Improving Cycle Time to Deliver Perforation Charges for Unconventional Fracturing Operations

Abstract

Abstract This paper overviews the application of Lean Six Sigma (L6S) framework and principles to reduce overall cycle time needed to deliver perforation charges for rig-less unconventional well sites. As the unconventional program at Saudi Aramco embarked on a number of shale plays around the Kingdom, the number of fracturing stages increased sharply year on year requiring tremendous efforts to improve operational efficiency. Perforating charges are delivered to rig-less completion sites to be used in multi-stage fracturing of unconventional horizontal wells. These charges are critical for use in several well completion operational applications that are essential for establishing productivity of wells. The perforating charges are inserted in perforation guns or isolation devices, which are lowered to predetermined depths in drilled wells. The tools are subsequently triggered with an electronic signal from the surface controlling cabin to activate the Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) tools. In an effort to reduce operational Non-Productive Time (NPT), Lean Six Sigma (L6S) was utilized. L6S is a combination of two exclusive expert knowledge areas that were employed to remove excess waste in the business process of delivering perforating charges to well sites (Lean) as well as to improve success prospect in the repetitive operation of perforating charges delivery (Six Sigma). Lean Six Sigma is a proven recipe to substantially enhance business processes through the implementation of a multitude of various tools and methodologies that ultimately aim to achieve predetermined improvement criteria. The deployment of the study's recommendations has subsequently reduced NPT drastically in relation to perforating charges delivery to almost nonexistent levels as detailed in the paper. With the aforementioned increase in the number of stages yearly, the number of well intervention jobs requiring perforating charges is expected to rapidly increase annually due to the high demand for these types of rig-less operations. By reducing NPT, there will be significant cost savings year on year that will be realized as a result of L6S application.