Well documented challenges exist within the industry during well completion activities as the technologies utilised are often exposed to large amounts of debris, leading to operational failure, costly shutdown time and an unnecessary exposure to risk. Worldwide drilling and completions expenditure was estimated to run at over $250 billion a year in 2008 by petroleum consultants, Spears and Associates with rig costs estimated to comprise $92.5 billion (37%) of this total. The deployment of a reliable reservoir isolation barrier can be seen as a key factor for dealing with both of these issues by reducing the costs and risks involved in the lower completion operation.

PowerBall is an intelligent reservoir isolation barrier designed specifically to cope with well debris above the closed ball. Using eRED technology, it provides the maximum reliability for re-opening without the need for any intervention or multiple pressure cycles. Independent primary and secondary opening mechanisms, inverted design layout and a mill-friendly ball are all major design features that allow PowerBall to remain operational even in the worst of well environments.

By moving the mechanical parts of the ball mechanism below the closed ball area of the tool, and as a result, protecting them from debris, Red Spider has turned traditional reservoir isolation barrier technology on its head. The primary opening system is operated using eRED technology which allows the operator to communicate and re-open it without any need for intervention or for multiple pressure cycles, reducing operational risk and saving rig-time. Another element to the PowerBall technology is that the separate modules housing the sensors, electronics and secondary back-up systems are all positioned further up the well away from the closed ball where the debris is known to settle.

PowerBall has the ability to handle well debris settlement above the closed ball which is seen as being the “normal operational environment” for reservoir isolation barriers and therefore shouldn’t be a reason for failure to open. The tool is reliable and flexible as it can be set up on site prior to deployment, taking any changes in well parameters or operational requirements into consideration. With its long battery life PowerBall can be operated up to 8 months after deployment.

PowerBall can operate in any type of well, including cased and open-hole wells. It forms part of a suite of pioneering technologies developed by Red Spider collectively known as Remote Open Close Technology. These technologies are field proven and replace traditional wireline intervention equipment, dramatically reducing the risks and costs associated with a given operation. The real benefits which PowerBall will provide to operators will be its reliability to open on command, a reduction in rig time and risk of operational failure and increased operational flexibility in the field. The cost of failure in this sector is extremely high, as are the cost of contingencies for dealing with failure; PowerBall seeks to deal with both these issues, providing a single tool which can be opened on command but also incorporates independent backup systems to ensure that it operates even in the most hostile conditions.