Tubing-Conveyed Perforating:
Operating Experience
o.y. Bowler, * SPE, and Dadang Suparman, * SPE, Huffco Indonesia
Summary. In 1981, Huffco Indonesia, a production-sharing contractor to Pertamina, was the first company in Indonesia to use tubing-
conveyed perforating (TCP) in its well completions. This paper draws conclusions on the benefits of using a TCP technique over wire-
line perforating techniques. Of the 75 TCP jobs done, less than 10% can be considered failures. The results achieved with various
amounts of underbalance are compared with published results. TCP is considered the most effective perforating technique currently available.
Introduction
Huffco Indonesia is the operator of an onshore production-sharing
contract with Pertamina, the national oil company of Indonesia,
in the Sanga-Sanga block in East Kalimantan, Indonesia. The dis-
covery well, Badak WeIll, was drilled in late 1971. The well dem-
onstrated that the anticlinal Badak field structure contained multiple
stacked, deltaic gas and oil sandstone reservoirs between 4,500 and
11,000 ft [1370 and 3350 m]. Subsequent discoveries have resulted
in three additional fields being brought to production: Nilam,
Mutiara, and Wailawi. Total production is about 37,000 BID [5880
m 3 /d] of oil and condensate and exceeds 1 Bcf [28.3 x 10 6 m3 ]
of gas. The natural gas is supplied to the Bontang liquefied natural
gas plant and to the Kaltim fertilizer plant. Currently, there are 111
wells in Badak and 95 wells in Nilam, with each field containing
some 300 reservoirs.
If the completion/recompletion process is carried out effectively
by minimizing damage at the wellbore, then the work necessary
(and therefore the cost) to maintain plant deliverability requirements
can be minimized. The adoption of the TCP technique for comple-
tion is a key factor in achieving this objective.
Comparison of Perforating Techniques
Two distinct perforating techniques are available: wireline and
tubing-conveyed. With the wireline technique, the charges are low-
ered into the well in a frame or carrier on a wire1ine and fired by
a signal passing through the wireline. The wireline technique can
be "through-tubing," meaning that the completion equipment is
in place and the charges are lowered through the production string
and out of the bottom, opposite where the interval is to be perfo-
rated. Alternatively, a casing gun, which is capable of using a larger
carrier and therefore a larger charge, can be used to perforate the
casing before the completion equipment is run. In TCP techniques,
the perforating guns are attached to the bottom of the production
string of the completion equipment or· drillstem-test (DST) tools.
The TCP guns are fired after running the completion equipment,
setting the packer, and activating the firing head by applying an-
nular pressure (Fig. 1), by dropping an impact bar (Fig. 2), or by
using a "wet connect" (Fig. 3) where a wireline connection on
the guns is used to place a timing device to activate the guns.
Table 1 compares TCP and wireline perforating. Underbalance
is the amount of differential pressure exerted by the reservoir for-
mation into the wellbore. It can be adjusted by filling the produc-
tion or test string with completion fluid or by emptying it by
swabbing to a level where the required amount of underbalance is
achieved.
For TCP, the underbalance limitation is the mechanical integri-
ty of the equipment, where up to 5,OOO-psi [34.5-MPal differen-
tial pressure can be achieved. Advantages are that no completion
fluid enters the 'formation when the TCP is fired and the charge
debris is expelled quickly from the formation, resulting in an ef-
fective cleanup. For wireline perforating, it is possible, with
through-tubing perforating guns, to perforate with a limited amount
