Degradable alloy technology to optimise well productivity

Schlumberger has announced the introduction of the ELEMENTAL* degradable alloy balls for multistage stimulation treatments. The technology demonstrates predictable and complete degradation of the alloy balls ensuring maximum well productivity.

“The ELEMENTAL degradable alloy technology enables high-stage-count jobs to be carried out in both cemented and uncemented wells by eliminating the risk of stuck balls and the need to mill them out,” said Mike Garding, president, Completions, Schlumberger. “This technology provides our customers with a step-change increase in operation efficiency, bringing production online faster in conventional and unconventional reservoirs.”

The alloy balls degrade predictably in a wide range of downhole conditions, well depths, temperatures, pressures and well fluids. Controlled degradation takes place without the need for chemical additives, low pH environment, retrieval operations or milling after fracturing.

The degradable alloy technology can be used with Schlumberger multistage stimulation systems. The technology has been deployed with the Falcon* multistage stimulation system for uncemented wells in formations representing a significant challenge to degradation times, such as Gold Creek, Slave Point, Glauconite, Cardium, Montney and Lower Montney with bottom hole temperatures as low as 30 °C (86 °F).

The alloy technology has also been used in the Bakken basin, where formation temperatures are around 127 °C (260 °F). One customer used the technology to complete and fracture a multi-lateral wellbore containing 42 Falcon stages, 21 per lateral. After each lateral was fractured, the well was allowed to flow back without any of the alloy balls being recovered at surface, validating the swift degradation behavior of the technology.

*Mark of Schlumberger

Adapted from a press release by David Bizley

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