FracPoint System Combined With Alternate Techniques Provided More Stages and Increased Production
Baker Hughes increased fracturing stages to 30 in Bakken ShaleBaker Hughes provided a time and money saving solution for a client with a project in the Bakken Shale that involved the successful fracture of 30 stages. Baker Hughes REPacker™ openhole packer systems provided a completion method using fluid-activated packers to isolate stages of the wellbore without having to cement the liner. FracPoint™ frac sleeves, combined with Baker Hughes Generation 3 composite bridge plugs and perforations, directed the frac treatment to the desired stage. Using this type of completion eliminated the need for cementing the liner and significantly reduced overall pumping time.
When the setting depth was reached, a ball was dropped. The ball allowed pressure to be applied to the hydraulic-set casing hanger, which was then set. The activation fluid was then spotted across the REPacker systems. The required amount of weight was applied to set the casing packer and then the running tool was released by rotating to the right. The drill string, setting ball, and running tool was then removed and the rig was moved off location.
The fracturing crew was called out and the fracturing began. The ball corresponding to the first frac sleeve was dropped in the well and pumped to seat. Pressure was applied to open the sleeve and the first stage frac began. After the frac was complete for this stage, the ball corresponding to the second stage was dropped into the flow path without shutting down the pumping operation. When the ball was seated for the second stage, pressure was applied to open the sleeve and the second fracture was started. This process was repeated until all 22 stages of the ball-activated sleeves were fractured.
The remaining eight stages were fractured using the standard plug-and-perf technique, except there was no cement, so REPacker systems were used for isolation. The plug was set and released and the perforations were shot in between two packers. After the bottom hole assembly was retrieved, the fracture began. This process was repeated through the remainder of the stages.
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