Introducing New Dissolvable Perforating Particles to Optimize Abrasive Perforation

Abstract

Coiled tubing (CT) abrasive perforation offers a valuable alternative for explosive based perforation methodology. This technique employs fluids containing abrasive material, which are jetted at high pressure through specially designed downhole tools' nozzles, creating clean tunnels connecting the wellbore to the reservoir without causing perforation damage like traditional perforating guns. Sand is the preferred abrasive material in the traditional methods as it is the cheapest besides the fact that it causes significantly less damage to CT pipe and abrasive perforating tools compared to all other artificial solids like bauxite or ceramics. The conventional abrasive perforation requires a cleanout operation using gelled fluids with adequate annular velocity and viscosity at bottom hole temperature. In this paper, the abrasive perforating performance of a novel dissolvable perforating particles (DPP) is compared in a yard test with that of conventional 100 mesh and 20/40 mesh silica sand. The effectiveness factors are the punches' outer diameters in a 4.5 inches casing and a cement block, and the penetration depth through the cement block. The DPP delivers entry hole size and tunnel penetration length comparable to the ones obtained using sand while eliminating the need to be cleaned out of the wellbore. Therefore, the optimized abrasive perforation reduces (1) the operational time and carbon emission, (2) the risk of CT pipe stuck due to highly deviated wells, high bottomhole temperature and low cleanout annular velocity, (3) water and gel consumptions, and (4) CT pipe fatigue caused by cleanout reciprocations. The DPP is applicable in both carbonate and sandstone formations as it is soluble in a dissolver, which is dissolving carbonates and not causing any clays' destabilization. Contrary to the traditional explosive perforation, the dynamic underbalance eliminates the crushed zone and the residual rock and charge debris, which makes it a clean perforating technique same as the abrasive perforating method. However, after stopping the need for any cleanout, the optimized abrasive perforation supersedes not only with zero logistical challenges but mainly with the reduction of wellbore tortuosity thanks to its larger diameter holes and surface contact with the reservoir, which enable both: better hydrocarbons production and hydraulic fracturing treatments in very tight formations after significantly decreasing its breakdown pressures.