The success of every stage depends upon the control and application of pressure to deliver fracture initiating forces where you want them, and isolate them from where you do not. When the pressure is on, you need PlugVA™ to be sure that your stag plugs are performing.

Challenge

Stage plugs have it tough: You throw them down the hole, you set them with a bang, you hit them with high pressures and blast of sand, and then you chew them up when your done with them. Under these extremes it is no wonder things go wrong. But you need your plugs to perform each and every time as failures to hold pressure will lead to ineffective stimulation, reduced productivity and even well-to-well interaction. Issues such as incorrect setting depths, poor wellbore cleanout, tolerance mis-match or mechanical failure are all too common, and often invisible from surface, and may all result in plug failure and impaired well performance, while failure to remove the plug will result in trapped reserves or even loss of the entire lateral.

Solution

Through the application of high-definition array video, combined with optional multi-finger caliper measurements, EV’s PlugVA™ service provides detailed information that reveals every aspect of stage plug performance.

PlugVA™ utilizes array camera video footage to identify the location of the stage plug setting area after the frac and plug mill-out operations are complete. By analyzing the inner surfaces of the liner in this region it is possible to confirm the exact setting depth, verify pressure containment and identify unwanted performance features such as plug slippage or the leakage of fluids across the sealing surfaces.

Owing to the high velocities and abrasive properties of frac fluids, their by-pass across a leaking stage plug results in erosion of the liner wall. Examination of these features can reveal the cause and extent of damage so that actions can be taken to prevent and eliminate reoccurrence either through design or procedure.

And as the source data for PlugVA™ can be gathered from same intervention and logging pass as for PerforationVA™, the combination of services provide a definitive view of proppant placement and stage plug performance from a single, highly-efficient and cost-effective diagnostic operation.

Application

  • Plug setting and slippage
  • Leakage and proppant by-pass
  • Mill-out inspection and verification