Inefficient fracturing of individual zones

Pinnacle Operating Company, Inc., is active in the Red River/Bull Bayou field in Desoto Parish in northwestern Louisiana. Pinnacle wanted to reduce completion time and cost and improve production from the Hosston formation. Known as the Travis Peak on the Texas side of the border, the Hosston formation is a highly lenticular formation consisting of multiple, individual sand zones throughout the formation, which runs from just above the Upper Cotton Valley and spans 2,000 ft to 3,000 ft.

Wells in this area have traditionally been completed using a conventional "plug and perf" technique and a limited entry approach to stimulate multiple sand zones simultaneously. This approach was proving uneconomical because additional trips to the well were required and fracturing of the individual zones was inefficient. To overcome these obstacles, Pinnacle elected to use the Schlumberger PerfFRAC fracturing technology.

An innovative approach

Using the PerfFRAC service, Pinnacle was able to treat all zones of interest in the formation in a single day, with a single trip to the well. Guns were run in the hole to perforate the first zone and, once the holes were shot, stimulation for this stage began with the perforating guns remaining in the hole. While pumping was underway, the guns were moved up the hole to perforate the next zone. Once the first zone was completed, ball sealers were pumped into the well where—in conjunction with a fluid diverting slurry that is 100% soluble with time and temperature—they effectively blocked and isolated the first zone. The next zone was then perforated and the entire process repeated for each subsequent zone of interest.

The PerfFRAC approach requires no composite bridge plugs and, therefore, a coiled tubing unit is not needed to drill through the plugs. This approach saves time and money.

Time and cost savings

Using the PerfFRAC service, Pinnacle saved USD 60,000 in completion costs and put the well on production 7 days faster. In addition, production increased by 20% compared to offset wells that were completed using conventional limited entry techniques. Pinnacle reports being pleased and impressed with the overall results and plans to use the PerfFRAC service on future wells in the area.

About the Contact family

PerfFRAC technology is part of the intervention category of the Contact four-category portfolio of staged fracturing and completion services. These technologies maximize reservoir contact by offering the most efficient and effective services for each well. The Contact intervention category enables multiple stages to be perforated/jetted, fractured, and isolated in one intervention. Contact services can be enhanced with real-time measurement options.