Perforating Design

for
Sand Control
Applications

Types of Perforators

Perforating Guns

Shaped Charge
Detonation
Detonating Cord: 25,000 - 30,000
ft/sec
Shaped Charge Jet Develops 4 - 7
Million psi At Its Tip Before
Making Contact With The First
Target
Liner Material Provides The Mass
Necessary For Penetration
Perforating event takes no more
than 1/32,000th of a second.
Jet pressure parts steel, cement,
and formation rock, creating a
crushed zone of reduced
permeability.
Proper underbalance is required
to remove perforating skin.

Perforating Charge Prior To Detonation

Initial Jet Formation Penetrating Steel

Perforation Sequence Complete

Shaped Charge
Standoff And Clearance
CEMENT

CASING
CLEARANCE
VANNGUN

STANDOFF

CN03197

Vanngun Phasing
0 PHASING
1 ROW OF HOLES

180 PHASING
2 ROWS OF HOLES

90 PHASING
4 ROWS OF HOLES

60 PHASING
6 ROWS OF HOLES

60 PHASING
2 ROWS OF HOLES

140/160 PHASING
4 ROWS OF HOLES

45 PHASING
8 ROWS OF HOLES

51.4 PHASING
7 ROWS OF HOLES

30 PHASING
12 ROWS OF HOLES

72 PHASING
5 ROWS OF HOLES
CN02310

Determining the Proper

Underbalance

Productivity Ratio As A Function

Of Penetration And Shot Density
1.3

Spiral
90 phased

1.2

1.1

1.0

90 phased

2 spf

1.0
1

180 phased
0.9

0 phased

0.8

.7

NO CRUSHED ZONE
NO FLUID DAMAGE
6" DIAMETER HOLE
EXTRAPOLATED DATA

0.7

10
PERFORATION LENGTH INCHES

1 spf
SHOTS PER FOOT

PRODUCTIVITY RATIO

1.2

12 spf
8 spf
6 spf
4 spf

1
28
6

18
CN03199

Shot Density Selection

Marathon and Conoco stated that
in most completions, only 25% of
the perforations flowed at
maximum potential.
Choose a shot density that will
give a Productivity Ratio of 1,
even with 50% of the perforations
plugged.
If total skin is removed, depth of
penetration is less important than
shot density.
Choose a shot density and
phasing that will promote
Laminar flow to the well bore.

Consolidated Formation
A. Sonic Log Shale = 100 ms/ft. or Less
B. Density Log Shale = 2.4 gm/cc or More

5800

100
100
50
Microsec/Ft.

150

Unconsolidated Formation
A. Sonic Log Shale = Greater than 100
ms/ft.
B. Density Log Shale = Less than 2.4
gm/cc

5400

120
110
150

100

50

Microsec/Ft.

Underbalance Pressure Used On

Tubing Conveyed Perforating In Oil
Zones In Sandstone

FORMATION PERMEABILITY MD

1,000

100 100

10

10
l

1.0

.1

0.1

Legend

Acid
improve
Acid diddid
not improve
production production
Acid did
improve
production
Acid
did
not
improve production

.01

100

1000

TOTAL
UNDERBALANCE
PSI

Courtesy - George King, SPE 14321

10,000

CN03202

Underbalance Pressure Used On

Tubing Conveyed Perforating In
Gas Zones In Sandstone
1,000100
0

FORMATION PERMEABILITY MD

100 100

Stuck Packer

10

10
Casing Collapse

1.0

.1

0.1

Legend
Aciddid
did not
improve production
Acid
improve
Acid
did
improve
production
Acid did not improve
Problems
Problem

0.01

100

1000

10000

TOTAL
UNDERBALANCE
PSI
CN03203

VannSystems
Chart-Density Data
USING DENSITY DATA TO DETERMINE
PERFORATING UNDERBALANCE PRESSURE
BULK DENSITY OF ADJACENT SHALE - grams/cc.

170
180

1.80

1.90

2.00

Gas Sand
2.10

Oil Sand

2.20

2.30

2.40
0

250

500

750

1000 1250

1500

1750

2000

2250

MAXIMUM PRESS. UNDERBALANCE - PSI

FOR UNCONSOLIDATED SANDS
CN03204

2500

T ADJACENT SHALE - MICROSECONDS PER FOOT

VannSystems
Chart-Acoustic Data
USING ACOUSTIC DATA TO DETERMINE
PERFORATING UNDERBALANCE PRESSURE
170 170
160

150

140

130

Oil Sand

130

Gas Sand

120

110

90 100
0

250

500

750

1000 1250

1500 1750

2000

2250

MAXIMUM PRESS. UNDERBALANCE - PSI

FOR UNCONSOLIDATED SANDS
CN03205

2500

Managing Pressure
Drop
Perforator Penetration is of
lesser importance provided that
the perforation communicates
with the reservoir.
Deep Penetrating Charges: Small
entry hole, large pressure drop
= sand and/or fines production
Big Hole Charges reduce the
pressure drop through the gravel
pack. Flow area is critical in
reducing turbulent flow.
Shot Phasing creates laminar
flow thereby reducing sand
production.
Centralize Vannguns when
perforating with BH charges.

