Abstract
Cased-hole completions utilize solid pipe to protect the wellbore from fluid losses. The casing provides a flow path for cementing or for completion brines and other completion tools without risk of damaging the formation. After the operations have finished running the tools downhole and have completed the well below the target zone, the casing is perforated to provide an optimized flow path. It is common for operators to use gun perforating systems or wireline perforating platforms to complete the casing perforation. These systems call for costly rig downtime while this intervention is completed. Perforating the casing results in a large amount of debris, known as skin damage. The debris from the perforation job can become a production risk, lead to damage of tools above the zone, and reduce the flow area. The debris can also lead to costly interventions needed to stimulate the well. A new smart-engineered, metallic composite has been developed to optimize this process and provide flow assurance. This new technology eliminates the need to later perforate the liner, further reducing costly interventions. High-strength corrodible material (HSCM) is a metallic composite designed to degrade in the presence of brine or acid in a predictable and uniform manner. This paper will explore the development and reliability of this new technology, and discuss how HSCM can reduce production risks while providing flow assurance for the completion.
