Scale-up of perforation process from laboratory model to bottom hole dimensions

In the laboratory, it is challenging to perform experiments that can simulate completely the bottom hole conditions of a formation. As a means of completion technique, perforation is performed by shooting (PS) technique, using explosive charges, in the pay zone of the reservoir. To alleviate the problems associated with the PS technique, a new method, perforation by drilling (PD), is proposed in this article. During the execution of a perforation experiment, a number of bottom hole environments, resembling the true down-hole geometry, higher wellbore and formation pressure, perforation density (shoot per meter or drill per meter), perforation phasing, interval length for perforations, and proper diameter (d) and length (h) dimensions of perforations, are not simple to implement all the time in a laboratory-scale model. Nevertheless, the value of these parameters, used in the laboratory, are commonly diminutive compared to bottom hole circumstances. In this article, a scale-up method for laboratory-scale perforation is presented. In addition, results obtained by the subsequent implementation of the scale-up method in three different types of laboratory perforation models (PS, PD, and casting), to identify the bottom hole parameters influencing the completion efficiency, are described.