Housing burst pressure will match or exceed the casing value. Differential pressure across the ball/collet is determined by the ball material type and collet selection.

Swell packers and toe valves are not part of Stage Completions’ product lines, but they can be supplied by Stage Completions to ensure the package is compatible with the valves.

Stage Completions installs equipment in numerous basins around the world and are continually increasing their client base. References and non-confidential job data can be provided upon request. Several case studies and job highlights are available on our website

The Bowhead system is designed for single point entry completions.

The Orca system is designed to deliver multiple entry points and offers a limited entry completion.

The Orca and Bowhead systems use the same collet and ball for activation. Each collet in the Bowhead system will open one valve, whereas each collet in the Orca system will open several valves (known as “clusters”).

Normal lead times are generally between 6 and 8 weeks pending material type, availability, and thread type. Premium threads must sometimes be sourced by a single supplier and may result in a longer lead time. Material availability can also impact lead times.

Yes, they can be retrieved using coiled tubing or stick pipe along with the Stage Completions collet retrieval tool. The process involves removing collets individually from valves from heel to toe, stacking them above the shallowest valve, and pulling to surface in designated intervals to unload. The number of collets retrieved in each interval is dependent on equipment and well design.

Minimum IDs with the collet in place are approximately 0.5” (12.7 mm) under casing drift. If access is needed with a larger diameter tool, retrieving the collets would increase restriction ID to 97+% of casing drift.

Bowhead valves have been successfully opened 8 months after installation. Provided a well is left filled with inhibited fluid, the valves should remain functional indefinitely.

Stage Completions maintains business relationships with multiple machine shops and process facilities throughout North America and Asia to ensure availability and quality of parts and materials. The valves are assembled and pressure-tested in Stage Completions’ Calgary facility.

All standard market-available threads can be provided on Stage Completions’ valves. Lead times may be affected by some single source subcontractors of premium threads. A charge is applied for premium threads that have a higher cost relative to standard LT&C or BTC.

The main risks when running any interventionless system:

• Inability to re-initiate the frac after sand-off.
  • Cause: Sand-offs occur when the formation unable to accept volume of proppant being pumped, plugging off wellbore.
  • Mitigation: With Stage Completions’ systems, isolation balls easily flow off-seat. After a sand-off, bleeding pressure on surface allows differential pressure from stages below to push the ball off-seat, allowing a surge to aid in flowback and reducing risk of inability to re-initiate or establish a feed rate.
  • Contingency: If flowback is ineffective, wait until dissolvable ball has a reduced ID small enough to pump through collet and feed into zone below to clean up. If equipment is available, acid can be spotted over dissolvable ball to increase dissolution rate, and/or a cleanout can be performed with coiled tubing or stick pipe.
• Valve-opening failure.
  • Cause: A valve could potentially fail to open if Stage Completions procedures and recommended landing flow rates are not followed.
  • Mitigation: Stage Completions field technicians discuss the operations crew on critical landing rates and process, ensuring that requirements are communicated.
  • Contingency: If procedures and recommended processes are not followed and a valve fails to open, a duplicate collet may be launched with correct procedures to open the correct valve.
• Out of sequence valve-opening.
  • Cause: Launching an incorrect collet would cause a valve to open out of sequence.
  • Mitigation: Stage Completions field technicians verify valve sequences before loading collet launcher and again with client field representative before each launch.
  • Contingency: If required, valves opened out of sequence can be re-closed (and collet retrieved) using coiled tubing or stick pipe along with the Stage Completions retrieval tool.
• Compromised casing integrity due to leaking valve.
  • Cause: A mechanical seal failure in any downhole tool could potentially lead to a casing string leak.
  • Mitigation: All Stage Completions valves are pressure tested and certified prior to leaving the assembly facility for installation.
  • Contingency: If a leak is detected in an uncemented string, it can be pulled out of hole and the valve can be replaced. If the string cannot be pulled, a casing patch can be run over the leak and plug and perf can be used to stimulate the wellbore below the patch.
• Inability to get casing to bottom.
  • Cause: If casing cannot be run in to bottom, it is likely due to a count error or friction due to increased OD of additional equipment.
  • Mitigation: Effective, precise tallies are always kept and maintained during installation of string containing Stage Completions systems. Field technicians ensure hole size and condition are sufficient.
  • Contingency: If casing cannot reach bottom, the open hole portion in the toe would be abandoned. If valves are landed at depths which are unsuitable to frac, plug and perf may be considered for stimulation.
• Premature sleeve-opening.
  • Cause: If large amounts of debris cause a blockage, it is possible that a large enough differential pressure could build across a valve to shear the pins, allowing the piston to shift to the open position.
  • Mitigation: Stage Completions field technicians stress to operators the importance of keeping the wellbore clean and free of debris.
  • Contingency: Once a Stage Completions valve has been opened, it can be reclosed using coiled tubing or stick pipe with a Stage Completions shifting tool after debris has been cleared.

