Perforation PE

• Communication between reservoir

and wellbore
• Explosives required

• Bullets
• Now, shaped charges

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

Perforation PE

Damaged Zone
Diameter
(Caused by
Drilling)
Casing
Diameter
Casing
Cement Sheath

Crushed Zone Diameter

Perforation Diameter
Perforation
Spacing
(Dependent on
Shot Density)
Perforation
Length
(Cement to End
of Perforation)
Entrance Hole
Diameter in
Casing
j = Phase Angle
PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

1
 Perforation Gun PE

Charge Carrier

Explosive Charge

Detonating Cord

Detonator

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

Shaped Charge PE

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

2
 Explosives PE

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

Operation PE

• Explosive amount: 6-32 gr

• Generates pulse in one direction
• 20,000 – 30,000 ft/s
• 5-15 MMpsi
• Lasts 100 – 300 micro seconds

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

3
 Perforation PE

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

Jet Effect PE

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

4
 Penetration Process PE

Formation

Casing
Fluid Gap
Carrier

Conical Liner

t=0

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

Penetration Process PE

Jet Penetrates
Carrier

Later Stages of Liner

Collapse Produce
Slower-Moving Slug

t = 9 x 10-6 sec

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

5
 Penetration Process PE

Stretching Jet
Penetrates
Formation

t = 2 x 10-5 sec

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

Rock Contamination PE

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

6
 Extent of Crushed
Zone PE

• Size of perforation charge

• Casing wall thickness and strength
• Cement sheath thickness and strength
• Grain composition, size and shape of the
formation rock
• Stress conditions in the near wellbore
region
• Proximity of nearest perforations in the
same vertical plane
PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

Charge Performance PE

• Penetration length
• Perforation diameter
• Perforation hole volume
• Burr height on the inside of the
casing around the perforation
entrance hole

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

7
 Gun Size – Explosive Amount
PE

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

Gun Clearance PE

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

8
 Compressive Strength
of Rock PE

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

Charge Arrangement PE

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

9
 Sensitivity Analysis PE

• Oil Wells
Productivity ratio (PR) increases as penetration
depth and perforation density increases
If anisotropy is not important, penetration
depth has greater influence on PR than
perforation density. 90 phase angle is the best
As the anisotropy becomes significant, PR
decreases as the phase angle changes from 180
to 0

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

Sensitivity Analysis PE

• Gas Wells
As the permeability increases, non-Darcy
effects are significant, causing PR to
decrease
After the damaged zone, no significant
effect of penetration depth on PR
As perforation diameter increases, PR
increases
Higher the drawdown, higher the non-Darcy
effects
PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

10
 Sensitivity Analysis PE

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

Oil Wells PE

• Penetration depth & Perforation Density

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

11
 Oil Wells PE

• Penetration depth & Perforation Diameter

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

Gas Wells PE

• Penetration depth & Perforation Density

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

12
 Gas Wells PE

• Penetration depth & Perforation Diameter

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

Charge Performance PE

AP RP 43
• The burr height on the casing
• Average diameter of the perforation
• Length of the perforation

ln p f  ln pt  0.086
c  c 
t f

1000

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

13
 Example PE

• Two gun sytems are being assessed for

deployment for perforating; 21/8 in scallop
through tubing gun giving 12 in
penetration at Berea sandstone
(compressive strength = 6500 psi), and 4
in wireline conveyed casing gun, giving 17
in penetration at the same rock. Compare
the guns for compressive strengths of
4000 psi, and 12000 psi, respectively.
PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

Perforating Gun
Systems PE

Key features classify performing ops:

• Whether the gun will be run on wireline or be conveyed
on tubing or a drill string.
• Whether the pressure in the wellbore at the time of
perforating will be less than reservoir pressure, i.e. an
underbalanced pressure condition, or be greater than
reservoir pressure, i.e. an overbalanced condition.
• The extent to which the gun, the charges or charge
carrier will be retrieved from the wellbore after
perforating.
• Whether perforating will be conducted prior to, or
after, mechanical completion of the well.

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

14
 Perforation Technology
Selection PE

• Geological characteristics
• Fluid properties of the reservoir
• Well inclination and properties

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

Perforation
Technologies PE

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

15
 Wireline Casing Gun
Perforation PE

• Overbalance perforation by wireline

casing gun
Well is killed by heavy perforation fluid
Perforating gun is lowered at open wellhead
After perforation, it is pulled out
Then, tubing is set
Swabbing / gas lift is used for flow initiation

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

Wireline Casing Gun

Perforation PE

• Underbalanced perforating by
wireline casing gun
Same with overbalanced perforating
system
Except, before perforating, fluid level
is decreased to a certain level during
closed wellhead conditions
Can be applied to low / medium
pressure, thin oil reservoirs
PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

16
 Wireline Casing Gun
Perforation PE

• Pressurized wireline casing gun

perforation
Closed wellhead to achieve
underbalanced conditions by large-
diameter wireline gun
Dynamic seals with high pressure BOP
equipment

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

Tubing Conveyed
Perforation PE

• Guns lowered as attached to the tubing

• Equipment
 Differential pressure packer
 Ported nipple
 Firing system
• Fluid level in tubing can be adjusted to establish
underbalanced conditions
• Detonation is conducted by
 Bar dropping
 Differential pressure
 Wireline, etc
• Good for directional / horizontal wells
• Wellhead is set beforehand
PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

17
 Wireline Modular Gun
Perforation Technology PE

• For high pressure oil and gas wells

• Can achieve tubing conveyed perforation completion
process
• Can achieve oriented perforation
• They are anchored on casing wall by lowering with
wireline
• Guns are detonated to perforate the whole perforation
interval once
• After release, hanger and modular guns drop to
bottomhole, and retreived under pressure
• Major advantage: no tubing run is required

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

Tubing Conveyed Perforation

Combination Technology PE

• Putting into production technology

• Formation testing technology
• Hydraulic fracturing / acidizing
technology
• Pumping technology
• Sand control technology

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

18
 Wireline Through
Tubing Technology PE

• Gun is lowered with a wireline

through tubing after tubing is set
and christmas tree is located
• Underbalanced conditions can be
achieved
• Limited with inner diameter of
tubing

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

Extreme Overbalanced
Perforating Techology PE

• Well is pressurized at least equal to

breakdown pressure using a combination
of gas (usually nitrogen) and liquid
• Liquid generates cracks at the vicinity of
perforation wall face right after the
shaped charges are fired
• Further injection of nitrogen / acid /
sand-laden fluid will enhance productivity
• Sand control can be achieved
PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

19
 Expendable PE

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

Operational
Considerations PE

• Surface pressure equipment

• Depth correlation
• Gun length / perforated interval
• Multiple zones
• Temperature effects
• Casing damage
• Gun orientation
• Charge quality
PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

20
 Underbalance –
Overbalance PE

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

Underbalance Pressure
Requirements PE

• k – permeability
•  - non-Darcy turbulence coefficient
•  - fluid viscosity
• vc – velocity at outer boundary of compaction zone

for oil wells

for gas wells

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

21
 Underbalance Pressure
Requirements PE

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

Extreme Overbalance
Perforation PE

• Pressure in the wellbore at the

instant of the perforation

PE4063/6463, Well Completion – Dr. Evren OZBAYOGLU Chapter 6

22