Hydrocarbons, such as fossil fuels (e.g. oil) and natural gas, are extracted from underground wellbores extending deeply below the surface using complex machinery and explosive devices. Once the wellbore is established by placement of casing pipes after drilling and cementing the casing pipe in place, a perforating gun assembly, or train or string of multiple perforating gun assemblies, are lowered into the wellbore, and positioned adjacent one or more hydrocarbon reservoirs in underground formations.
Assembly of a perforating gun may require assembly of multiple parts. Such parts typically include a housing or outer gun barrel containing or connected to perforating gun internal components such as: an electrical wire for relaying an electrical control signal such as a detonation signal from the surface to electrical components of the perforating gun; an electrical, mechanical, and/or explosive initiator such as a percussion initiator, an igniter, and/or a detonator; a detonating cord; one or more explosive and/or ballistic charges which are held in an inner tube, strip, or other carrying device; and other known components including, for example, a booster, a sealing element, a positioning and/or retaining structure, a circuit board, and the like. The internal components may require assembly including connecting electrical components within the housing and confirming and maintaining the connections and relationships between internal components. The assembly procedure may be difficult within the relatively small free space within the housing. Typical connections may include connecting the electrical relay wire to the detonator or the circuit board, coupling the detonator and the detonating cord and/or the booster, and positioning the detonating cord in a retainer at an initiation point of each charge. In addition, typical perforating guns may not provide components that are size-independent and therefore available for use in different perforating guns with, e.g., different gun housing inner diameters.
The housing may also be connected at each end to a respective adjacent wellbore tool or other component of the tool string such as a firing head, tandem seal adapter or other sub assembly, or the like. Connecting the housing to the adjacent component(s) typically includes screwing the housing and the adjacent component(s) together via complementary threaded portions of the housing and the adjacent components and forming a connection and seal therebetween.
Known perforating guns may further include explosive charges, typically shaped, hollow, or projectile charges, which are initiated, e.g., by the detonating cord, to perforate holes in the casing and to blast through the formation so that the hydrocarbons can flow through the casing. In other operations, the charges may be used for penetrating just the casing, e.g., during abandonment operations that require pumping concrete into the space between the wellbore and the wellbore casing, destroying connections between components, severing a component, and the like. The exemplary embodiments in this disclosure may be applicable to any operation consistent with this disclosure. For purposes of this disclosure, the term “charge” and the phrase “shaped charge” may be used interchangeably and without limitation to a particular type of explosive, charge, or wellbore operation, unless expressly indicated.
The perforating guns may be utilized in initial fracturing process or in a refracturing process. Refracturing serves to revive a previously abandoned well in order to optimize the oil and gas reserves that can be obtained from the well. In refracturing processes, a smaller diameter casing is installed and cemented in the previously perforated and accessed well. The perforating guns must fit within the interior diameter of the smaller diameter casing, and the shaped charges installed in the perforating guns must also perforate through double layers of casing and cement combinations in order to access oil and gas reserves.
The explosive charges may be arranged and secured within the housing by the carrying device which may be, e.g., a typical hollow charge carrier or other holding device that receives and/or engages the shaped charge and maintains an orientation thereof. Typically, the charges may be arranged in different phasing, such as 60°, 90°, 120°, 180°, 270°, etc. along the length of the charge carrier, so as to form, e.g., a helical pattern along the length of the charge carrier. Charge phasing generally refers to the radial distribution of charges throughout the perforating gun, or, in other words, the angular offset between respective radii along which successive charges in a charge string extend in a direction away from an axis of the charge string. An explosive end of each charge points outwardly along a corresponding radius to fire an explosive jet through the gun housing and wellbore casing, and/or into the surrounding rock formation. Phasing the charges therefore generates explosive jets in a number of different directions and patterns that may be variously desirable for particular applications. On the other hand, it may be beneficial to have each charge fire in the same radial direction. A charge string in which each charge fires in the same radial direction would have zero-degree (0°) phasing. Still further, a gravitationally oriented shaped charge may be beneficial in certain applications. Ensuring the orientation of the shaped charges before firing may also be a critical step for ensuring accurate and effective perforating and therefore eliminating the need for multiple perforating operations for a single section of the wellbore.
