Charge Model Calibration

To simulate the perforation dynamics generated during a completion event accurately, representing the energy input by the detonation of perforation charges realistically is critically important. This implies that the charge model must be calibrated with testing.

Engenya and its partners developed a test setup in which a pressure sensor was placed inside a short perforation gun. Different types of charges and charge configurations were then fired and pressure traces measured.

Simultaneously, Engenya set up a model of the test and simulated the test conditions for which data had been recorded. By tuning the charge model parameters, a correlation between test and simulation was achieved as shown. The correlation captured both amplitude and frequency of the response with excellent matching of the dynamic features of the event. This process was repeated for numerous charges, which today form part of a component library we apply in the simulation of completion strings.

In order to ensure the correlation was valid and repeatable, tests were reproduced using multiple simulation methods and formulations, amongst which are the Euler and SPH formulations shown here.