Breakthrough perforating technology

At the annual Offshore Technology Conference in Houston Texas, QinetiQ, Shell International and GEODynamics jointly announced a perforating technology called ConneX Perforating that has the potential to improve hydrocarbon recovery by producing clean, debris-free perforating tunnels.

The main purpose of perforating a well is to provide a conduit for the inflow of hydrocarbons and injection points for fluids that control sand flow in weak or unconsolidated formations.

Shaped-charge perforating, which evolved from the WWII military bazooka has been commonly employed since the early 1950s. The shaped charges employ an explosive cavity effect coupled with a metal liner to maximise penetration. Once the main explosive is detonated, the liner collapses to form a high-velocity jet that is propelled outward at approximately 30,000 ft/sec.

Undesirable side effects of perforating are damage to the formation caused by the enormous jet impact pressure and loose debris in the newly created tunnels. The repair of damage often requires additional and sometimes costly procedures and is often ineffective.