Once the perforating gun(s) is properly positioned, a surface signal actuates an ignition of a fuse or detonator, which in turn initiates the detonating cord, which detonates the explosive charges to penetrate/perforate the housing and wellbore casing, and/or the surrounding rock formation to allow formation fluids to flow through the perforations thus formed and into a production string.
Typical perforating guns may suffer from shortcomings with respect to, for example, simplifying the assembly procedures for components, providing size-independent components that may be used in various gun housings having different inner diameters, and achieving the potential benefits of adaptable charge phasing including accurate orientation of shaped charges once the perforating gun is downhole (i.e., deployed within the wellbore). For example, various components of the perforating gun may require assembly and wiring on site and certain components must be specific to the perforating gun housing with the particular inner diameter that is being assembled. Metal charge tubes and other charge carriers that are not easily reconfigurable are not easily adaptable for use with different numbers of charges in different phasing and/or may not be capable of gravitational orientation. The number and phasing of charges in such rigid carriers may be limited by the number and orientation of charge holes/receivers in the particular charge carrier. Machining different charge carriers for every possible desired arrangement and number of charges in the perforating gun is not practically desirable.
In addition, a charge carrier that provides a very high charge phasing (i.e., a relatively severe angle between successive charges in the charge carrier) requires that a detonating cord make relatively drastic bends, especially for charges arranged with a relatively short distance between them, as it is routed between the initiating end of successive shaped charges. The detonating cord must be precisely positioned on the initiating end, above an initiation point, of the shaped charge to ensure that the detonating cord initiates detonation of the shaped charge. The detonating cord is retained at the initiation point of the shaped charge by a variety of known detonating cord retaining components. Typically, the forces and stresses on the detonating cord, especially at the detonating cord retaining components, increases as the phasing increases and the distance decreases between successive charges. The forces and stresses may damage the detonating cord and/or cause the detonating cord to become misaligned with the initiation point either to a side of the initiation point or in a direction away from the initiation point in which the detonating cord is pulling away from the retaining component.
Accordingly, a modular perforating gun platform system and corresponding perforating gun that may address one or more of the above shortcomings would be beneficial.
An exemplary embodiment of a system for use within a gun housing of a perforating gun may include a centralizer and a detonator holder. The centralizer may include a centralizer body and a centralizer bore extending through the centralizer body. The detonator holder may be disposed within the centralizer bore and may include a first detonator holder end configured to receive a detonator and a second detonator holder end comprising a detonator holder coupling. The detonator holder may extend through the centralizer and may be mechanically coupled to the centralizer. The centralizer may be configured to engage with an inner surface of the gun housing.
An exemplary embodiment of perforating gun may include a gun housing, a centralizer disposed within the gun housing, a charge holder module having a first end coupled to the detonator holding coupling, and an end connector coupled to a second end of the shaped charge module opposite the first end of the shaped charge module. The centralizer may include a centralizer body and a centralizer bore extending through the centralizer body. The detonator holder may include a first detonator holder end configured to receive a detonator, a second detonator holder end comprising a detonator holder coupling, a feedthrough contact plate configured to be in electrical communication with a feedthrough terminal of the detonator, and a ground contact plate configured to be in electrical communication with a ground terminal of the detonator, the ground contact plate being in electrical communication with an inner surface of the gun housing. The end connector may include a conductive end contact. A signal relay wire may be provided in electrical communication with the feedthrough contact plate and the conductive end contact. The detonator holder may extend through the centralizer and may be mechanically coupled to the centralizer. The centralizer may be configured to engage with an inner surface of the gun housing.
