Take your casing all the way to TD on long laterals without having to deal with device debris. The Breakthru? Casing Flotation Device from Nine boosts efficiency and saves costs.

Nine’s Breakthru? Casing Flotation Device allows operators to reach TD by eliminating components added to the casing string commonly used with conventional techniques. The highly engineered plug in the Breakthru Device uses an engineered material barrier, integral in a mechanism to shatter at a precise differential pressure. At the activation pressure, the barrier disintegrates into sand-like particles, easily circulated out, leaving a full bore casing string. This eliminates the need for a debris trap and significantly shortens the shoe track.

When run in combination with the Nine Energy approved float shoe, the Breakthru device significantly reduces the weight of the casing in the increasingly longer horizontal sections, reducing the risk of not getting the string to TD. Prejob modeling software determines the position of the Breakthru device in the casing string and pressure activation values. In wells where the tool has been run, there has been 100% success in casing reaching TD.

No Debris to Slow You Down

Once TD is reached, pressure is applied to disintegrate the plug into fine sand-like particles. These fine particles are easily circulated out through sleeves, toe valves, and float equipment. There is no need for a debris trap, fluid flushes, or extra trips to retrieve device pieces. Instead, you can begin pumping cement right away. The engineered material barrier is extremely durable, providing a reliable seal under the extreme temperatures and axial loads encountered during run-in, yet reliably shatters once the casing is landed.

Less Shoe Track, More Pay

Because there is no debris trap or landing collar taking up space on the string, you’re able to gain access to the full wellbore. Instead of drilling wasted lateral, you’re getting more exposure to the pay zone sooner. You save rig time, eliminate the costs of extra threads and a landing collar, and boost your estimated ultimate recovery (EUR).

Model of Perfection

Nine engineers provide detailed modeling of the job up front. Before a single tool is run, you know that your casing is being set up for cementing success.

How does the Breakthru device boost pay zone exposure?

Our shoe track requirements are less than other devices, which saves you from drilling wasted lateral and allows more of the lateral to be completed.

How does the plug handle harsh downhole environments?

The device is manufactured to perform. It is made from high-quality, ultra-durable engineered material, which can withstand extreme downhole temperatures and loads. Once the string is landed, pressure up to the activation pressure and the plug disintegrates, leaving the bore ready for cementing.

Features and Benefits

• Highly engineered barrier
• No debris trap required
• No landing collar required
• Gain full wellbore access
• Access extended pay zone

Northeast Natural Energy (NNE) wanted to maximize reserves in a horizontal gas well with a? 9,000ft lateral in the Appalachian Basin.

Running casing to depth is challenging in long lateral sections because of the excessive drag forces. A casing flotation device is commonly used to reduce this drag by creating an air chamber above the float collar. The buoyant, air-filled lateral section of the casing facilitates a successful outcome by reducing sliding friction by about 50%, while the vertical section of the casing is filled with liquid and provides the weight required to reach TD.

Conventional casing flotation systems consist of

• a seal collar equipped with a ceramic disc seal that is made up to the casing string at or above the radial section of the well
• a debris catcher that is installed just above the float collar at the end of the string.

The casing between the two components extends the length of the lateral and is filled with air. After landing the casing, the ceramic seal is shattered by increasing surface pressure and the large pieces of debris are trapped in the debris catcher. Subsequently, cementing operations can commence. The debris trap requires an additional pup joint and landing collar, and consequently the operator loses a significant interval of pay at the toe of the well or has to drill an extra interval to accommodate these components, thereby increasing costs. NNE turned to Nine Energy Service (Nine) to gain a competitive advantage.

PROPRIETARY SYSTEM EXTENDS? ACCESS TO TOE OF WELL

The Breakthru casing flotation device uses an engineered material barrier, integral in a mechanism to shatter at a precise differential pressure. At the activation pressure, the barrier disintegrates into sand-like particles, easily circulated out, leaving a full bore casing string. No debris sub is required. When run in combination with the Nine Energy float shoe, the Breakthru device significantly reduces the weight of the casing in the increasingly longer horizontal sections, reducing the risk of not getting the string to TD. Prejob modeling software determines the position of the Breakthru device in the casing string and pressure activation values. In wells where the tool has been run, there has been 100% success in casing reaching TD.

OPERATOR GAINS ADDITIONAL RESERVES WITHOUT FURTHER DRILLING

The casing was run seamlessly to depth. By eliminating the debris sub, NNE gained 20 ft of pay without extending the lateral length. At about 2 BCF/1000ft, this represents an estimated incremental gas recovery of USD 120,000 at current gas prices. Eliminating the two premium thread connections required for conventional debris subs lowers costs and further improves well economics.