Case Study: a leading manufacturing company achieves safe multistage fracturing with SLB’s Saltel expandable steel patch

Saltel Expandable Steel Patch Protects Derated ECP Valve Enabling Multistage Fracturing

SLB worked with a leading manufacturing company that needed to protect a derated external casing packer (ECP) valve in a plug-and-perf horizontal well while still allowing plugs and perforation guns to pass through. The valve had been derated to 6,000 psi, but the well required fracturing pressure up to 7,000 psi, so the company needed a solution that would shield the valve without making cleanout difficult.

SLB installed a Saltel expandable steel patch over the valve to provide pressure protection while meeting minimum ID requirements for the stimulation operation. The patch was set in 3 hours, drifted to 4.35 in, and pressure tested to 9,800 psi; the operator then successfully fractured 13 stages, pumping 4.5 million lbm of sand and 67,000 bbl of fluid through the patch, with all plugs and perforation guns passing through and no patch retrieval required.