Imaging in the Gun String Gives ARC Resources Real-Time Casing Intelligence
Adrian Campbell, Johnny Wentzel_
This case study from ARC Resources and DarkVision outlines the use of acoustic imaging tools in two active fracturing programs in Canada to monitor well casing deformation.
For ARC Resources, one of Canada’s largest natural gas producers, deformation events in lateral and build sections of its wells were creating operational uncertainty. Deformation affects the overall efficiency of plug-and-perf (PnP) operations, specifically the ability to pump down full-size guns and plugs, which, at best, can create difficulty in milling operations and, at worst, can result in skipped stages or lost lateral.
The operator had the data to know deformation was happening. What it lacked was the ability to track it in real time, stage by stage, without sacrificing time on the critical path of the stimulation. Every additional wireline run for a standalone log meant added cost, a tied-up wireline unit, and potential delays to stimulation activities.
What followed was a collaborative research and development effort between ARC and acoustic imaging technology company DarkVision that resulted in a novel logging-while-perforating capability.
The approach has since been validated across more than 20 runs with the DarkVision acoustic imaging tool within the gun string, with no impact on perforation operations or tool integrity.
Decision-ready data was delivered within hours, enabling decisions to be made before completing the next stage.
From CCL Signals to Acoustic Clarity
ARC’s casing deformation diagnostic journey began with interpretation of low-resolution anomalies in casing collar locator (CCL) data. The CCL uses electromagnetic principles to detect changes in pipe thickness and thus detect casing collars. The challenge with CCL logging was that the technology can only flag areas of thickness anomalies but is unable to quantify the severity of deformation at those locations.
Therefore, the next step was standalone caliper logging to confirm and quantify the anomalies detected by the CCL.
Caliper data offered quantifiable internal diameter measurements and could track the rate of change over time, but it came at a price: additional equipment, an extra wireline run, and time away from the completion program.
Acoustic imaging represented the logical next step. Unlike caliper tools, the high-resolution solid-state acoustic array used in this case study does not require strict centralization, and it provides both dimensional measurement and textural detail of the casing’s inner diameter, capturing ovality, wall loss, and surface anomalies in a single pass. The question was whether it could be deployed inside the gun string and eliminate an additional wireline run.