An exemplary embodiment of a detonator holder for use in a perforating gun may include a detonator holder cap, a detonator holder stem extending from the detonator holder cap along a longitudinal axis, a detonator holder bore extending through the detonator holder stem, a ground plate slot formed in the detonator holder, a ground contact plate having a first portion disposed within the detonator holder cap and a second portion extending through the ground plate slot, a feedthrough plate slot formed in the detonator holder; and a feedthrough contact plate having a first portion disposed within the detonator holder cap and a second portion extending through the feedthrough plate slot.
A more particular description will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments thereof and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, exemplary embodiments will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:
Various features, aspects, and advantages of the exemplary embodiments will become more apparent from the following detailed description, along with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like components throughout the figures and detailed description. The various described features are not necessarily drawn to scale in the drawings but are drawn to aid in understanding the features of the exemplary embodiments.
The headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not meant to limit the scope of the disclosure or the claims. To facilitate understanding, reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate like elements common to the figures.
Reference will now be made in detail to various exemplary embodiments. Each example is provided by way of explanation and is not meant as a limitation and does not constitute a definition of all possible embodiments. It is understood that reference to a particular “exemplary embodiment” of, e.g., a structure, assembly, component, configuration, method, etc. includes exemplary embodiments of, e.g., the associated features, subcomponents, method steps, etc. forming a part of the “exemplary embodiment”.
For purposes of this disclosure, the phrases “devices,” “systems,” and “methods” may be used either individually or in any combination referring without limitation to disclosed components, grouping, arrangements, steps, functions, or processes.
A modular perforating gun platform and system according to the exemplary embodiments discussed throughout this disclosure may generally include, without limitation, separate and variously connectable or interchangeable (i.e., modular) perforating gun components. The modular components may include size-independent components configured for use with all variants of variable components, each variable component having variants for particular applications and configured for use with the size-independent component(s). Variants may have varying dimensions, geometries, structures, etc. However, each modular component may include standard features and structures (i.e., a platform) for, without limitation, connecting together in various configurations for particular applications.
The application incorporates by reference the following pending patent application in its entirety, to the extent not inconsistent with or incompatible with the present disclosure: U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/166,720, filed Mar. 26, 2021.
With reference now to
In other embodiments, a housing may have a male connection end at a housing first end. The male connection end may have an external threaded portion corresponding to and configured for connecting to the inner (i.e., female) threads 206 of the housing second end 108. The connection between the male connection end external threads and the internal threads 206 of the housing second end 108 may connect adjacent housings/perforating guns. A tandem seal adapter may not be required or used between adjacent housings with respective male and female connecting ends, or may be an internal, baffle-style tandem seal adapter. In other embodiments, each of the housing first end 106 and the housing second end 108 may have external threads for connecting to other tandem/connector subs or adjacent wellbore tools, as applications dictate. A perforating gun housing including respective male and female connecting ends may be such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 10,920,543 issued Feb. 16, 2021, which is commonly owned by DynaEnergetics Europe GmbH and incorporated by reference herein, to the extent not incompatible or inconsistent with this disclosure. An internal, baffle-style tandem seal adapter may be such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 10,844,697 issued Nov. 24, 2020, which is commonly owned by DynaEnergetics Europe GmbH and incorporated by reference herein, to the extent not incompatible or inconsistent with this disclosure
With reference back to
With additional reference to
With additional reference to
With specific reference to
With reference specifically to
With additional reference to
With reference to
In an aspect and as illustrated in
A ground contact plate 504 is also positioned within the detonator holder cap 516 and includes one or more ground contact pins 602 for establishing electrical communication with a ground terminal of the detonator. The ground contact plate 504 may include a first portion disposed within the detonator holder cap 516 and a second portion extending through the ground plate slot 512. The second portion of the ground contact plate 504 may be configured to provide an electrical path to ground, and may be in electrical communication with an inner surface of the gun housing 104.
