Restoring Injectivity in Tight Formations: Comparative Evaluation of Perforation Techniques

Abstract Over the last few decades, the petroleum industry has progressively advanced in mitigating near-wellbore damage resulting from drilling and workover activities. Among the most critical elements post-completion is the perforation method, as it establishes the primary conduit between the wellbore and reservoir. Effective perforations enable lower injection pressures and higher injectivity, laying the foundation for successful hydraulic fracturing. This paper presents a comparison where two perforation techniques, conventional wireline perforation and coil tubing abrasive jetting, were applied sequentially in the same reservoir, allowing a direct performance comparison. Abrasive jetting offers clear advantages i.e., deeper penetration, larger entry holes, and minimal formation damage over wireline perforations. Explosive based perforations often result in compacted perforation tunnels and elevated friction pressures that increase the risk of poor injectivity. While historically limited by depth control, jet wear, and operational complexity, the abrasive tool and techniques deployed in this study demonstrated enhanced durability, 100% depth accuracy, and configuration flexibility with varied jet sizes and phasing without compromising the integrity of the tool. The paper dissects the methods and procedures deployed for depth accuracy, required perforation penetration, customization of carrier fluids, and for the optimum stand-off. The example discussed exhibits an injection of 3.5 bpm at 13,500 psi with wireline perforations. In contrast, CT abrasive perforations deployed across 19 stations in a single run, resulted in injection of 15.7 bpm with maximum pressure of 13,500 psi. It is a significant improvement in injectivity, that enabled efficient proppant fracturing across the target zone that had previously been unresponsive. This application underscores how advances in tool design and execution strategy have elevated CT abrasive jetting from a niche technique to a reliable, high-performance solution for challenging reservoir conditions. Abrasive perforations at 19-stations in a single run not only proved operationally viable but also provided superior injectivity gain that validates abrasive jetting as a preferred method where conventional perforation fails to deliver.