of underbalance. The danger, however, is that a productive zone
would carry the perforating tool up the tubing. To offset this prob-
lem, weight can be added to the bottom of the tool. For wirelines,
• Now with Virginia indonesia Co.
Copyright 1991 Society of Petroleum Engineers
SPE Production Engineering, May 1991
the amount of underbalance generally is limited to hundreds of
pounds per square inch, compared with thousands for TCP.
With wireline perforating, the interval size is limited to 30 ft [9
m] per run. No limit exists with TCP. This advantage is especially
useful in perforating commingled zones: the TCP technique can
perforate the zones simultaneously, while wireline requires multi-
ple runs if the zones fall outside the gun length. While it may be
possible to make additional runs when the well is flowing, suffi-
dent control of the well flow must exist to enable the wireline to
be lowered into the hole without getting balled up. In wireline per-
forating, firing is confirmed by inspection of the charge carrier when
the gun is pulled, out of the hole. With TCP, this confirmation can-
not be made because the guns remain in the hole. Usually, because
of the tremendous surge forces, especially with high underbalance,
confirmation of firing is possible. This is not always the case, how-
ever, especially in a multizone completion when some zone charges
may have fired, thereby masking failed charges. A technique to
resolve this problem is to put a radioactive tag on a charge for each
gun section. The guns can then be dropped off the tubing string
after firing and a gamma ray log run.
Another major advantage of the TCP technique is the larger charge
size and the depth of penetration achievable. Standard charts show
the available charge size in grams, the hole diameter, and the depth
of penetration. For example, a 37-g charge can provide a 26-in.
[66-cm] penetration and a 0.56-in. [l.4-cm] hole diameter in 7-in.
[17-cm] casing. By comparison, a 2 Ys-in. [5A-cm] enerjet provides
18.5-in. [47-cm] penetration and a 0.34-in. [0.9-cm] hole diameter
in 5\-2-in. [14-cm] casing.
TCP Firing-Mechanism Preference
The selection of the firing mechanism depends on the completion
design and objective. For Huffco Indonesia, drop bar is now used
almost exclusively for completions, with annular pressure firing
used for DST's.
Table 2 illustrates both the failure and trouble associated with
each of the firing mechanisms expressed as a percentage of jobs
run. In this case, "failure" means that the guns did not fire; "trou-
ble" means that the guns fired, but only after repeated attempts.
For wet connects, the trouble was associated with the production
logging tool or wireline used in association with the wet connect.
The fewest failures and least trouble were associated with the
drop bar. About 62% (47) of the samples selected were drop bar.
Of the failures, three-fourths were caused by the firing pin design;
when redesigned, the system proved more reliable. To confirm this
reliability, 17 consecutive drop-bar jobs carried out by another serv-
ice company resulted in no failures or trouble. The remaining
failures were the result of primacord. The trouble for the drop bar
involved multiple drops of the bar. Multiple drops were necessary
not only because of the poor firing-mechanism design but occa-
sionally because of debris on the firing head, possibly resulting from
the underbalance swabbing operation.
For annular-pressure firing, the limited number of jobs carried
out (11, or 15% of the sample) probably do not provide a reliable
data base for extrapolation. In one case, the guns failed to fire; in
a second, the guns fired after the packer was reset, which was clas-
sified as trouble.
195
 ro
STANDARD TEST
TOOl.. STRING ---+-

