Description
The desired result of perforating has always been to establish effective communication between the wellbore and the producing formation. In the past, the design focus for perforators has been on either increasing the depth of penetration or enlarging the hole size. The need for effective perforating schemes in horizontal unconventional wells has driven the development of new, enhanced perforating systems geared specifically toward hole-size consistency.
Operators commonly specify a desired hole size from their service provider to complement their treatment design. While the average hole size might meet that requirement, the deviation from maximum to minimum hole size in a particular orientation can be drastic and could lead to increased perforation friction, increased tortuosity, and reduced cluster efficiency. A new classification of perforating charges referred to as consistent hole-size perforators will be discussed, along with the methodology for collecting and publishing the pertinent data.