WELL STIMULATION TECHNIQUES

PCB 4323
PERFORATION PART II
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WELL STIMULATION TECHNIQUES

By

Ms. Haizatul Hafizah Hussain

haizatulhafizah.hus@petronas.com.my
Office Ext. : 7373
Office Room : J3-02-25

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LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of this lecture, students should be able to;
Understand the types of perforation gun systems
Describe the firing sequence of shaped perforating charge
Differentiate firing options during perforation

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LECTURE OUTLINES
Perforating Gun Systems
Firing Sequence of Shaped Perforating Charge
Firing Options

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PERFORATING GUN SYSTEMS

Perforating gun systems are classified by the:
Gun conveyance method: wireline, coiled tubing or a drill or tubing string.
Pressure in the wellbore at the time of perforating. It can be less than

reservoir pressure, i.e. an under-balanced pressure condition or greater

than reservoir pressure, i.e. an over-balanced condition.
Extent to which the gun, the charges or charge carrier are recovered to the

surface after perforating.

Time of perforating, either prior tool after mechanical completion of the

well and departure of the drilling rig.

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PERFORATING GUN SYSTEMS

PERFORATING GUN SELECTION
There are many other practical considerations to be taken into account when selecting
a perforating system, including:

Compatibility of the physical dimensions of the perforating gun and the completion.
The completion technique e.g. perforating prior to or after running tubing. Selection
of Through Tubing:, Casing or Tubing Conveyed Perforating guns.
Casing damage/perforating debris
Management of sand production. The phasing, orientation and design of the
perforating pattern can impact on the severity of sand related production problems
when the well is placed on production.
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PERFORATING
GUN SYSTEMS
CONVEYENCE OF PERFORATING GUNS INTO THE
WELL
(a) Through Tubing Wireline Guns
Through tubing wireline guns (small diameter) are
run after installing the completion tubing. They are
run down the inside of the tubing, out of the tailpipe
and perforate the casing at the selected depth.

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PERFORATING
GUN SYSTEMS
CONVEYENCE OF PERFORATING GUNS INTO THE
WELL
(b) Wireline Conveyed Casing Guns

Wireline conveyed casing guns (larger diameter)

guns can be lowered into the cased wellbore prior to
installation of the production tubing. Casing guns can
be fired in an under balanced or an over balanced
pressure condition. The well will normally have to be
killed prior to running the completion.

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PERFORATING
GUN SYSTEMS
CONVEYENCE OF PERFORATING GUNS INTO THE
WELL
(c) Tubing Conveyed Guns
The perforating guns can also be tubing conveyed;
either at the end of the completion string on coiled
tubing or on a drill pipe test string. The gun will be
retrieved prior to running the completion string.

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PERFORATING GUN SYSTEMS

Retrievable (hollow carrier gun)
Designed where the gun carrier is robust and retrieved after the perforation
operation.

Expendable Gun
Designed such that the gun will self-destruct on detonation and thus only the

connectors and depth correlation equipment will be retrieved from the well.
The charge case or container will fragment/disintegrate on detonation.
The material used for fabrication of the charge case must be friable e.g. prior

ceramic or aluminum, but must offer a reasonable degree of robustness to

protect the charges during handling operation.

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PERFORATING GUN SYSTEMS

COMPARISON OF RETRIEVABLE AND EXPENDABLE PERFORATING GUNS

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WIRELINE THROUGH
TUBING GUNS
Have a limited diameter as they have to pass through, and be recovered
through, the minimum diameter present in the completion.
They have a diameter of 1 3

8 in. to 3

2 in.

In comparison with casing guns charges, through tubing gun reduced

penetration depth.
The real benefit is their ability to perforate under balance which will

reduce formation damage.

