American Oil and Gas Reporter - August 2019 - 110

SpecialReport: Hydraulic Fracturing Technology

By using sophisticated software to analyze videos from downhole cameras, EV says it
can measure perforation size to a hundredth of an inch, allowing it to determine how
much each perf eroded during the frac. Because proppant causes most of that erosion,
the company then estimates how much proppant each perf received to help operators
identify completion parameter combinations that distribute proppant more evenly.

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110 THE AMERICAN OIL & GAS REPORTER

"When the clusters within a stage are
of like design, proppant tends to more
heavily penetrate the heelside clusters
because more sand flows by and through
them," Lilly notes. "However, operators
can achieve more even distributions by
modifying completion parameters such
as the charge type to vary hole sizes, putting more perfs toward the toe and experimenting with proppant mixes and diversion methods. We often see clients
test multiple configurations in one well
so they can identify the most effective
parameter combinations and apply those
to the next project."
EV has analyzed erosion in more than
65 completions in the onshore United
States, Lilly reports. He credits many of
those jobs to a newly commercial tool
that speeds each run and significantly reduces the associated costs.
"Previous camera technology allowed
for a downhole camera and a single sideview camera, which meant we needed to
stop at every perf and rotate the sideview camera to find the hole. That process
took five-eight minutes for each perf, so
analyzing a high-stage count completion
could take several days. Also, because
the cameras required live transmission to
surface rather than storing the video internally, we had to run them on an e-coil
or tractor. That made using cameras to
analyze perforations cost-prohibitive for
all but majors and large independents.
"With our new tool, that has changed,"
Lilly contrasts. "As the industry's first
true sideview memory tool, it has four
cameras in an array, allowing it to capture
360 degrees of the wellbore while maintaining a constant logging speed of 15
feet a minute. Also, it can be sent down
hole by virtually any deployment method,
from standard coil to stick pipe. This
shortens the typical time from rig up to
rig down to 10-12 hours and dramatically
reduces system cost to the operator."
Lilly adds that the tool's 360-degree
coverage can reveal other issues, such as
casing damage from leaking plugs or
plug drill outs.
"The perforation analysis service's
final deliverable is a comprehensive database and report detailing completion efficiencies at the perf, cluster and stage
levels independent of the assumptions
and interpretation of production data,"
Lilly says. "The service often complements
other evaluation techniques. For example,
it provides a volume component to tracer
surveys, a calibration reference to fiber-

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American Oil and Gas Reporter - August 2019

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