An Engineered Solution, Every Foot of the Way

Effective Zonal Isolation in the Permian

Scenario:
In Q1/Q2 2020, Nine deployed 123 Stinger Dissolvable Frac Plugs in three wellbores. All three were full wellbores.
Results: Under widely varying well conditions and formation characteristics, all plugs successfully achieved isolation and degradation.

Dissolving the one-size-fits-all myth

To state the obvious for any operator, there is no “typical” wellbore. Conditions and formation characteristics vary wildly not only from well to well, but from surface to toe within a single wellbore.

That fact figured largely into the recent drillout strategy of a major operator in Howard County, Texas. With three wellbores averaging 20,000 feet MD—one of which was a full wellbore—the company was looking for a way to reduce the significant costs and risks associated with using composite plugs.

Performance, made to order

To address these challenges, Nine Energy Service recommended the Stinger Dissolvable Plug. Applying decades of expertise in completion-tool development and material-selection expertise, the Stinger is only 3.5 inches long, which results in a minimalist isolation barrier. Instead of requiring a mandrel to set the plug, the element uses a wedge component to set and hold pressure. These features combine to dramatically reduce the material compared to other dissolvable plugs, saving money and time for drillout.

Unlike any other dissolvable on the market, the Stinger can be materially configured to address specific wellbore conditions at various depths throughout the frac—a crucial factor, especially when you’re running full wellbores of dissolvable plugs. This custom-engineered approach leads to better, more predictable performance in both freshwater and high-salinity environments.

No tags, no snags

In all three wellbores, 123 Stinger plugs were successfully deployed—all achieved zonal isolation and degradation, as advertised. Temperatures ranged from 130° to 150° F, with chlorides of approximately 14,000 ppm.

Generally, there were no tags. While a few plugs had one- or two-minute drill times, everyone on the site was confident that these were sand bridges. The operator concluded that it was the best ball action they had seen in awhile.

For more information, visit http://nineenergyservice.com/stinger.