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WIRELINE THROUGH
TUBING GUNS
Retrievable gun (Figure a)
Scallop gun (Figure b)
Expendable gun (Figure c, d, e)

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WIRELINE CONVEYED
CASING GUNS
Gun diameter must be less than the (ID) inside diameter of casing.
Wireline casing guns have outside diameters in the range of 3 3/8" to
5 diameter.
In comparison with casing guns, charges allow a large diameter of gun to
be used, hence larger charges.
The main disadvantage : it is used prior to completion. Hence it is
necessary for overbalance operation i.e. kill the well with a fluid in the
wellbore, which exerts a bottom hole pressure greater than the reservoirs
pressure. Thus a candidate for formation damage.

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WIRELINE CONVEYED
CASING GUNS
The gun allows variety shot phasing's
to be employed compared to 0
perforating.
The larger carrier size provides an
opportunity to use not only larger
explosive charges but also higher shot
densities.
Better charge performance.

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TUBING
CONVEYED GUNS
Three options available to deploy TCP either by:
Running the guns with drill string : After
clean up, the well is killed prior to retrieving
the test string and then completion can be
run.
Run the gun as part of the completion string :
RIH, landed off, the packer is set and the gun
detonated under drawdown. Then the gun
would be detached and dropped into the sump.
Running and retrieving the gun on coiled
tubing.
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TUBING
CONVEYED GUNS
THE ADVANTAGES OF TCP
The ability to use large charges at high shot densities; creating
perforations with a long length and with diameter entrance holes
(negative skin) completions.
The perforating operation can be completed in one run even for long
intervals. Intervals in excess of 1,000 m have been shot in one run.

The well is not perforated until after it has been completed and it is
safe to allow well fluids to enter the wellbore.

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TUBING
CONVEYED GUNS
THE DISADVANTAGES OF TCP
If a misfire occurs, then gun retrieval will require a round trip which is
both time consuming and costly.

If the gun is not detached but remains opposite the perforated interval, it
will prevent production logging or through tubing wireline below the
tailpipe.

Further, if the gun is to be dropped from the tubing, the cost of drilling
the additional sump (or 'rat hole') length must be considered.

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FIRING SEQUENCE OF SHAPED

PERFORATING CHARGE

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FIRING SEQUENCE OF SHAPED

PERFORATING CHARGE
The figure shows that the process takes
place almost instantaneously.
The penetration is due solely to the
extremely high impact force exerted on the

target by the jet.

The process can be compared to the
water jet from a high pressure fire hose
tunneling through a pile of loose clay.
Charge case creates
debris that can cause
mechanical problems
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within the wellbore

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FIRING SEQUENCE OF SHAPED

PERFORATING CHARGE
The jet is created first and is then followed by the slug
(67% of the mass of the perforation charges liner).
The slug has little influence on the perforation creation.
The material of the slug is deposited at the end of the
perforation.
One approach to eliminate slug was to create a
bi-metallic liner system, where the inside surface of the
cone (which produced the jet) is composed of copper
whilst the outside is a metal, such as zinc, which
vaporizes during the explosion.
The concept was later found to create damage by
Charge case creates
debris that can cause
mechanical problems
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within the wellbore

chemical reaction between the zinc and several of the

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common work over fluids. It has now been abandoned.

FIRING OPTIONS
FIRING
OPTIONS

Mechanical

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Hydromechanical

Electric Line
Firing

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FIRING OPTIONS
MECHANICAL FIRING
A metal bar is dropped into the well via the Christmas tree's.
It travels down the tubing onto a plunger which contacts a blasting
cap on top of the gun.

This method can be unreliable if debris has accumulated on top of

the firing head or the bar may "hang-up" above he firing head.
Unreliable for deviated well.

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FIRING OPTIONS
HYDROMECHANICAL FIRING
The annular pressure is increased via pumping fluid into the casing.
This increased differential pressure shears the firing pin and it will
activate the detonator.
This technique is more reliable than the mechanical method,
especially in deviated wellbores.

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FIRING OPTIONS
ELECTRIC LINE FIRING
Firing head which fired by electrical current down the cable from
surface.

Advantage of this technique is that there are electrical indications at

the surface.

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HAVE YOU ACHIEVED THE

LEARNING OUTCOMES TODAY?
ANY THOUGHTS?

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THANK YOU
2016 INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY PETRONAS SDN BHD
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