Society of Petroleum Engineers

SPE 26515

Overbalance Perforating and Stimulation Method for Wells

P.J. Handren, T.B. Jupp, and J.M. Dees, Oryx Energy Co.
SPE Members
II
Copyright 1993, Society of Petroleum Engineers, Inc.

This paper was prepared for presentation at the 68th Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition of the Society of Petroleum Engineers held in Houston, Texas, 3-6 October 1993.

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ABSTRACT means of perforating; This system gained widespread use

Underbalanced perforating is generally accepted as the
petroleum industry standard for perforating. This paper
presents the concept, the mechanics, the procedures,
potential applications, and the results of perforating by a
"new" convention of perforating that incorporates the use
of overpressured wellbores. This procedure can also be
used in wells with existing perforations if an overpressured
surge is used. Oryx has successfully used overbalanced
perforating and overbalanced surging procedures in more
than 50 wells. This paper will highlight some of the case
histories that have used these techniques.
INTRODUCTION
Mechanical perforators for casing were available in the late
1920's. These "perforators" consisted of either a single
blade or wheel type knife that would be opened at the
desired depth to slot the casing, or a multipointed star
shaped wheel that would punch holes in the casing as it
was pulled upward. The lack of tool reliability became a
natural deterrent to their widespread use.
Bullet perforating equipment was developed in the early
1930's. This provided an opportunity to case off a
producing interval and then communicate back to it by
and is still employed today.
Experimental work on shaped charges for the petroleum
industry began in 1946 in a laboratory a few miles south
of Fort Worth. Through the cooperative efforts of Ramsey
Armstrong, Robert McLemore, Eugene Tolson, and Henry
Mohaupt a shaped charge was developed that could be
lowered into a well via a hollow steel carrier and detonated
to create perforations in multiple media. The first
commercial job was performed for Gulf Oil Company in
1949.
Most of the early jet perforating jobs were done with an
overbalanced pressure condition prevailing. Little or no
consideration was given to the makeup of the completion
fluid as this was considered secondary to pressure control.
Then, in 1953, Humble Oil & Refining Company
pioneered what was then called the permanent-type well
completion. 1 Soon afterward through-tubing perforating
guns were developed and the concept of underbalanced
perforating took it's place in the industry. Roy Vann
introduced tubing conveyed perforating to the industry in
1970 and took underbalanced perforating to new limits.
Since this evolution several studies have been conducted to
define the degrees and benefits of underbalanced
perforating. 2-5

References and illustrations at end of paper Today few onshore operators consider overbalanced

