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“Surge Ahead: Integrated Perforating and Completion Design Maximizes Well Performance”

SPE-227880 @ ATCE 2025

K. Smith, Talos Energy; C. Chow, ProDuce Consulting; J. McGregor, B. Grove, Halliburton

Kevin Smith

Completion Manager & Engineer

Talos Energy

February 10, 2026

Noon – 1 PM CST 11:30 AM Lunch served

Petroleum Club of Lafayette - 111 Heymann Blvd, Lafayette, LA

Abstract

High fracture-breakdown pressures prevented the initial frac-pack completion of the first controlled dump flood injection well in a highly depleted field offshore deepwater Gulf of Mexico. A fast-track study was sanctioned to better identify the key mechanisms and their cause. Several hypotheses were proposed including wellbore strengthening (stress cage), damage from highly overbalanced drilling and damage during completion operations. Resolving the problem was particularly important to inform the completion design of a subsequent producing well in the same deepwater sand.

A comprehensive laboratory program was designed to test some of the hypotheses. The program included large-scale perforation and flow tests to simulate the damage impact of drilling and completion operations at the sand-face and in the near-well region. This paper discusses the lab program, the test results and the frac-pack completion design for the subsequent producing well. The novel and counter-intuitive solution was endorsed by management based on the physics-based, integrated and quantitative approach.

Biography

Kevin Smith is a Completion Manager & Engineer at Talos Energy. Kevin has 29 years of experience with a primary focus on completions, workovers, and production operations. His past background includes many global projects including workovers and completions (land, shelf, and deepwater), horizontal multistage frac completions, well intervention including subsea, concentric well work, well performance optimization, along with plug and abandonment.

Kevin worked for 16 years for Halliburton, then in recent years with Stone Energy and Talos Energy. He graduated with a MS degree in Petroleum Engineering from LSU and is registered in the state of Louisiana as a Professional Engineer.

*Note Pricing Details

SPE Members:

$30 if paid by Wednesday, February 4, 2026

$35 if registered by February 4, 2026, and select Pay at Door.

Note the email invoice will show $30, but $35 will be charged at the door.

$35 if no pre-registration.

NON-SPE Members:

$40 if paid by Wednesday, February 4, 2026.

$45 if registered by February 4, 2026, and select Pay at Door.

Note the email invoice will show $40, but $45 will be charged at the door.

$45 if no pre-registration.

NOTE: The Petroleum Club of Lafayette will no longer allow PC members to use their personal PC accounts to pay for outside organizations meetings/events' meals held at The Petroleum Club. This decision was made by The Petroleum Club's senior management.

Students/Faculty: First ten (10) are free; >10 then $10 / $15 at the door. Students/Faculty must email Grant Trahan for lunch vouchers by Wednesday, February 4, 2026 and there is no need to register on the SPE website. Valid for current SPE Evangeline Section SSPE members only.

Members in Transition (looking for work) $0 in-person if pre-registered by Wednesday, February 4, 2026. Join us to network and keep your industry knowledge current at no cost if you are not currently employed. To receive a lunch voucher, you must email Grant Trahan. Valid for current SPE Evangeline Section members only.

To receive a Continuing Education Certificate by email, please email your SPE.Evangeline.CEU@gmail.com by February 10 or sign the roster at the meeting. You will be emailed after our meeting. Monthly Meeting = 1 CEU.

For questions: SPEEvangelineSection@gmail.com or Grant Trahan or 713-876-0299.