Managing Pressure
Drop
If 2/3s of the perforations cross
sectional area is filled with
gravel, then a well perforated @
12 spf has an effective flow area
of only about 4 spf.
Chose a perforator with the
largest hole size and the greatest
number of shots available.
Keep in mind that after 18 spf, a
point of diminishing returns is
reached.

Useful Formulae

Equations for
Underbalanced
Perforation Design
Minimum Underbalance from
Permeability
Pub=2,500/k psi, for k<1 md (gas)
Pub=2,500/k^.18 psi, for k > 1md
(gas)
Pub=2,500/k^.30 psi, for oil
Maximum Underbalance from
Adjacent Shale
For DT > 90 mu s/ft.
P umax gas = 4,800-25(DT ), psi (gas)
P as max oil = 3,500-19(DT ), psi (oil)
as

as

as

To Find the
Recommended
Underbalance
Maximum Underbalance
If DTas < 90 mu s/ft
P u max tub.= max safe pressure of down hole
tools and cement.

Recommended Underbalance
If there is no history of sand
production
P u rec..= 0.2 * Pu min + 0.8 * P u max
If there is a history of sand
production
P u max =0.8 * P u min+ 0.2 * P u max

Well Clean Up
A good rule of thumb is to flow
back 12 gallons of formation
fluid per perforation. If the
proper underbalance was used,
this should clean up all of the
perforations.

So: 60 feet X 18 spf =979

shots
979 * 12 gals. = 11,748 gal.
Or 261 Bbls.

Case Histories
Australia: DSTs @ 3.2 MMCFD.
Perfd with Thru Tubing Guns,
well produced @ 150 MCFD.
Reperforated with TCP guns @ 6
spf, 3,000 psi drawdown. Well
flowing @ 4.5 MMCFD.
Indonesia: Typical Completions
perforated with 500 psi
Drawdown. Wells flowed
between 2-5 MMCFD. Began
program of high underbalance
shoots, wells now flowing @ 1215 MMCFD.

Marathon / Halliburton
Perforation Damage
Study

What You Want

CN03159

What You Get

CN03116

Perforating...
Each Shaped charge exerts up to
4-6 million psi on the reservoir.
This force crushes and compacts
the reservoir rock.
You cannot shoot through
perforating damage.
Some remedial action is required:

Underbalance Perforate
Extreme Overbalance
Perforate

Perforating

The worst thing to do in most

cases is to perforate in a
balanced state.

Perf A - Cu/Zn 4.625 Gun

Perforation Tunnel

Undisturbed Sand Grains

Particle Size Analysis

Undisturbed Sand

Damaged Sand From Zone 1

Damaged Sand From Zone 2

Particle Size Analysis

Zone 1

Conclusions
The rock grains cannot withstand the
shock loads associated with perforating
(A function of both peak pressure and
loading rate)

The damage patterns are different in

shape in DP and BH charges.
Can create an excellent filter cake to limit
injectivity : even DP charges (EOB results)

Larger explosive weight charges may not

be a wise choice in many instances

Centralize perforating guns

In hard rock, expect 40% of API
published data, sometimes even
less.

Kiss Charge

How Much Fluid Loss

Should be Expected After
Perforating?

Offshore Well

500 md perm
50 interval
200 psi overbalance
What is typical?

0 - 20 BPH (at balance)

40 - 60 BPH (with
underbalance & flow)
RISKY/Expensive

Darcys Law - Fluid Loss

Q=

(200 psi)( 500 md)( 50 ft)

141.2 (.5 cp)(( ln (660/.25))

Q = 8,990

BPD

Fluid Loss

or

375 BPH

Fluid Loss

We are lucky to see 10% of this

number

Perf G - Minimal
Penetrator Design 4.625
Gun System (KISS
Charge)
Cement Puncture
TM

Imbedded Debris

Perf G - Minimal
Penetrator Design 4.625
Gun System (KISS
TM )

Charge)
Perforation Tunnel

Perf D - 7 Aluminum Liner

Charge
Zero Clearance
Perforation Tunnel

Combination Perf/Propellant
Assembly

StimGun Assembly
TM

Conventional
Perforating
Carrier
System

Modified
Charge
Designs

Outer Propellant
Cylinder

General Mechanism
The propellant is
positioned and
fired over the
completion
interval.
As the propellant
burns it produces
a pressure load
on the formation
below the
formation rocks
compressive yield
strength.