87
 OVERBALANCE PERFORATING AND STIMULATION
2 METHOD FOR WELLS
pressure in a wellbore when perforating unless it is
absolutely required due to environmental concerns or
equipment limitations. In these rare instances the
hydrostatic pressure of the fluid column will only slightly
exceed the reservoir pressure to minimize fluid invasion of
mud or expensive brine water. Until now, the industry
has fallen into a complacent acceptance that underbalanced
perforating is the best way to complete a well. Oryx
Energy Company began a research project6 on
overbalanced perforating in June of 1990 that challenges
the industry conventional standard of underbalanced
perforating.
THE PROBLEM
A review of Oryx Energy's wells revealed that very
inconsistent results were being achieved with
underbalanced perforating. Pressure buildup analysis in
several wells indicated a range of skin factors from -1.0 to
over +50. These factors were interpreted into perforation
efficiencies ranging from a high of 120 % to a low of 5 %.
The average efficiency was less than 25 %, or less than one
effective perforation out of every four that were fired.
An Oryx research team began a project in 1990 that was
to address this less than predictable performance of
underbalanced perforating. The primary goal of the team
was to improve the initial completion efficiency of Oryx
wells. The improved efficiency would translate into higher
profits because of earlier product sales. Results from over
50 wells support the claim that the new overbalanced
perforating and stimulation method could cause the
industry to do a full turnabout on perforating. The
solution to the unpredictable performance of underbalanced
perforating is to perforate in an extreme overbalance
condition and couple it with a stimulation.
THE CONCEPT
Propellant gas fracturing tools 7 were investigated as a
means to improve perforation efficiency. Gas generator
tools provided a way to rapidly pressure load the
perforations with a pressure equal to or greater than the
formation fracturing pressure. This loading could clean
the perforation tunnels of debris and fracture the formation
interval directly across from the propellant tool. The
results of using this tool were encouraging.
88
SPE 26515
Propellant gas fracturing tools had some application
shortfalls. The loading time sequence was of short
duration, 0.001 to 0.01 seconds (Figure 1). A longer
loading period was needed for more effective fracturing.
Only a small volume of gas could be generated by the
propellant tools due to a limited carrier capacity. It would
take a larger volume of gas to accomplish the longer
loading times. Probably the biggest problem with
propellant tools was the inability to accurately predict the
pressures that would be generated. These factors
suggested that an alternate means should be pursued to
improve perforation efficiency.
An observation was made while reviewing API RP-43 data
sheets. For several charges the Section 2 data (Berea
target) reported a longer tunnel length for perforations shot
with 500 psi overbalance. The depth to debris in all these
cases was shallower than what was experienced in the
underbalanced perforating tests. Consequently, the
overbalanced data was typically interpreted as a worst
case. Instead of considering only these results, the
research team questioned if a larger overpressure could be
applied that would push the debris farther back into the
formation.
The concept of overbalanced perforating has been
investigated by others. Bundy and EImerS looked at well
performance after overbalanced perforating gas wells in
mud. Their conclusion was that the wells performed
similarly to underbalance perforated wells. Northrop and
Frohne9 reported the best results for a nonfractured Mesa
Verde completion after perforating in a dry nitrogen
environment with overpressure applied to the tubing and
casing. These were the only references found through a
literature search that cited overbalanced perforating as a
favorable procedure.
MECHANICS
A perforating jet exerts a stress of four to five million psi
at the tip .10 This force greatly exceeds all of the principal
rock stresses and strength and consequently a perforation
hole and tunnel are formed. A reasonable estimate of the
tunnel length can be made by considering factors such as
charge specifications, in-situ rock properties, and wellbore
conditions. The action of the jet penetrating the rock
creates a highly concentrated stress in the walls of the
perforation tunnel. The most probable relief mechanism
SPE 26515 P. J. HANDREN, T. B. JUPP, AND J. M. DEES
for this stress is for the tunnel wall to fracture. This was
observed by Pucknell and Behrmanll . If a pressure was
applied immediately after these fractures formed then the
fractures could be extended. This could provide a more
effective flow path to the perforations and ultimately to the
wellbore.
In theory, it is believed that this fractured perforation
could be unstable. The common practice of underbalanced
