbalance
perforation, and wireline conveyed
perforation (WCP) or tubing conveyed
perforation (TCP).
2
 Perforating gun (WCP type) is lowered into the hole at
the depth where the oil or gas formation is found (A).
After the gun is lined up properly, powerful explosive
charges are fired (B) from the control panel at the
surface. These explosives blast a hole in the steel
casing and cement, up to several feet out into the
rock.
Finally, the oil and gas fluids flow into the holes and up
the well to the surface (C).

4
 Perforating History
Mechanical, prior to 1932
Bullet Gun, 1932 to present
Hydraulic, 1958 to present
- Abrasive jetting
Shaped Charge, 1946 to present
- Most popular
 Types of Perforators
Bullet Perforators
Hydraulic Perforators
Mechanical Perforators
Jet Perforators
Perforation using laser technology
Bullet guns were the technique of choice until the jet (shaped
charge) perforator was developed in the 1950s. Most bullet
guns were manufactured 3 1/4 inch outside diameter or larger
and were effective in penetrating materials with 600 psi
compressive strength and lower.
(A) (B)
SOFT ROCK HARD ROCK
CASING

BULLET GUN CEMENT

PERFORATOR
GUN GUN

INWARD BULGING JUST

ABOVE AND BELOW
PERFORATION
 Bullet Perforation
Bullets lose velocity when gun clearance > 0.5 in.
Often use in a unconsolidated formations
Cheaper to use, rarely been used today
Bullets plug the end of the flow channel
Hydraulic: Sand laden Mechanical Perforator:
fluid is pumped Mechanical perforators are circular cutters which
through a tubing have been devised to cut through the casing into
the target material. The application of mechanical
installed jet and holes cutters has been limited to the initiation of
are horizontally cut horizontal fractures or other specific operations.
out of the formation

(A) - HYDRAULIC (B) - MECHANICAL

 Perforating
Techniques

Through-
Tubing Gun
Wireline
Casing
Gun

Tubing-
Conveyed Gun
 Perforating Techniques
Wireline
Casing Gun
Wireline Through-
Tubing
conveyed Gun
perforating (WCP)
- Wireline casing
perforating

- Thru Tubing
perforating (TTP)
Tubing-
Conveyed
Tubing conveyed Gun
perforating (TCP)
 Perforating Guns
A device used to perforate oil and gas wells in
preparation for production.
It has different shapes of explosive charges.
Different range of sizes and configurations.
The diameter of the gun used is determined
by the presence of wellbore restrictions or
limitations imposed by the surface
equipment.
WIRELINE
CASING
GUN
 Wireline Casing gun
Create holes in a casing
string.
Casing guns are typically 3
to 5-in. in diameter and
carry up to four
perforating charges per
foot (shot per foot (spf))
Allow perforation through
production casing using
larger diameter gun
assembly.
 Gun Classifications based on:

Retrievable
vs
Expendable & Semi-
Expendable Guns
 Retrievable gun
It is retrievable from
the wellbore after
firing.
It generates minimal
debris
Minimum distortion of
the gun body to help
ensure easy retrieval.
 Expendable gun: A perforating gun THRU TUBING GUN
assembly that disintegrates upon firing,
thereby reducing the volume and
dimensions of retrieved components.
Expendable guns are typically used
where wellbore restrictions allow only
limited access, as in through-tubing
applications. The distortion caused to the
gun assembly during firing would typically
prevent recovery of a conventional gun
design through the limited clearances.
The expendable gun assembly breaks
into small pieces that drop to the bottom of
the well (?) , leaving only a relatively small
subassembly that is easily recovered to
surface.
SUMP
Expendable gun
Semi and fully expendable guns are run through tubing due
their flexibility.
CIRCULATING STRING

FLOATING GATHERING
PLATFORM
PRODUCTION
TUBING SEA SURFACE

PACKER

BATTERY CARRIER

GOOSENECK - 5ft
RADIUS
CIRCULATING PORT
REMOTE
CONTROLLED TWO FLOW LINES
WELL HEAD (UP T0 7000 - 8000 ft
"NO-GO" NIPPLE IN GULF COAST)
SEA FLOOR

CONTROL HEADS

WELL

7" CASING
SEE
DETAILED
SECTION

GUN POSITIONER

PRODUCING
INTERVAL
PRODUCING INTERVAL

GUN

DETAILED SECTION
 Retrievable
vs
Expendable ?

Casing gun?

Through-tubing
gun?

Tubing conveyed
perforating (TCP)?
TUBING CONVEYED PERFORATING (TCP)
The use of
tubing,
drillpipe or
coiled tubing
to convey
perforating
guns to the
required
depth.
TUBING CONVEYED PERFORATING (TCP)
 Setting the packer

28 Oct 05 Packer 32
 TCP Run

28 Oct 05 Sump Packer 33

A gravel pack
looks
something like
this.

