Halliburton has been awarded an international license for ExxonMobil’s patented Non-Aqueous Fluid Gravel Packing (NAFPac) technique for gravel pack completions on Oct. 8.

Hole stability and shale inhibition are keys to successful installation of open-hole completions. NAF is often selected to optimize the drilling process, but hole stability issues can occur when displacement to brine is done prior to screen running operations.

The NAFPac process is a gravel packing technique that enables an operator to run the gravel-pack screens in NAF, gravel pack the well, and then subsequently displace the casing to completion brine, all in a single trip. Running the screens in NAF significantly increases the probability of successful screen installation and a complete gravel pack.

“As the global completions leader, Halliburton is pleased to collaborate with ExxonMobil to expand the use of the NAFPac solution to our customer base to help them maximize asset value,” Mark Dawson, vice president of Completion Tools for Halliburton, said. “This field proven technique further enhances our leading sand control portfolio."