perforating will cause the fractures to close quickly. The
results could be partial or even total collapse of the
perforation tunnel.
If an overbalanced pressure of a sufficient amount was
applied to the fractures after they were formed, two
potential benefits could be gained. First, the prolonged
application of high pressure could allow for some
stabilization of the tunnel walls. Second, the action of the
fluid used to apply the pressure could extend the induced
fractures, and some erosion of the fracture faces could
occur if the velocity is high enough. This would result in
increased fracture conductivity. These potential benefits
would be advantageous in a wide range of reservoirs.
Fluid velocity alone may be insufficient to properly etch
the induced fracture faces. The addition of a reactive
fluid, such as acid in a carbonate reservoir, or a scouring
material, such as fracturing proppant, could significantly
improve the etching patterns on the fracture faces. The
addition of a scouring material may be beneficial in
eroding and enlarging the perforation entry hole diameter
through the casing and cement sheath of the wellbore.
Reservoir permeability variation in a single interval has
always been a difficult problem to address with
underbalanced perforating. Any variance in permeability
will strongly influence the degree of surge that a
perforation tunnel experiences. A high contrast of
permeability may even prevent some perforations from
being surged at all. In contrast, overbalanced perforating
will not be influenced by permeability variations. The
success of overbalanced perforating is driven by the high
instantaneous surge rate into the perforations. The factor
of permeability in underbalanced perforating is totally
negated with extreme overbalanced perforating.
JOB PROCEDURE
Any job procedure that deals with pressure must consider
89
3
all of the safety aspects to avoid potential danger. A check
list of questions was developed to encompass all aspects of
an overbalanced perforating job and is included in the
Appendix. This list of questions is considered to be
comprehensive, but there are other possible considerations.
The process involves perforating a formation with any of
the currently available perforating guns. The preferred
gun type is a hollow steel carrier. This gun body will
retain most of the charge debris. Tubing conveyed guns
will allow for the application of the highest bottomhole
pressure. A typical tubing conveyed setup is shown in
Figure 2. Before perforating, pressure is applied to the
wellbore that will result in a downhole pressure at least as
large as the fracturing pressure of the formation. A
typical applied pressure gradient is between 1.1 - 1.3
psi/ft. Ideally, the pressure gradient will exceed all of the
principal in-situ stresses. The rule of thumb for minimum
applied pressure is the formation fracturing gradient plus
0.4 psi/ft.
The pressure is applied using either all liquid, all gas, or
a combination of the two. The preferred method will
incorporate a liquid column directly across the perforation
interval and up to a predetermined fluid level from the
surface. A gas column will be employed above this liquid
to provide the additional pressure required to achieve the
desired gradient. At the time of perforating, the expansion
of the gas will translate directly into horsepower applied to
the formation. Injection rates that are not practically
attainable from the surface can be achieved downhole. In
instances where it is desirable to reduce surface pressures,
nitrogen has been used to achieve a predetermined surface
pressure followed by the pumping of a weighted brine
water to complete the initial pressurization. This has
reduced surface pressures by several thousand psi on some
well treatments.
The high rate of fluid displacement will exceed the
perforated holes' capacity to accept fluid. This event will
last from one to fifteen seconds until the pressure reaches
a least principal fracturing pressure. The breakdown is
greatly enhanced by performing additional pumping
operations with additional gas and/or liquid volumes. In
some instances a small stimulation may be done together
with the breakdown. These additional pump-in operations
have yielded very positive results pertaining to evaluation
of productivity and the possibility of further stimulation
work.
 OVERBALANCE PERFORATING AND STIMULATION
4 METIIOD FOR WELLS
The final fluid pumped into the reservoir can be tailored to
enhance the relative phase permeability to the reservoir
produced fluid (i.e., oil or gas). In low pressure gas
wells, only small liquid volumes (1-5 bbl) are required for
the breakdown. This small volume of liquid can be easily
dispersed by injecting gas, such as nitrogen, or liquid
carbon dioxide. Surfactant blends that will leave the
formation favorably water-wet can be used in oil wells.
These methods have been applied in wells with existing
perforations by surging the perforations via the tubing.
