Setting Up for Success: Owen Style Compact Setting Tool

Many of the issues encountered during a frac job can be attributed to the setting tool operation, redress, and running procedures. It’s critical to understand these tools when planning your next completion. I previously discussed the setting tool's importance for a Plug & Perf operation, here, with a particular focus on the Baker Style tool. The Owen style setting tool provides the same operation as the Baker Style including a firing head, piston, oil chamber, and setting piston, with a different configuration. There are several sizes of Owen Style setting tools, but for the purposes of this article I’ll be focusing on the 3-5/8” Compact Setting Tool. This size is most closely matched with the Baker Style E4-20.

The Owen Style setting tool includes a firing head and top piston assembly that contains the power charge and creates the gas chamber when the tool is actuated. An oil chamber is created between the top cylinder and the top piston assembly. The oil creates a dampener to slow the setting sequence when the power charge is ignited. When pressure is created it acts against the bottom of the top cylinder forcing the top and bottom cylinder downward. The bottom cylinder interacts with the setting equipment of the plug to set it in the casing.

Pump Down

One of the main differences between the Baker Style and the Owen Style is the piston location. The Baker style setting tool contains the pistons and oil chambers completely within the tool. The Owen Style piston and oil chamber are exposed to the well environment. To prevent preset situations the pistons are pressure balanced during run in. One benefit of this is that the amount of oil installed in the tool isn’t as important as in the Baker Style tool. If there is too much oil, the oil will expand and leak out of the tool reducing the risk of pre-stroking the tool. If there is too little oil, the gap will be replaced by wellbore fluids during run in. In fact, I’ve heard of some wireline operators not even filling the chamber with oil and relying on the well fluids to fill it and act as the dampener. The assembly includes a shear screw between the top cylinder and the firing head to further reduce preset situations.

Owen Style Setting Tool Operation

The operation of the Owen Style setting tool is as follows:

1.      The firing head ignites the power charge.

2.      The power charge burns creating pressure in the gas chamber.

3.      The pressure acts against the bottom of the top cylinder.

4.      Once the pressure increases the shear screw shears and the piston can now stroke.

5.      As the tool strokes the oil is forced out of the top of the top cylinder, into the wellbore.

6.      The top cylinder shifts downward forcing the bottom cylinder to do the same.

7.      The bottom cylinder transmits force to the plug wireline adapter kit setting the plug.

The 3-5/8” Owen Style compact tool provides 10” of stroke which is more than the Baker Style 20 8.625”. As the name implies the Owen Style Compact tool is 40” long, less than ½ the length of the Baker style 20 (83.59”).  

Setting Tool Redress is Still Critical

Regardless of what setting tool is chosen, the redress is still critical to the success of the operation. The proper redress procedure can be found in the tech unit: here.

Owen Style Setting Tool Considerations

The Baker Style setting tool holds most of the market, however in some regions (such as the Northeast US) there are more compact setting tools. The connections on the bottom of the Owen style setting tool are different than the Baker Style. This is why it is critical to communicate your choice prior to the job, allowing the plug provider to deliver the proper Wireline Adapter Kit that connects the plug to the setting tool.

The setting tool is often forgotten during the planning for Plug & Perf but plays a major role in the success of the completion operation. Ensuring that your service companies understand this and are skilled at redressing the tools will increase the performance of your completion. If you like to know more about Rubicon, completion technology, or plug & perf operations please contact me at matthew.crump@rubicon-oilfield.com. I'm committed to sharing my completions knowledge through posts like these, if you'd like to know more please hit the follow button above. Thanks!