This article, written by Senior Technology Editor Dennis Denney, contains highlights of paper SPE 116226, "Next-Generation Perforating System Enhances the Testing and Treatment of Fracture-Stimulated Wells in Canada," by M.R.G. Bell, SPE, GEODynamics, and D.A. Cuthill, SPE, Weatherford, prepared for the 2008 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Denver, 21–24 September. The paper has not been peer reviewed. Ineffective perforations adversely affect the completion of fracture-stimulated wells. If the interval is to be tested before fracturing, a clean connection to the formation is required to obtain meaningful data. Low perforating efficiency and variations in perforation cleanup associated with heterogeneous formations can result in uneven treatment distribution and suboptimal completion. A new charge technology has been deployed in Canada. Specific examples show how the system facilitates prefrac evaluation, fracture initiation, and limited-entry fracture stimulation. Introduction Shaped-charge perforators are used to create a flow path between formations of interest and the wellbore in cased and perforated completions. Alternative methods include mechanical penetrators or hydroabrasive-jetting tools. Although quick and simple to deploy, shaped charges still provide an imperfect solution. As Fig. 1 shows, shaped charges are formed by compressing high-explosive powder within a metal case by use of a conical or parabolic metal liner. When the explosive is detonated, the symmetry of the charge causes the metal liner to collapse along its axis into a narrow focused jet of fast-moving metal particles. When the charge is positioned perpendicular to the wellbore casing, the jet penetrates the casing and the surrounding cement sheath and formation rock. In this displacement mechanism, where the steel, cement, and rock are pushed aside by the jet, the process continues until the speed of the jet falls below some critical velocity and cannot penetrate further. The effectiveness of this perforation tunnel is determined by its geometry and quality. Tunnel Geometry and Quality. The distance the tunnel extends into the formation, commonly referred to as the total penetration, is a function of the explosive weight of the shaped charge; the size, weight, and grade of the casing; the prevailing formation strength; and the effective stress acting on the formation at the time of perforating. Effective penetration is the fraction of the total penetration that contributes to inflow or outflow of fluid, and it depends on the amount of compacted debris left in the tunnel after the perforating event. Effective penetration may vary significantly from one perforation to another, and, currently, there is no means of measuring effective penetration in the borehole. The effective penetration determines the effective wellbore radius, an important term in the Darcy radial-inflow equation.