A major manufacturer of hydraulic fracturing tools for the oil and gas industry is using NVision’s HandHeld laser scanner to increase the performance and life of its products by gaining a clearer picture of erosion patterns. The company previously used ultrasonic sensors to measure discrete points in a gridded pattern after erosion testing with proppant. The HandHeld Scanner provides a much clearer understanding of erosion patterns by measuring millions of points and providing a comparison of the geometry before and after testing with color deviation models showing the amount of material that has been eroded in each area of the tool. This information helps engineers gain an intuitive understanding of tool performance, which in turn helps improve design and substantially increase tool life.
Hydraulic fracturing involves pumping a fracturing fluid into a well bore at a high enough level of pressure to cause the formation to crack, enhancing the flow of oil and gas from the formation to the well. A slurry material called proppant, which commonly consists primarily of sand or ceramic material, is then injected into the fracture to prop it open, thereby increasing the flow of formation fluids. However, the proppant is highly abrasive and erodes the casing and tools. After they have eroded to a certain point, the equipment needs to be replaced, which is expensive in terms of labor and tool cost, but most important delays the completion process.
