Perforating Requirements

Schlumberger Private
For Fracturing Stimulations
Perforations

Communication between the welbore and the reservoir

Schlumberger Private
In a fractured-stimulated wellbore, is the conduit between the
fracture and the wellbore

Should minimize the near-wellbore pressure drops due to

perforation friction, micro-annulus pinch points, multiple competing
fractures and fracture turtuosity.
Micro-annulus pinch points

(SPE 30506)

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Near-wellbore fracture turtuosity
(SPE 30506)

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Underbalance perforating

Insufficient underbalance does not remove all sand debris from the
perforations.

Schlumberger Private
This debris creates an external filter cake in the perforation during
the injection.

High pressure drops can be expected.

Micro-annulus

Perforating can create micro-annulus

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(SPE 59480)
Micro-annulus width due to perforating

Schlumberger Private
w width (in) For,
Poisson ratio dw = 8-1/2-in, Pm-PR = 2000 psi
=0.25, E = 1E06 psi
Pm Micro-annulus pressure (psi)
w = 0.0106-in
PR Reservoir pressure (psi)
which, for a fluid velocity of 3.28 ft/s
dw well diameter (in) corresponds to a rate of 99 bpd (for a viscosity
E Young modulus (psi) of 1 cp)
Hard-rock hydraulic fracturing (I)
(no micro-annulus, vertical wells)

Dry gas wells, no liquid in wellbore,

small hollow guns and 1 2 spf can

Schlumberger Private
maintain good bond.
Abass (SPE 28555)
180 perfs at <30 PFP <30
Preferred Fractured Plan

If not possible, use 60 phase.

Shot density at 60 phase must be
three times the one at 180 phase.
Hard-rock hydraulic fracturing (II)
(no micro-annulus, vertical wells)

Schlumberger Private
(SPE 59480)
Hard-rock hydraulic fracturing (III)
(no micro-annulus, vertical wells)

Stadulis (29549) - 0 phase, 1 spf with proppant slugs to prevent

multiple competing fractures and near-wellbore screen-outs.

Schlumberger Private
Three factors: low shot density, closed micro-annulus and proppant
slugs. Which are driving to success ?
Does a single or biwing fracture propagates with 0 phase ?
If a biwing is initiated, the wing opposite to the perfs will restrict flow
rate and may screen-out.

PFP

screen-out
Hard-rock hydraulic fracturing (IV)
(open micro-annulus, vertical wells)

Preferred
Fracture Plane

Schlumberger Private
100
Micro-annulus

Re-orientation

Preferred
Fracture Plane
10 to 30
100

Multiple fractures
Hard-rock hydraulic fracturing (V)
(open micro-annulus, vertical wells)

Schlumberger Private
(SPE 59480)
Hard-rock hydraulic fracturing (VI)
(deviated and horizontal wells, vertical fractures)

If the well is the PFP, 180 oriented up and down.

ARCO uses this technique up to 65 deviation.

Schlumberger Private
If the stress direction is not known, perforate up and down .
To minimize the initiation of multiple fractures, the higher the angle
the shorter the interval.
For deviation < 45, 10 ft perforated interval should be enough.
For deviation > 45, decrease the perforated interval.
For deviation >75, short clusters (less than 3 ft, multiple
phases angles).
Perforated interval
PFP
PFP
well well
10 ft

Schlumberger Private
middle of the interval
multiple factures induced
decreased width

100 ft

6
Penetration depth

4 to 6 inches into the formation (maximum).

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In theory, hole should be > 6 times proppant diameter.

In practice, hole should be > 10 to times the larger proppant

diameter.

Large stress contrast favor 60 phase.

Shots and hole size

Pressure drop is a function of the injection rate per perforation and

viscosity of the fracturing fluid.

Schlumberger Private
During the treatment, hole size increases due to erosion by the fluid
and, mainly, by the proppant.
For 0 and 180 phases, all the holes contribute to the fracture.
For 120, only two-thirds contribute to the fracture and for 60 only
one-third is connected.
Pressure drop across perforations should be less than 25 psi.