API RP 19B

Annotation of standard text API RP 19B :

This recommended practice describes standard procedures for evaluating

the performance of perforating equipment so that representations of this

performance may be made to the industry under a standard practice.

Section 4 provides methods for evaluating perforator and/or system

performance in four ways:

• 1. Performance under ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure
• test conditions into standard casing and concrete targets (4.1);
• 2. Individual shots into Berea sandstone targets at various defined
• stressed conditions, with wellbore and pore pressures at nominally
• ambient conditions (4.2);
• 3. How performance can be changed after exposure to elevated
• temperature conditions (4.3);
• 4. Flow performance of a perforation under specific stressed test
• conditions (4.4).

Section 4.5 provides a procedure to quantify the amount of debris that

comes out of a perforating gun during detonation, and during conveyance

out of the well. Section 4.6 provides a procedure to measure the swell of a

perforating gun.

The purpose of this recommended practice is to specify the materials

and methods used to evaluate objectively the performance of perforating

systems or perforators. See more