Background

Packers Plus has successfully completed the first installation of the PrimeSET™ Single Trip Liner Hanger in Canada’s Montney formation—a significant milestone for both the operator and Packers Plus, and a major step forward for the liner hanger industry. Designed for efficiency and reliability, the PrimeSET system streamlines operations and reduces rig time by enabling deployment on tie-back casing.

An operator in Canada had traditionally deployed open hole completion systems using a multi-trip method—setting the liner hanger, retrieving the running tool, performing a clean-out run (if required), and then deploying the upper completion assembly for stimulation. This standard procedure required 2–3 separate trips, adding rig time, fluid usage, and operational costs.

To address this inefficiency, Packers Plus introduced the PrimeSET™ Single Trip Liner Hanger system, engineered to streamline installation by enabling the deployment of both the lower and upper completions in a single trip. This approach saves time, reduces risk, and improves overall operational efficiency.

Challenge

The operator required a more effective method for deploying the completion system to reduce both time and cost. With conventional procedures demanding multiple trips and prolonged rig time, the need for a simplified, single-trip solution became increasingly important. In high-activity, cost-sensitive plays like the Montney, maximizing operations efficiency while maintaining reliability is critical.

Solution

The system included the Standard Single Trip Running Tool (STRT) and was used to successfully install an open hole completion system, set the liner hanger, and release the running tool in one seamless operation.

A minor procedural adjustment—releasing the STRT in compression, as recommended during the procedure review—was a key contributor to the success of the installation. The 5.0 in. deployment casing provided sufficient weight to effectively set the PrimeSET element, followed by a positive pressure test and successful annulus pressure test at 25 MPa (3,750 psi).

This installation eliminated two running trips, saving an estimated 12–18 hours of rig time and reducing the amount of fluid required for the operation.

Results

The installation validated the operational and commercial value of the PrimeSET Single Trip Liner Hanger:

• Time Savings: Eliminated two trips, saving up to 18 hours of rig time
• Cost Savings: Reduced rig operating costs and fluid usage.
• Operational Reliability: Torque and drag modeling closely matched real-time data, confirming predictable performance.
• Ease of Deployment: Achieved with minimal deviation from the planned procedure.
• Enhanced Setting Reliability: The Packer Setting Sub—integrated into the OD of the setting mandrel and matching the casing OD—provided positive engagement and set-down force.
• Favorable Hole Conditions: Contributed to operational success and demonstrated the system’s readiness for large-scale deployments worldwide.