These wells responded with a less steep decline rate
following the treatment. The treatments appear to be the
most beneficial if they are applied as soon as possible after
perforating and before any flow occurs from the reservoir.
The overbalanced pressure is applied with some type of
frangible disk or expendable plug in the tubing or below
the packer (Figure 3).
POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS
This method of breakdown is an excellent substitution for
the combination of perforating followed by a hydraulic
ballout/breakdown before fracture stimulation. All of the
wells broken down using overpressure, either perforating
or surge, have treated at pressures 500 to 1300 psi lower
than offset wells perforated underbalanced. A possible
explanation is that the fractures that are created initially
align with the perforation axis and then gradually turn
toward the preferred fracture orientation (Figure 4A).
This would reduce the effect of misoriented perforations
(Figure 4B) that was described by Behrman and Elbel. 12
Overpressure can be applied for the placement of resin for
sand consolidation. 13 This means of placement is ideal for
unconsolidated reservoirs. It will prevent any formation
sand from entering the wellbore because it will never be
back surged. In practice this could provide flow
conductivities that would far exceed gravel pack flow
conductivities.
A perforation prepack could be performed together with
the perforating procedure, or even as a surge treatment
after a balanced perforating job. Wells could be
perforated, prepacked, and through-tubing gravel packed
all with the packer and the tubing in place. This could
preclude the use of expensive brines for pressure control
and gravel pack fluids, and should result in reduced cost.
90
SPE 26515
Overbalanced perforating and surging has excellent
application in reservoirs that are consistently having to be
treated upon initial completion for skin damage due to
drilling. In one area Oryx had wells that were commonly
perforated underbalanced with little to no flow, even after
acid breakdowns. The average time spent stimulating and
recovering load volumes from the skin fracturing treatment
was eight days. Incorporating the perforating and
stimulation into a single operation reduced the volumes
required for stimulation and reduced the average time to
sales to less than one day.
In wildcat areas overbalanced perforating gives the best
opportunity to get early evaluation of a reservoir. This
early evaluation gives information that can be critical to
stimulation decisions. The risk of formation damage is
greatly reduced by minimizing the reservoir exposure to
completion fluids to a few barrels. To date, Oryx has
documented at least three exploration wells that were not
stimulated. These stimulations would have been costly
and/or unnecessary.
This procedure, either overbalanced perforating or surging,
could be very useful in deviated wells for initial
breakdowns prior to fracturing. More effective
communication of fractures through the perforations in the
formation could help to alleviate high breakdown pressures
that have been reported. I 4-l5 This method of breakdown
could greatly enhance the results of shooting oriented
perforations, and could help justify the additional
perforating expense.
Behrman and Elbel have suggested that phased perforating
of less than 20 degrees would be optimum for improving
the occurrence of perforation tunnels aligning with the
preferred fracture orientation. 13 This process should allow
for the use of currently available gun phasings in vertical
wells to achieve a smoother fracture flow path to the
wellbore.
EXAMPLES
The first example well treatment was on a well in Coke
County, Texas. The completion was to be a 17' interval
in the Strawn Sand at 5760-5777'. The interval was
perforated with a 4" tubing conveyed perforating (TCP)
gun using a drop bar from a lubricator. Oil was in the
annular space below the packer across the perforation
SPE 26515 P. J. HANDREN, T. B. rupp, AND J. M. DEES
interval and up into the tubing approximately 300'.
Nitrogen was used to pressure the tubing to a surface
pressure of 7000 psi. The resultant bottomhole pressure
was 8000 psi, or a gradient of 1.39 psi/ft. The tubing
pressure fell to 4400 psi within seconds of the gun
detonation. Nitrogen injection began as quickly as
possible afterwards. An additional 140,000 scf of nitrogen
was injected into the formation. The well was flowing at
a rate of 400 MCFD down the sales line within 12 hours
after perforating. Before this completion, an average of
eight days was necessary before turning a well to sales. A
build-up on the well showed a skin factor of -0.6.
The second example well treatment was also on a Strawn
Sand well in Coke County, Texas. The completion
interval was 5' of net sand between 5760-5765'. A 4"
TCP gun was used to perforate the interval. Conditions
prior to perforating were similar to those in the first
example. Within seconds after perforating, the surface