Other risks exist when running interventionless systems, although they are less likely to occur:

• Inability to get casing to bottom.
  • Cause: If casing cannot be run in to bottom, it is likely due to a count error or friction due to increased OD of additional equipment.
  • Mitigation: Effective, precise tallies are always kept and maintained during installation of string containing Stage Completions systems. Field technicians ensure hole size and condition are sufficient.
  • Contingency: If casing cannot reach bottom, the open hole portion in the toe would be abandoned. If valves are landed at depths which are unsuitable to frac, plug and perf may be considered for stimulation.
• Premature sleeve-opening.
  • Cause: If large amounts of debris cause a blockage, it is possible that a large enough differential pressure could build across a valve to shear the pins, allowing the piston to shift to the open position.
  • Mitigation: Stage Completions field technicians stress to operators the importance of keeping the wellbore clean and free of debris.
  • Contingency: Once a Stage Completions valve has been opened, it can be reclosed using coiled tubing or stick pipe with a Stage Completions shifting tool after debris has been cleared.

All Stage Completions products have passed stringent QC inspections prior to being installed. As additional and optional measure, Stage Completions welcomes customers to inspect the product and QC results prior to delivery. If a Stage Completions product does not function as designed, the events and procedures will be fully evaluated before resolution. Stage Completions cannot take responsibility for failures caused by other parties.

Frac ports are designed differently depending on product line.

Bowhead ports are designed to achieve a balance between accommodating maximum flow rate for the casing string, providing sufficient tensile strength, and preventing formation debris entering the ports.

Orca ports are designed to provide desired limited entry pressures and are completely customizable dependent on individual values.

All Stage Completions valves can be pinned and adjusted depending on static and flowing bottom hole pressures.

Bowhead valves and Orca landing valves can be configured to an opening pressure anywhere from 2,000 to 3,200 psi (13.7 MPa 22.1 MPa) differential.

Orca cluster valves can be configured to an opening pressure from 500 to 1000 psi (3.4MPa – 6.9 MPa) differential.

With all Stage Completions collets, the ball cannot bypass the collet, and the collet will not travel unless the ball is seated. There is no need to secure the ball on the collet.

Recommended hole size to run Stage Completion valves is dependent on cement design and valve OD. In most cases, existing hole size design for casing without valves is sufficient clearance for casing with valves. It is advised to consult with the cement provider to calculate pressure increase and cement flow characteristics.

4½” (114.3 mm) Casing
Casing Collar OD: 5” (127 mm)
Valve OD: 5.24” (133 mm)
Recommended hole size: 6.125” or larger (157 mm or larger)

5½” (139.7 mm) Casing
Casing collar OD: 6.05” (153.7 mm)
Valve OD: 6.5” (165.1 mm)
Recommended hole size: 7.875” or larger (200 mm or larger)

Stage Completions valves are compatible with most casing equipment. Stage Completions prefers to inspect any ancillary equipment that could be cause for concern and run tests if necessary.

In the case of cement wiper plugs, the IDs of Stage Completions valves are very close to the drift ID of the casing. A normal, stiff-rib wiper plug is preferred to help ensure the casing is free of cement debris after cementing. Specialty wiper plugs should be tested by the Stage Completions to ensure they pass through a valve with no issues.

Stage Completions systems can be rotated upon installation. In most cases torque limitations will be dictated by the casing thread. The internal threads on the valves are shouldered and capable of high torque values and can be found in the Technical Specification Sheet for the product.

The minimum distance required between Stage Completions valves is 10 ft (3 m). As collets travel through non-matching valves, the slight suction effect of the seals cause a minor temporary increase in velocity. Minimum spacing between valves ensures that the collets do not slingshot from one valve to another causing high travel speeds and posing the risk of bypassing the matching valve.

Over 400 Stage Completions profile combinations currently exist. The highest number of Stage Completions valves installed in a single well is currently 221.

Internal threaded connections on Stage Completions valves are shouldered and in most cases can tolerate a higher torque than the casing connections.

Stage Completions valves’ bottom subs can be built “box by pin” or “box by box” to eliminate the use of collars. This often generates cost savings to the operator, especially when premium threading is being employed.

Each Stage Completions valve is approximately 48” (1.2 m) in length. Longer-than-standard bails are generally not required.

Valve transportation from Stage Completions’ closest facility to the well site is at the customer’s cost. A designated hot shot service or piggybacking onto another well site load is normal. This transportation can be coordinated by Stage Completions if requested.

Stage Completions’ assembly and installation standard operating procedures contain multiple levels of checks to ensure the valves are run in the correct sequence. A customized running order is designed and approved for each well prior to ordering components for manufacturing. Each valve has a serial number, and the profile identifier is displayed through a frac port. Valves are arranged in the correct running order during assembly. The sequence is then checked during pressure testing, again during packaging, and multiple times at the well site prior to and during installation.

Stage Completions valves can be installed in a cemented casing string or between open hole packers.

Stage Completions can supply third-party open hole packers. Stage Completions is open to work with any customer-preferred packer supplier given Stage Completions collets can pass through them without issue. An inspection of the packer prior to commitment may be necessary.

The following QC checks are performed prior to the installation of Stage Completions valves:

• The valve inventory on location is checked against the Bill of Lading and well diagram.
• Valve serial numbers are checked against the well diagram and arranged in order.
• Each piston profile is checked against the valve serial number.
• Each valve is drifted, and the threads are checked for damage.