1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for detonating downhole explosives such as well perforating guns proximate of well terminus structure.
2. Description of Related Art
After a well is drilled, the open well bore is often cased to maintain the integrity of the production face. Some well completion procedures may include bottom hole plug structure to seal the well bore below a fluid mineral bearing production zone. That portion of the casing length adjacent to the production zone is perforated to admit the flow of in situ formation fluids into the casing bore. In other well completion procedures, the in situ fluid may be produced from an uncased production face. In either case, the in situ formation fluid is delivered to the well surface along the bore of a production tube that is suspended from the surface along the axial length of the well.
The production tube often penetrates a packer structure which seals the annulus between the outer perimeter of the production tube and the interior of the casing or raw bore wall above the formation fluid production zone. Below the formation production zone, the production tube may be plugged.
Like the casing, the production tube wall is perforated along that length section proximate of the formation production face to admit entry of formation fluid into the tube flow bore.
Pipe and casing perforations such as described above are often produced by a multiplicity of shaped charge explosives distributed along the length and around the perimeter of a cylindrical perforating gun. Shaped charges are usually fabricated of high order explosive that are, in some circumstances, difficult to detonate. Historically, numerous techniques have been used to detonate such shaped charges. For example, perforating guns have been actuated electrically, by means of a drop bar mechanism and by fluid pressure upon a firing head. Many complex factors contribute to a decision regarding which of these firing mechanisms is most appropriate for a specific well completion. The present invention addresses a method and apparatus for activating the firing head by fluid pressure.
When a firing head is activated by annulus fluid pressure, the entire gun length and the complete well environment is also subjected to an activation pressure that is over and, above the in situ well pressure. In a very deep well, the summation of both in situ pressure and activation pressure may be so great as to inhibit the shaped charge detonations and perforation depth. Increased well pressure may also crush the perforating gun or create an unwanted breach in the well casing or tubing.
One object of the present invention is a fluid pressure activated firing head that does not impose increased fluid pressure upon the perforating gun and the surrounding well environment additional to the in situ well pressure.
Firing head activation pressure is generated by a piston-cylinder mechanism positioned axially adjacent to a pressure responsive firing head. A piston rod element of the piston-cylinder mechanism projects beyond the bottom distal end of a perforating gun and firing head assembly.
At the bottom end of the well production tube or casing is a bore plug. The projecting piston rod is axially aligned to engage the bore plug in support of the gun weight upon the plug and secured in place by one or more shear screws or pins.
As the gun weight lowered onto the piston rod when abutted against the bore plug, the shear pins fail and the piston is displaced against a closed volume of well fluid in a cylinder volume between the piston head and the firing head pressure sensor.
A safety sub is positioned in the gun assembly between the piston-cylinder sub and the firing head to prevent premature gun detonation as the assembly descends along the well bore. The safety sub comprises venting apertures in the high pressure cylinder volume to divert unintentionally or prematurely displaced fluid. Venting apertures in the safety sub housing are paired with apertures in a well pressure actuated piston sleeve.
Any premature displacement of the firing pressure piston displaces a corresponding volume of well fluid in to the surrounding well annulus. However, as the assembly approaches well bottom, in situ fluid pressure closes the safety sub apertures and permits the generation of detonation pressure against the firing head. A spring re-cocks the piston in the event of premature displacement so as to enable firing once the venting apertures are closed.
The invention is hereafter described in detail and with reference to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or similar elements throughout the several figures and views that collectively comprise the drawings. Respective to each drawing figure:
As the description of the invention is developed hereafter, It should be understood that the term “tubing” as used herein may refer to drill pipe, completion tubing, production tubing, casing or other similar tubular members suitable for forming the flow paths described and illustrated herein. Similarly, unless identified otherwise, connections between tubular or housing members will be by way of conventional “pin” and “box” threaded couplings. Specification references to “up” and “down” are restricted to the descriptive purposes of drawing orientation and are not intended to be tool construction limitations.