tubing pressure fell from 7000 psi to 4240 psi. Again
nitrogen was pumped at a rate of 10,000 scf/min. In
addition, a small skin frac treatment consisting of 1000
pounds of 20-40 mesh sand in 1000 gallons oflease crude
was pumped at 1 BPM and commingled with 10,000
scf/min of nitrogen. The sand was successfully displaced
with nitrogen. After a brief period of flowback, the well
was on line with gas sales in less than three hours after
perforating. The well potential tested at 1300 MCFD.
This was the highest initial potential of any of Oryx's
wells in recent times in this field. The subsequent
pressure build-up showed a skin of -2.3.
The third example well used only a liquid column to
achieve the overbalanced pressure. The well, located in
Howard County, Texas, was overbalance perforated in the
Glorietta from 2950-3002' at four shots per foot with a 4"
TCP gun. The bottomhole pressure of 4100 psi, 1.38
psi/ft, was applied by pressuring a full column of 15 %
HCI acid to 1700 psi surface casing pressure. The
pressure fell from 1700 psi to 0 psi instantly after
perforating. The acid pumps were brought on as quickly
as possible. The pressure "spiked" at 2200 psi and
steadily declined to 200 psi as a total of 3000 gallons of
acid was displaced. The final production rates were stable
at 30 BOPD and 980 BWPD on rod pump.
The fourth treatment is exemplary of an overbalanced
surge treatment on existing perforations. The well was
91
5
perforated in the Prairie du Chein in Arenac County,
Michigan at 11,061-88' and at 11,158-196' with a 3 3/8"
hollow steel carrier casing gun. After perforating, acetic
acid was spotted across the perforated interval and a
packer with a pump out plug was run into the well on
tubing. The perforations were overbalance surged with a
bottomhole applied pressure of 12,440 psi at 11,128' (a
1.12 psi/ft gradient). The pressure was achieved with a
column of 15% HCI acid (1850') under a column of
nitrogen with 8650 psi surface pressure. When the plug
sheared, the pressure immediately dropped to 6600 psi.
An additional 700 gallons of acid (1000 gallons total)
commingled with 100 MCF of nitrogen was pumped into
the formation. The total volume of fluid used to break
down the formation was only 34 barrels. The capacity of
the tubing and the casing below the packer to the bottom
perforation was 59 barrels. After a nitrogen displacement
the well was turned around and put on production. In
three hours, the well flowed back the total load volume
and 40 additional barrels of fluid (90% + oil). The well
tested at 331 BOPD and 690 MCFD with 1000 psi FTP.
RESULTS
To date, Oryx has performed overbalanced perforating and
surge stimulation well treatments on over 50 wells. Of
these well treatments, 55% were performed with TCP,
30% were surged only, and 15% were wireline conveyed
perforating guns. Negative skin values were found in
88 % of the 16 wells with bottomhole pressure build up
analysis (Table 1). The median values for the completion
skin factor and the applied pressure gradient were -2.0 and
1.25 psi/ft, respectively. The research team considers
these results overwhelmingly indicative of successful
application of the extreme overpressure stimulation
method. The extreme overbalanced perforating and
stimulation method may be the best way to complete most
wells.
CONCLUSIONS
1. The use of extreme overbalanced pressure for
perforating has not been well documented.
2. There is both time and economic incentive for
combining the perforating procedure with other
operations. Quicker on-line production will reap
both benefits.
 OVErnALANCEP~ORATINGANDSTIMULATION
6 METIIOD FOR WELLS
3. Extreme overbalanced surging has been used in
wells with existing perforations by using an
expendable plug or a frangible disk.
4. Extreme overbalanced perforating and surging has
potential application in a wide range of reservoirs,
including high permeability reservoirs that require
sand control.
5. Negative skin has been found in fourteen out of
sixteen wells that have employed overbalance
pressures for the completion.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors wish to thank Oryx Energy Company for the
opportunity to publish this paper. We thank the engineers
who were open-minded enough to try something so
contrary to conventional techniques. A special thanks to
Vann Systems for working with us and making tool
adaptations for this special application.
REFERENCES
1. Huber, T. A. and Tausch, G. H.: "Permanent-
Type Well Completions," Transactions of the
AIME 198 (1953), pp 11-16.
2. Bell, W. T., Brieger, E. F., and Harrigan, J. W.,
Jr.: "Laboratory Flow Characteristics of Gun
Perforations," paper SPE 3444 presented at the
1971 Annual Technical Conference of the SPE in
New Orleans, October 3-6.
3. King, G. E., Anderson, A., and Bingham, M.: "A
Field Study of Underbalanced Pressure Necessary
to Obtain Clean Perforations Using Tubing-
Conveyed Perforating," paper SPE 14321
presented at the 1985 Annual Technical
