Article

Optimized Design for Horizontal Well Perforated Casing and Slotted Liner Completions

Exploration Division, Xinjiang Oilfield Company, China Petroleum, Karamay, Xinjiang 834000, China

https://doi.org/10.58531/ijest/3/4/1

Received: 30 October 2025 / Accepted: 24 November 2025 / Published: 25 November 2025

Well completion is the process of creating an effective flow path between the reservoir and the wellbore. An effective completion must maintain the mechanical integrity of the wellbore while ensuring fluid flow within the well. This paper outlines a method for optimizing horizontal well design, using a skin factor model suitable for all types of completions, including those affected by formation damage and turbulence. Various completion methods in horizontal wells, such as slotted liners, perforated liners, perforations, casing, or gravel packing, are employed to enhance wellbore stability and prevent sand production. However, compared to open-hole completions, these methods generally result in lower well productivity, manifested as a positive skin factor. This is due to the convergence of flow towards perforation holes and slotted liners, which increases the fluid velocity near the wellbore. Additionally, any region with reduced permeability (due to drilling, completion, or other processes causing formation damage) amplifies the fluid flow convergence effect, resulting in a significant skin factor. The model presented in this paper considers the combined effects of completion-related formation damage, such as compaction zones and turbulence caused by perforation or slotted liner blockages, and the interactions between these effects. This paper also discusses how to select perforated casing and slotted liner completion types using the skin factor model. The selection process takes into account key parameters, including formation permeability, permeability anisotropy, fluid properties, formation damage, and rock mechanical properties. Additionally, the paper provides types of completions that can provide production parameters for the model. The application of the slotted liner or perforated liner completion model demonstrates that the skin factor variation can reach up to 40%, depending on the properties of the perforation holes and slotted liners. Case studies show that optimizing completion performance can improve well productivity with minimal or no additional investment, while maintaining the mechanical strength of the liner.


Horizontal Wells, Perforated Casing Completion, Slotted Liner Completion, Optimization Design, Analytical Model

Chen C., Liu X., Ruan D., Xie Z., Meng Q., Wu Y., Wang X. Optimized Design for Horizontal Well Perforated Casing and Slotted Liner Completions. Int. J. Eng. Sci. Technol., 2025, 3(4), doi: 10.58531/ijest/3/4/1

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