General Mechanism
As the propellant
burn pressure
increases strain
energy is
accumulated in
the rock matrix
until the
circumferential
stress around the
wellbore exceeds
the strength of
the rock.
At this point
fracturing occurs.

1000

Perforating Gun - 1,258 - 1,260m

Propellant vs.
Perforating

Pressure Loading Rate - GPa/s

500

-500

-1000

200

Propellant - 1,258 - 1,260m

Pressure Loading Rate - GPa/s

150

100

50

-50

-100

-150

10

15

20

Time - milliseconds

25

30

Laboratory Test
Examples
Propellant

Explosive

49

Summary
Traditional Big Hole charges

Yield a tunnel approximately 7 - 8

long by 0.5 - 1.5 inches in diameter.
Tunnel volume can be as much as 42
ci
All total ~5 lbs of damaged material is
present in the tunnel and well mixed
Lower explosive load charges reduced
damage (29 ci)
Minimal Penetrator Design - KISSTM
charges

7 ci of damage, near the front face

Conclusions
Our current approaches can be
improved
low injectivity, low productivity, perf
breakdown

Re-think Conventional Big Hole

Charges
Large volumes of formation rock is
damaged
Perforating through cement is not difficult
Kiss Charge strategy is worth consideration
Will not be effective alone

Use Propellant to insure connection

StimGun Assembly:
TM

Perf Breakdown: ~95% success

Stand-alone near wellbore stimulation: ~
45% success

Vannguns

Vanngun Systems
1 9/16 to 7
4 SPF to 18 SPF
7.00

6.00

5.125
5.00
4.625

4.00
3.375
3.125
2.75
2.50

2.00
1.562

CN02311

Vanngun Phasing
0 PHASING
1 ROW OF HOLES

180 PHASING
2 ROWS OF HOLES

90 PHASING
4 ROWS OF HOLES

60 PHASING
6 ROWS OF HOLES

60 PHASING
2 ROWS OF HOLES

140/160 PHASING
4 ROWS OF HOLES

45 PHASING
8 ROWS OF HOLES

51.4 PHASING
7 ROWS OF HOLES

30 PHASING
12 ROWS OF HOLES

72 PHASING
5 ROWS OF HOLES
CN02310

3.125 & 3.375

12 SPF Omni
GROOVED TANDEM
CONNECTOR

CHARGE HOLDER TUBE

SHAPED CHARGE

SCALLOPED GUN BODY

XHV PRIMACORD

BOX & PIN CONNECTOR

POLYMER ALIGNMENT INSERT

BI-DIRECTIONAL BOOSTER

CN02452

GROOVED
TANDEM
CONNECTOR

4.625 12 SPF
Omni Super
Hole

CHARGE
HOLDER TUBE

SHAPED
CHARGES
SCALLOPED GUN
BODY

XHV PRIMACORD

BOX & PIN

CONNECTOR

POLYMER ALIGNMENT
INSERT
BI-DIRECTIONAL
BOOSTER
CN02451

4.625 18 SPF
45/135
Phasing

GROOVED TANDEM
CONNECTOR

CHARGE
HOLDER TUBE

SHAPED CHARGE

SCALLOPED
GUN BODY

XHV PRIMACORD

BOX & PIN CONNECTOR

POLYMER
ALIGNMENT INSERT
BI-DIRECTIONAL
BOOSTER

CN02468

FracPacSuperHole

VannGun Assembly
GROOVED TANDEM
CONNECTOR

SHAPED CHARGES

SCALLOPED GUN BODY

XHV PRIMACORD

BOX & PIN CONNECTOR

CN03150

4.625 11 SPF
140/160 Low
Side Phasing
GROOVED TANDEM CONNECTOR

SHAPED CHARGES

SCALLOPED GUN BODY

XHV PRIMACORD

BOX & PIN CONNECTOR

CN02287

6.00 12 SPF
51.4 Phasing
GROOVED TANDEM
CONNECTOR

SHAPED CHARGES

SCALLOPED GUN BODY

XHV PRIMACORD

BOX & PIN CONNECTOR

CN02286

7.00 12
SPF
72 Phasing
GROOVED TANDEM CONNECTOR

SHAPED CHARGES

SCALLOPED GUN BODY

XHV PRIMACORD

BOX & PIN CONNECTOR

CN02285