T

Technology
Today Series

Highly Overbalanced Perforating

John M. Dees, SPE, Dees Well Completions

Summary

This article briefly describes a new perforating technique that will

result in clean, open perforations. The well is normally stimulated
when highly overbalanced perforation techniques are used. This
perforation process improves formation evaluation because the well
flows better and is easier to test.
Introduction

Underbalanced perforating is generally accepted as the petroleum

industry standard for perforating. However, a recent review of posperforation well performance indicated that inconsistent results are
achieved with conventional perforating techniques. Pressure buildup analyses after perforating often indicate a range of skin factors
from - 1.0 to more than + 50. An average perforation efficiency of
25% was observed in one perforation study.!
On the basis of such results, the industry has been looking for a
new method to perforate a well that could improve perforation efficiency. Possible stimulation techniques include propellants and explosives. Fig. 1 illustrates how the pressure vs. time relationship varies for four separate stimulation methods. Explosives or
propellants apply a high pressure to the perforations in micro- or
milliseconds, respectively. Hydraulic fracturing loads the perforations very slowly. Overbalanced perforating loads the perforations
rapidly and maintains the pressure for a sufficient time to create
clean fractures at the tips of each perforation (Fig. 2).
Mechanics

A perforating jet exerts a stress of 4 to 5 million psi at the

tip.2 This high stress greatly exceeds all the principal rock stresses,
and, consequently, a perforation hole and tunnel are formed. A reasonable estimate of the tunnel length can be made by considering
such factors as charge specifications, in-situ rock properties, and
wellbore conditions.
If a sufficient amount of overbalanced pressure is applied to the
perforations after they are formed, two potential benefits can be
gained. First, the prolonged application of high pressure will allow
for some stabilization of the tunnel walls. Second, the action of the
fluid used to apply the pressure can extend induced fractures created
through each perforation.
Erosion of the fracture faces can occur if the velocity is high
enough. Fluid velocity alone may be insufficient to etch the induced
fracture faces properly in some cases. The addition of a reactive
Copyright 1995 Society of Petroleum Engineers
This paper is SPE 30342. Technology Today Series articles provide useful summary in
formation on both classic and emerging concepts in petroleum engineering. Purpose: To
provide the general reader with a basic understanding of a significant concept, technique, or
development within a specific area of technology.

JPT May 1995

fluid, such as acid in a carbonate reservoir, or a scouring material,

such as fracturing proppant, can improve the etching patterns on the
fracture faces significantly. The addition of a scouring material may
also be beneficial in eroding and enlarging the perforating-entryhole diameter through the casing and cement sheath of the wellbore.
Highly overbalanced perforating can be done with any of the currently available perforating guns. The preferred gun type is a hollow
steel carrier because the gun body will retain most of the charge debris. Tubing-conveyed guns will allow for the application of the highest bottomhole pressure (BHP). Fig. 3 shows a typical tubing-conveyed setup. Before perforating, pressure is applied to the well bore
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 and 1.3 psilft. Ideally, the pressure gradient will exceed all
the principal in-situ stresses. The rule of thumb for minimum applied
pressure is the formation fracturing gradient plus 0.4 psilft.
The pressure is applied by use of 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 used 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 attainable by practical means from the surface can be
achieved downhole. In instances where reducing surface pressures is
desirable, nitrogen has been used to achieve a predetermined surface
pressure, followed by pumping of a weighted brine water to complete
the initial pressurization. This has reduced surface pressures by several thousand pounds per square inch on some well treatments.
The high rate of fluid displacement will exceed the capacity of the
perforations to accept fluid. This event will last from I to 15 seconds
until the pressure falls below the fracture-extension pressure. The
breakdown is greatly enhanced by performing additional pumping
operations with additional gas and/or liquid volumes. In some
instances, a small stimulation treatment may be done together with
the breakdown.
The final fluid pumped into the reservoir can be tailored to enhance the relative permeability to the reservoir produced fluid. In
low-pressure gas wells, only small liquid volumes of liquid (I to 5
bbl) are required for the breakdown. This small liquid volume can
be dispersed easily by injecting gas, such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide. Surfactant blends that will leave the formation water-wet can be
used in oil wells.
The highly overbalanced stimulation technique has been applied
in wells with existing perforations by surging the perforations
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Detonation

(mlero$8COnds)

Overbalanced Perforat"g

~ ri1-----~~~~~----------~(.~on~d.~)--~----------::J
<II

Q.

TIME_

Fig. 1-Relative loading rates of perforating, propellant gas

fracturing, overbalanced perforating, and hydraulic fracturing.

Fig. 2-Fracture origination from (a) overbalanced perforation.

and from (b) underbaianced perforations.