~--+-
~ [)< PACKER

RETRIEVABLE ~ICER ~
~ACICER - - -
CONVER'ION
000
000
FILL DISC ASSEMBLY
~

,.IRING HEAl)

r--
P£R,.ORATING GUNS TUBING RELEASE SUB
L-
RECOROER'--+-

BULLNOSE - - + - ' \ - /
f--
...
' / / / / '/ FIRING HEAD
Fig. 1-Typlcal annular-pressure firing method. 0 0 0

0 0 0 CARRIER GUN
Almost 23 % (17) of the samples were wet connect. A modified 0 0 0

production logging tool was combined with- the firing actuator to

obtain early-time pressure and flow data. Generally, the wet-connect SPACER-
mechanism worked adequately for firing the guns but frequently 0 0 0
failed to provide the real-time data needed for evaluating the zone. 0 0 0
In one case of wet-connect system failure, the guns partially fired, CARRIER GUN
0 0 0
and in a second, the guns had been on bottom at approximately
300 0 P [422 K] for too long. (This is easily remedied by using higher-
temperature-rated caps.) The trouble associated with the wet con-
nect made obvious the impact of the surge forces acting on the guns C_I BULLNOSE
and completion system.

Amount of Underbalance Fig. 2-Typlcal drop-bar firing method.

No clear, unequivocal guidance on the correct amount of under-
balance exists in the literature. Our experience in maintaining me-
chanical integrity in the wellbore with TCP led us to settle on an
"operational" maximum underbalance of 3,000 psi [20.7 MPa].
While we have perforated successfully at higher underbalance, we
also have noticed a greater frequency of mechanical problems at
the higher underbalance. In some cases, the completion packer has
sheared free.
The degree of formation consolidation is another factor. Our for-
mations are well-consolidated with silica cementation of the sand
grains. Another factor is the potential movement of clay fines, re-
sulting in blocked pore throats. Subsequent reservoir-rock thin-
section studies have shown that our reservoirs can be classified into •
five pore types, ranging in mean pore intermediate radii from 1
to 25 /-tm. While some potentially movable kaolinite clay exists in
certain reservoir samples, it is believed that the particle damage
incurred will be offset by open perforation tunnels clear of debris.
The presence of micropores results in an overestimation of porosi-

TABLE 1-COMPARISON OF TCP AND TABLE 2-FAILURE AND TROUBLE ANALYSIS-

WIRELINE TECHNIQUES PERCENT OF JOBS RUN

Feature TCP Wireline

Very limited Failure Trouble Total
Underbalance Up to 500 psi
Interval size Mechanical limit 30 Wrun Drop bar 8 6 14
Commingled zones Single run Multiple run Annular pressure 9 9 18
Shot detection Limited Inspect gun Wet connect 12 29 41
Charge size Up to 37 g Through-tubing limit

196 SPE Production Engineering, May 1991

 0

'" ACID DID NOT 1 _

o ~~________________~"'~I'~_~~=D:DU~~~T~ION~______~

§ '\"
X X --- PACKER

j to KINe's \
DATA OVERLAY

"
L IlELATION HIP -~ " ' ,
~ ~
ACID DlD_W
'f"'. o.Ij,----------..;..I'RO.;...;..;D;..;U..;..C-TI;..;.o.c;.N--+--------------------.I
0100
FILL DISC ASSEMBLY
--
000

O·0I1OO=----'-----'---~...............~IOOO:t:::----'O'-~'--~........~10:';OOO~
TOTAL UllDEII8ALANCE PSI
~

~;! TUBING RELEASE SUB

FIg. 4-Underbalance pressure used on TCP In sandstone gas
WIRELINE CABLE zones (after KIng et a/. 1).

TCP
WET CONNECT ASSEMBLY
~

f1
'/.'// / /, FIRING HEAD
0 0 0

0 0 0 CARRIER GUN
0 0 0

I I SPACER
0 0 0

0 0 0
CARRIER GUN
0 0 0

L-J BULLNOSE

FIg. 5-Comparlson of TCP and wlrellne results. TCP more

FIg. 3-lYplcal wet-connect fIrIng method. effectIve wIth skIn factor as the measure.