Top packer
Liner
& Screens

Seal bore
Bottom packer
Assuming we have
2 gravel packs in
the well. It will
Top packer
look something
like this Liner &Screens

Seal bore
Bottom packer

Top packer

Screens

Seal bore
Bottom packer
If we want to produce
through the bottom zone, Hydraulic packer

we will close the sliding Sliding side door

side door so that
hydrocarbons from the top
zone does not enter the
production string

Seal bore

Seals Assembly
No Go Nipple
 (A) (B)
SOFT ROCK HARD ROCK

Bullet Perforators CASING

Hydraulic Perforators CEMENT

Mechanical Perforators
Laser GUN GUN

Jet Perforators
INWARD BULGING JUST
ABOVE AND BELOW
PERFORATION

(A) - HYDRAULIC (B) - MECHANICAL

 Perforating with Laser
Conventional explosive charge
perforation method reduces the rock
permeability
Laser perforation increase the rock
permeability, hence, increase the oil or
gas production rate of a well.
Perforating with Laser
Perforating with Laser
 Jet Perforation
It uses a shaped charges contained in a
perforating gun assembly.
Gun assembly is placed in wireline, tubing
or coiled tubing, depending on the
application and the wellbore conditions.
High-pressure jet will penetrates the
casing or liner to shoot into the reservoir
formation to form channels.
43
High shot density
perforating gun
(TCP type)

47
 Jet Perforation: Shaped Charge
CASE or CONTAINER

MAIN EXPLOSIVE
CHARGE

PRIMER CHARGE

DETONATION CORD
GROOVE - POINT OF
INITIATION LINER
PORT PLUG
AIR CUSHION STEEL CARRIER ELECTRONIC DETONATOR

SHAPED CHARGE
DETONATING CHORD
ASSEMBLY
MAIN CHARGE PRIMER
Jet Perforation
Shaped Charge Perforator ---
Why Conical Liner ?
Cavity Effect
 Jet Perforating
Process
High velocity -
7,000 m/sec
High Pressure -
millions psi
High speed -
microseconds
Particulated jet
does the work
SHAPED CHARGE V1

SLUG
JET
P1 0.5"
1"
16

PRESSURE ON TARGET P1 = 5 x 106 PSI

VELOCITY OF FORWARD JET V1 = 20,000 FT/SEC
 Perforating
Techniques
Through-
Tubing
Wireline Gun
Casing
Gun

Tubing-Conveyed
Gun
Gun System Design Charge positioning
PARAMETERS AFFECTING SHAPED CHARGE
PERFORMANCE
TARGET

SHAPED CHARGE C L

ENTRY
p
HOLE
VOLUME

DV a d

STANDOFF PENETRATION
b
 Industry Testing of Perforating Systems
BEREA SANDSTONE
STAINLESS STEEL
CANISTER

ESTABLISH:
1500-PSI WELL
PRESSURE
(9.6 PPG SALT WATER)

CEMENT

SALT WATER
PERFORATE & INFILTER: 1000 PSI
1500-PSI WELL PRESSURE CORE PRESSURE

DP = 500 PSI

BACKFLOW TO STABILIZATION:
1000-PSI WELL PRESSURE 1200 PSI
CORE PRESSURE
(KEROSENE FLOW)

DP = 200 PSI
 Industry Testing of Perforating Systems

Lo
BEREA CORE
HASSLER UNIT
DETERMINE ORIGINAL ko:

Q om o L o
ko =
A o DPo
AREA , Ao
Qo KEROSENE VISCOSITY mo
CALCULATE PERFORATION
kP FROM TEST:
Q Pm P L P
kP = DPo
A o DPP

CALCULATE CORE FLOW

EFFICIENCY: CORE OF CROSS SECTIONAL AREA
kP ko kP "A" MOUNTED IN CANNISTER,
CFE = = QP
PERFORATED AND KEROSENE
ki ko ki FLOWED, VISCOSITY mP

ki/ko REPRESENTS THE RATIO OF THE EFFECTIVE

PERMEABILITY OF A TARGET CONTAINING AN IDEAL DP = 200 PSI
(DRILLED) PERFORATION (OF THE SAME DEPTH &
DIAMETER AS THE PERFORATED ONE) TO THE ORIGINAL
TARGET PERMEABILITY ko
Downhole Parameters That Affect Performance

Major effects
Gun clearance
Casing and formation strength
Effective formation stress
Wellbore Fluid
Temperature (selection of explosive)
Factors Affecting Performance
Gun Clearance
Typical Perforation Geometry
Shot Per Foot
(4spf) , (8 spf)
 Problem with Perforation
The main problem is the plugging after
Perforation, these caused by:
Charge liner residue slugs
Mud solids & crushed/compacted rock particles
Solution to the problem: Cleanout of
Plugged Perforations, these include:
Back surge perforations if consolidated
formations
Use wash tools if unconsolidated formations
Breakdown with fluid or acid, and ball sealers
Factors Affecting Gun Perforating Results Perforation
Plugging
Plugged Perforations Cleanout
Factors Affecting Performance
Formation Compressive Strength
Gun Clearance
Gun Clearance
7" DIAMETER CASING

VARIABLE
CLEARANCE CONTROLLED
CLEARANCE

1 11/16"
1 11/16" GUN
GUN
MULTI DIRECTIONAL POSITIONED
 Gun Clearance?

Through-
tubing gun
Wireline
casing
gun

Tubing-conveyed
gun
 CONCLUSIONS
Different perforation guns have specific
application. Examples: casing gun,
retrievable gun, high-shot density gun, &
expendable gun.
Methods of perforation, these include:
Bullet, Jet, hydraulic, & laser.
Problems from perforating operations
should be overcome.
THANK YOU