Pre-perforated completions are employed in numerous formations in Saskatchewan and Alberta where they provide advantages over conventional plug-and-perf stimulation. Instead of multiple trips in and out of the wellbore to set plugs for stage-to-stage isolation, pre-perforated wells are stimulated using coiled tubing straddle tools, which can treat the entire wellbore in one trip.

In Q1 of 2020 Interra Energy Services had the opportunity to complete a major closable sleeve completion project. The program consisted of 1475 sleeves run in 49 wells with stage counts between 18 and 50 in each well. Interra deployed its Raptor OC® shift-frac-close coil sleeve and Velocity shifting tool. Throughout the project proppant was placed in 100% of the desired intervals and the sleeves were closed with a 99.9% success rate.

In the last two decades there has been a major shift in well design, from vertical to horizontal. With these changes there has been a significant learning curve to optimize well design. In the past, it was standard to leave stage-to-stage spacing at greater lengths up to 300 ft (100 m) with fewer stages per well. With advancements in knowledge and technology, today operators are minimizing stage spacing while maximizing reservoir contact for increased production. As a result, there are thousands of wells previously completed with longer stage spacing that have unstimulated reservoir waiting to be exploited.

On a typical Plug & Perf or Ball Drop completion, it is necessary to establish communication between the toe portion of a horizontal wellbore and the formation. This creates an injection point or a channel to the formation while conveying perforating guns or balls on the first stage of the stimulation process.