The shaped charges are traditionally detonated by a primer cord, the initiation of which is generated by a low order percussion detonator. The detonator and percussion mechanism is assembled within the firing head 18 in a manner such as described in detail by U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,802 to F. R. George et al. In general, a free piston carried firing pin is secured within a cylinder by calibrated shear retainers such as pins or screws. One face of the piston is exposed to a high pressure fluid source whereas the opposite face of the piston is exposed to a sealed, low pressure volume. When the pressure differential between the opposite piston faces is sufficient to shear the calibrated retainers, the firing pin is abruptly translated against a percussion detonator to consequently ignite the primer cord.
Continuing the
With respect to
In principle, the gun assembly is lowered along the well bore in the configuration represented by
As the weight of the gun is brought to bear against the obstacle and the shear fasteners 23 fail, the face of piston 22 compresses the spring 45 to rise in the cylinder bore 21 past the vent apertures 25 as shown by
With continued reference to
A cylindrical tension link 36 is secured to both, the valve sleeve 33 and the housing of piston sub 20 in coaxial alignment with the flow bore 34. The tension link 36 is circumferentially scored between the sleeve 33 and the piston sub housing 20 to separate in tensile failure at a predetermined pressure differential between the in situ well pressure and a reference chamber 37 surrounding valve sleeve 33 between upper and lower sleeve seal zones 38 and 39, respectively. Radial apertures 40 through the sleeve 33 wall provide pressure communication between the axial flow bore 34 and the external perimeter of the sleeve below the lower seal zone 39.
Operation of the safety sub 30 is best displayed by
When the valve sleeve 33 reaches the upper end of the central bore 32 to close the venting apertures 35, a spring biased C-ring 41 closes into the bore 32 space prevent the valve sleeve 33 from returning to its original position. The tool is now armed for the final detonation event.
Relative to
Between the firing head 18 and the safety sub 30 may be an appropriate length of spacer subs 42 to position the perforating gun 14 opposite from the perforation zone above the packer 12.
The firing head 18 comprises a percussion detonator 50 secured at the end of a barrel bore 51. Within the bore 51 is a tension stud firing pin 52 that is scribed between an anchor end 52b and percussion end 52a. The anchor end 52b is firmly secured to the firing head boss 19. The percussion end 52a of the firing pin is of greater diameter than the anchor end 52b and is sealed by O-rings to the wall of barrel bore 51 at a zone 44 above the vent apertures 53 in the firing head boss.
The vent apertures 53 open the barrel bore 51 to the chamber space 43 at a point below the firing pin seal zone 44 and thereby expose the differential diameter annulus of the firing pin 52 to the extreme fluid pressure surge caused by the abrupt displacement of piston 22. This extreme pressure force ruptures the firing pin along the scribe line and drives the percussion end 52a into the detonator 50.
An alternative embodiment of the invention may omit the venting apertures 26 around the piston rod 24, provide an O-ring seal zone around the rod 24 and an upper limit stop in the cylinder bore 21. In this configuration, in situ well pressure acting against the annular void below the piston head 22 and the rod 24 will drive the piston to the starting position after premature displacement.
Although the invention disclosed herein has been described in terms of specified and presently preferred embodiments which are set forth in detail, it should be understood that this is by illustration only and that the invention is not necessarily limited thereto. Alternative embodiments and operating techniques will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure. Accordingly, modifications of the invention are contemplated which may be made without departing from the spirit of the claimed invention.
This application is a Division of presently pending application Ser. No. 13/694,319 filed Nov. 19, 2012.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
4484632 | Vann | Nov 1984 | A |
4531590 | Peterson | Jul 1985 | A |
4544034 | George | Oct 1985 | A |
4564076 | Vann | Jan 1986 | A |
4690227 | George | Sep 1987 | A |
4924952 | Schneider | May 1990 | A |
5603384 | Bethel | Feb 1997 | A |
8763507 | Ross | Jul 2014 | B2 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20150247389 A1 | Sep 2015 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 13694319 | Nov 2012 | US |
Child | 14121054 | US |