Uqu Id pumpers
Additional pressure
applied with liquid

Gas pressure in well bore

Gas pressure in wellbore

Fig. 4-Wellbore configuration for an overpressured surge

stimulation.
Damaged Zone

Fig. 3-A typical tubing-conveyed overbalanced-perforating

well configuration.

through the tubing. These wells responded with a lower decline rate
following the treatment. The treatments appear to be the most beneficial if they are applied as soon as possible after perforating and be
fore any flow occurs from the reservoir. The overbalanced pressure
is applied with some type of expendable plug in the tubing or below
the packer (Fig. 4).

Results

Oryx Energy Co. has performed overbalanced perforating and surge

stimulation well treatments on more than 50 wells. Of these well
treatments, 55% were perforated with tubing-conveyed perforators,
30% were surged only, and 15% were perforated with wireline conveyed guns. Negative skin values were found in 88% of the 16 wells
with BHP buildup 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. These results are overwhelmingly in-

TABLE 1-BUILDUP RESULTS FOR OVERBALANCED WELL TREATMENTS

Weil
Location
Texas
Texas
Texas
Texas
Texas
New Mexico
Oklahoma
New Mexico
New Mexico
Texas
New Mexico
New Mexico
Michigan
Oklahoma
Texas
Oklahoma
ss = sandstone;

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Formation
Name/Type
Strawn SS
Strawn SS
Strawn SS
Strawn SS
Strawn SS
Atoka LS
1st Spiro SS
Morrow SS
Atoka SS
Strawn SS
Morrow SS
Seven Rivers
SS
Prairie du
Chien SS
Red Fork SS
Strawn SS
Skinner SS

Overbalance
Fluid
System
N2
N2 plus sand
N2 plus sand
N2 plus sand
N2 plus sand
N2 plus HCI
N2 plus HCI
N2 plus sand
N2 plus ISP
N2 plus sand
N2 plus ISP
HCI

Type
Perforated
Perforated
Perforated
Perforated
Perforated
Perforated
Perforated
Perforated
Perforated
Perforated
Perforated
Surge

N2 plus HCI

Perforated

10,231

38

4,650

Surge
Surge
Surge

12,630
5,921
11,321

40
128
30

5,827
1,770
4,653

N2 plus water
N2 plus sand
N2 plus water

Number
of
Perforations
27
45
5
28
32
68
70
13
10
135
44
20

Reservoir
BHP
(psi)
1,980
1,450
1,650
1,891
2,058
11,014
8,000
2,816
4,771
2,200
4,336
640

Midperforation
Depth
(tt)
5,769
5,763
5,763
5,768
5,697
14,305
10,823
9,490
13,021
5,899
10,784
3,022

Overbalance
Gradient
(psi/tt)
1.39
1.39
2.39
1.39
1.40
0.87
1.25
1.21
1.10
1.27
1.11
1.69

kh
(md-tt)
7.2
34
0.6
0.09
0.08
1.25
0.42
140
2.4
14.7
350
400

Skin
-0.6
-2.2
-2.3
-2.3
-2
-2.3
-1.4
85
-3.3
-3.6
-5
10

1.33

1.47

- 0.4

1.18
1.06
1.24

0.24
10.31
1.54

-1.5
-1.1
- 1.5

LS = limestone; and ISP =intermediate-strength proppant .

May 1995 JVf

dicative 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.
Nomenclature

h = reservoir height, L, ft
k = permeability, L2, md
0max = maximum stress, m1Lt2, psi
References
I. Handren, P. J., Jupp, T. B., and Dees, J.M.: "Overbalance Perforating and
Stimulation Method for Wells," paper SPE 26515 presented at the 1993
SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Houston, Oct. 3-6.
2. Arvidsson, B. et al.: "A Millisecond of Shaped-Charge Physics," The
Technical Review (July 1986) 34, No.2, 32.

,Jvr May 1995

51 Metric Conversion Factors

bbl x 1.589 873

ftx3.048*
mdx9.869233
psi x 6.894 757

E - 01 = m3
E-OI=m
E-04=,um2
E + 00 = kPa

Conversion factor is exact.

John Oees is owner of Dees Well Completions, a consulting company in Richardson, TX. His expertise is in the areas of horizontal
wellbores, formation damage, acidizing, fracturing, perforating, and sand control. He began his career with Halliburton
Services, joined Getty Oil in 1981, and moved to Sun Oil Co.,
which later became Oryx Energy Co., in 1984. He was a wellcompletion consultant with Oryx until 1994. He holds a BS degree in chemistry from Southwestern Oklahoma State U. and an
MS degree in petroleum engineering from the U. of Oklahoma.
Dees was a 1994 Speakers Bureau speaker and a 1993-94 Forum
Series Committee member and has been a member of Annual
Meeting technical committees.

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