ty from logs, often leading to poor estimates of expected permea-
bility from a porosity-permeability correlation.
King et al. 1 established an empirical relationship between the
amount of underbalance and the permeability of sandstone forma-
tions for both oil and gas reservoirs. They developed the relation-
ship by evaluating whether acid improved the production from a
perforated zone by 10% or more. If it did, additional underbalance
was required until no improvement could be seen. Using a less
rigorous approach by relying on the calculated skin factor on the
formation as an indicator of clean perforations gives the results for
gas that are overlaid on King et al.'s results in Fig. 4. The infer-
ence for gas is that, at < 4O-md permeability, higher underbalance
than King et al. derived is necessary, and at > 40 md, less under-
balance is required. One supposition may be that, if acid had been
applied as King et al. did, the slope of the line would agree more
closely with King et at. 's. A second supposition may be that different
environments have different empirical relationships. More work
is required in this area, but a prima facie relationship exists. These
data, however, do not confirm a slope change below 2-md perme-
ability.
Comparison of TCP and Wlrellne
Completion Results
Unfortunately, the variable-quality sands and the multiple reser-
voirs do not allow a direct comparison of the perforating techniques
in apparently-similar-quality zones. Therefore, using a random data
set of some 20 points in each case, it can be seen that the skin fac-
tor is markedly less for TCP than for wireline.
Fig. 5 shows the cumulative frequency of occurrence of skin factor
within the ranges shown. The skin factor was calculated from the
results of the well tests after TCP and wireline perforating. Be-
cause the TCP completions have been carried out with underbalance
and the wireline completions have not, the results demonstrate the
effectiveness of underbalance perforating. Of all TCP completions,
76% had a skin factor 2::5, compared with 22% for wireline com-
pletions. Indeed, 50% of the wireline completions have a skin fac-
tor > 20, with no equivalent valid cases for TCP completions.
Review
TCP is an excellent technique for obtaining high-underbalance,
maximum-penetration perforations necessary for low-permeability
gas reservoirs. Comparison with wireline alternatives in which un-
derbalance was not used shows that the TCP completions are su-
perior, resulting in considerably less skin at the wellbore. TCP
firing-mechanism alternatives are a matter of preference dictated
by the completion or test design attempted.
Drop bar has proved to be a very reliable method for permanent
completions. The amount of underbalance to be applied in the TCP
technique is constrained by the mechanical integrity of the equip-
ment. Evidence of the very severe forces in the wellbore imrnedi-

SPE Production Engineering, May 1991 197

 Authors Conclusions
1. TCP is a valid, successful method for obtaining undamaged
Grant V. Bowler Is completions with advantages over wireline perforating.
the technical 2. Drop-bar firing has proved to be the most trouble-free firing
studies manager mechanism for completions.
for Virginia Indone- 3. A prima facie relationship exists between the amount of un-
sia Co., operator of derbalance required for perforating and the permeability of the for-
the fields formerly mation to be perforated.
operated by Huffco
Indonesia. He has Acknowledgments
worked almost 7
years on the fields We thank the managements of PertaminalBKKA and of Huffco in-
described, prevl- donesia, a division of Roy M. Huffmgton Inc., for their approval
Bowler Suparman ously as engineer- to publish this paper.
Ing manager. He
holds a as honors degree In chemical engineering from the Reference
U. College of Swanaea, Wales. Dadanll Suparman Is the 1. King, G.E., Anderson, A.R., and Bingham, M.: "A Field Study of Un-
technical data management supervisor for Virginia Indone- derbalance Pressures Necessary To Obtain Clean Perforations Using
sia Co., which he Joined In 1982 as a field engineer. He holds Tubing-Conveyed Perforating," JPT(June 1986) 662-64; Trans., AlME,
a as degree In petroleum engineering from the Inst. of Tech- 281.
nology of aandung.
51 Metric Conversion Factors
ft x 3.048* E-Ol m
ately after perforation was confirmed. As a result, such factors as md x 9.869233 E-04 /L m2
reservoir consolidation, fines movement, and mechanical strength psi x 6.894 757 E+OO kPa
of the completion system must also be considered. The expected
permeability of the formation appears to be a good guide for deter- ·Conversion factor is exact. SPEPE
Original SPE manuscript received for review Feb. 5. 1988. Paper accepted for publication
mining how much underbalance should be attempted, and an em- Dec. 5, 1990. Revised manuscript received June 8, 1990. Paper (SPE 17667) first preeent-
pirical relationship can be developed. ed at the 1988 SPE Offshore South East Asia Conference held In Singapore, Feb. 2-5.

198 SPE Production Engineering, May 1991