Conference of the SPE in Las Vegas, September
22-25.
4. Colle, E. A.: "Increased Production with
Underbalanced Perforating," Petroleum Engineer
International (July 1988) 39-42.
5. Hsai, T-Y and Behrman, L. A.: "Perforating Skin
as a Function of Rock Permeability and
92
SPE 26515
Underbalance," paper SPE 22810 presented at the
1991 Annual Technical Conference of the SPE in
Dallas, October 3-6.
6. Dees, J. M., Handren, P. J., and Jupp, T. 1.:
U.S. Patent No. 5,131,472, "Overbalanced
Perforating and Stimulation Method for Wells."
7. Cuderman, J.F.: "Multiple Fracturing Experiments
- Propellants and Borehole Considerations," paper
SPE/DOE 10845 presented at the 1982
Unconventional Gas Recovery Symposium of the
. SPE in Pittsburgh, May 16-18.
8. Bundy, T. E. and Elmer, M. J.: "Perforating a
High-Pressure Gas Well in Mud: Is It Really That
Bad," paper SPE 16894 presented at the 1987
Annual Technical Conference of the SPE in
Dallas, September 27-30.
9. Northrop, D. A. and Frohne, K-H.: "The
Multiwell Experiment - A Field Laboratory in
Tight Gas Sandstone Reservoirs," JPT (June 1990)
772-779.
10. Arvidsson, B., Aseltine, C., Brooks, 1., and
Varosh, R.: "A Millisecond of Shaped-Charge
Physics," The Technical Review, Volume 34 No.
2 (July 1986) 32-39.
11. Pucknell, J. K. and Behrman, L. A.: "An
Investigation of the Damaged Zone Created by
Perforating," paper SPE 22811 presented at the
1991 Annual Technical Conference of the SPE in
Dallas, October 6-9.
12. Behrman, L. A. and Elbel, J. L.: "Effects of
Perforations on Fracture Initiation," paper SPE
20661 presented at the 1990 Annual Technical
Conference of the SPE in New Orleans, September
23-26.
13. Dees, J. M.: "A New Method of Overbalanced
Perforating and Surging of Resin for Sand
Consolidation," paper SPE 26565 presented at the
1993 Annual Technical Conference of the SPE in
Houston, October 3-6.
SPE 26515 P. J. HANDREN, T. B. rupp, AND J. M. DEES
14. El Rabba, W.: "Experimental Study of Hydraulic
Fracture Geometry Initiated From Horizontal
Wells," paper SPE 19720 presented at the 1989
Annual Technical Conference of the SPE in San
Antonio, October 8-11.
15. Yew, C. H. and Schmidt, J. H.: "On Fracture
Design of Deviated Wells," paper SPE 19722
presented at the 1989 Annual Technical
Conference of the SPE in San Antonio, October
8-11.
APPENDIX
The following list of questions considers many of the
safety aspects that should be considered for overbalanced
perforating and stimulation procedures.
Casing
- Is there cement behind all pipe that will be exposed to
pressure?
- Does planned applied pressure exceed the burst rating of
the casing below the packer?
- Is the casing over 10 years old?
- What is rating of casing head?
- Has casing been exposed to hydrogen sulfide or carbon
dioxide for extended producing time?
Use pressure relief valves (pop-offs) if planned applied
pressure exceeds rating. Cross sectional area of relief
valves should be greater than flow area of casing valve.
Tubing
- Will the burst rating satisfy the planned applied pressure
needs with or without annulus pressure?
- Have the tubing bodies and connections been tested while
tripping in hole?
- Test connections with the same fluid used to apply
pressure for perforating (e.g. nitrogen, water or oil).
- Were space out sub connections used?
- If screwed into the bottom of tree, was the connection
pressure tested?
- Has tubing (especially workstrings) been exposed to
hydrogen sulfide or carbon dioxide service?
93
7
If yes, the tubing bodies should be rack tested to the
maximum differential expected for job with water.
- Are the tubulars below packer differential rated within
requirements for the planned applied pressure?
If no, the planned applied pressure should be adjusted, or
the packer should be set with pressure applied to casing
prior to setting.
- Is the tubing clear of scale?
- What are the minimum I.D.'s in all equipment? Will
this be restrictive to any operation?
- If an on-off tool is used, what is the pressure differential
rating of tool?
Packers
- What are characteristics of the production (e.g. sweet,
sour, etc.)?
- Are the elastomers and alloys proper for the production
environment?
- What will be the differential pressure across the packer?
Gun System
- What is differential pressure rating of gun body?
(Assume pressure inside the gun is atmospheric.)
- Are all related equipment parts (vents, firing heads,
extensions etc.) rated to a sufficient differential pressure
rating?
- Would there be an advantage to a redundant firing head?
- Will guns have to be pulled fully armed if they fail to
fire?
Christmas Tree
- Does the working pressure of tree satisfy the needs for
the planned applied pressure?
- Is the tree flanged onto the casing head?
If no, the connection should be adapted to a flange
connection, unless the applied pressure does not exceed the
shear rating of the threaded connection.
- Slip type hangers with valves screwed to the hanger are
not acceptable!
 OVERBALANCE PERFORATING AND STIMULATION
8 METHOD FOR WELLS SPE 26515

Isolation Tools/Lubricators

- What is the working pressure rating? Is this sufficient
for the maximum anticipated pressure?
- What is the maximum rate for pumping proppant through
isolation tools?
- Can remote actuated valves be used instead of manual
valves?
- For wireline applications, can a sufficient grease seal
pressure be applied for the maximum pressures expected?
-Is the wellbore fluid compatible with the grease used for
the lubricator?
-Does the lubricator have a packoff?
- Is the liquid in tubing or annulus flammable?
- If carbon dioxide is used, are the appropriate bleed-off
lines in place?
- Is the liquid in the well corrosive (e.g. acid)?
- Is the gas in the tubing or casing flammable? What is
the critical mix range?
- If pumping a frac after perforating, is the frac fluid
flammable? Be aware of volatile fumes.
These questions are some of the more significant
considerations. Several of these questions and comments
have been added as a result of operations related incidents.
As a prudent operator, questions should be added every
time a new consideration is required. As this process
evolves there will be more safety considerations that have
to be made.

Table 1 - Build-up results for overbalanced well treatments

o. B. TYPE MIDPERF BHP O.B.

WELUSTATE FORMATION FLUID (pERF! DEPTH PERFS RESV GRAD KH
LOCATION NAMEITYPE SYSTEM SURGE) (FT) (FT) (pSI) (pSIIFT) (MD-FT) SKIN

1. TEXAS STRAWN SS N2 PERF 5769 17 1980 1.39 7.2 -0.6

2. TEXAS STRAWN SS N2&SAND PERF 5763 45 1450 1.39 34 -2.2

3. TEXAS STRAWN SS N2&SAND PERF 5763 5 1650 1.39 0.6 -2.3

4. TEXAS STRAWNSS N2&SAND PERF 5768 28 1891 1.39 0.09 -2.3

5. TEXAS STRAWNSS N2&SAND PERF 5697 32 2058 1.40 0.08 -2

6. NEW MEXICO ATOKALS N2&HCl PERF 14305 68 11014 0.87 1.25 -2.3

7. OKLAHOMA 1ST SPIRO SS N2&HCl PERF 10823 70 8000 1.25 0.42 -1.4

8. NEW MEXICO MORROW SS N2&SAND PERF 9490 13 2816 1.21 140 85

9. NEW MEXICO ATOKASS N2&ISP PERF 13021 10 4771 1.10 2.4 -3.3

10. TEXAS STRAWN SS N2 & SAND PERF 5899 135 2200 1.27 14.7 -3.6

11. NEW MEXICO MORROWSS N2& ISP PERF 10784 44 4336 1.11 350 -5

12. NEW MEXICO SVNRVRS SS HCl SURGE 3022 20 640 1.69 400 10

13. MICHIGAN PDCSS N2&HCl PERF 10231 38 4650 1.33 1.47 -0.4

14. OKLAHOMA RED FORK SS N2&WTR SURGE 12630 40 5827 1.18 0.24 -1.5

15. TEXAS STRAWN SS N2&SAND SURGE 5921 128 1770 1.06 10.31 -1.1

16. OKLAHOMA SKINNERSS N2&WTR SURGE 11321 30 4653 1.24 1.54 -1.5

94
SPE 26515 P.J. HANDREN, T.B. JUPP, AND J. M. DEES 9

~I
Detonation
' (microseconds)

t
Overbalanced Perforating
(seconds)

. \ actur\ng

Time ----I~~

Figure 1 - Relative loading rates of perforating, propellant gas fracturing, overbalanced

perforating and hydraulic fracturing.

Gas and/or liqUid pumpers

.....
0: ~:~:
; ;".;

~~~~:
(,. . ,a~
Liquid pumpers

·i:. . ·:.i:i.r-:. :.l.

II
$; Additional pressure

ill ~
applied with liqUid

Gas pressure in wellbore

t Gas pressure in wellbore

Damaged Zone
Figure 2 - A typical tubing conveyed overbalanced Figure 3 - Wellbore configuration for an
perforating well configuration. overpressured surge stimulation.

95
 OVERBALANCE PERFORATING AND STIMULATION
10 METHOD FOR WELLS SPE 26515

CT
max
/

/
CTmax

A B

Figure 4 - Fracture origination from overbalanced perforations (A) and from

underbalanced perforations (8).

96