Sliding the centralizer 302 over the detonator holder stem 514 secures each of the feedthrough contact plate 502 and the ground contact plate 504 in position within a respective feedthrough plate slot 510 and ground contact ground plate slot 512 formed in the detonator holder 204. The feedthrough contact plate 502 and the ground contact plate 504 are secured by corresponding contact plate securing structures 508 on the centralizer 302. The contact plate securing structures 508 are configured, i.e., positioned and dimensioned, to cover the feedthrough plate slot 510 and the ground contact ground plate slot 512 when the centralizer 302 adjoins the detonator holder cap 516. In an aspect, the feedthrough contact plate 502 is completely covered by the contact plate securing structure 508, and not exposed to another outside surface or body above the feedthrough plate slot 510. Accordingly, the need for a protective shield component for isolating the feedthrough contact plate 502 may be eliminated. In another aspect and as illustrated in
In various aspects, the detonator 202, detonator holder 204, and centralizer 302 may individually and via their interaction provide a relatively short assembly for positioning the detonator 202 within the housing 104, as discussed further below. Thus, the overall length of the perforating gun 102 may be reduced, and more perforating guns connected as part of a tool string and deployed during one perforation run into the wellbore, because, e.g., perforating gun tool string length may be limited by the cable strength, and rig-up height at the well surface.
With reference to
The detonator holder 204 is connected via the detonator holder stem 514 to a shaped charge holder 806 at a first end of the shaped charge chain 812. To aid in understanding the exemplary embodiments, this disclosure may refer to the detonator holder 204 and the centralizer 302 together, without limitation, as a detonator end assembly 810 of the internal gun assembly 802. In an aspect, the centralizer 302 includes one or more fins 818 extending radially outwardly from an exterior of the center tube 320, for contacting and pressing against an inner surface 1702 (
In an aspect, the detonator end assembly 810 is configured for connecting to a component of the internal gun assembly 802 and being housed, as part of the internal gun assembly 802, within the housing 104. According to the exemplary embodiments, the detonator end assembly 810 is configured for connecting to the shaped charge holder 806 at the first end of the shaped charge chain 812. In other embodiments, the detonator end assembly 810 may connect to another component of the internal gun assembly 802, such as a spacer (not shown) configured for, e.g., connecting to components of the internal gun assembly 802 according to the exemplary embodiments.
A detonating cord 814 extends from the detonator holder 204 within which it is positioned and held in sufficiently close proximity (i.e., “ballistic proximity”) to the detonator 202, or a ballistic transfer such as a booster in ballistic proximity to each of the detonator 202 and the detonating cord 814, such that the detonating cord 814 will initiate in response to the detonator 202 initiating. The detonating cord 814 exits the detonator holder 204 via a detonating cord channel 1004 which extends into the detonator holder 204 in a configuration that provides the ballistic proximity between a portion of the detonating cord 814 that is within the detonating cord channel 1004 within the detonator holder 204. In the exemplary embodiments, without limitation, the detonating cord channel 1004 is adjacent to a detonator bore 1106 (
The detonating cord 814 extends along the shaped charge chain 812 and connects to each shaped charge holder 806 at a cord clip 820 that holds the detonating cord 814 in position for initiating the shaped charge 804. The detonating cord 814 is ultimately held by a terminal cord retainer 902 that serves to hold the detonating cord 814 at or near an end of the detonating cord 814 and to keep the detonating cord 814 from interfering with the assembly, or insertion into the housing 104, of the internal gun assembly 802. In the exemplary embodiment, the terminal cord retainer 902 is a blind cylindrical container on the conductive end connector 808, but may take any form consistent with this disclosure.
The signal relay wire 816 extends via the relay wire channel 318 out of the detonator holder 204, within which it is positioned and held in electrical contact with the feedthrough contact plate 502 or an electrical relay in electrical contact with each of the feedthrough contact plate 502 and the signal relay wire 816. In an exemplary embodiment, the signal relay wire 816 may be in electrical communication with the second portion of the feedthrough contact plate 502. The signal relay wire 816 extends along the shaped charge chain 812 and is routed through cord slots 822 on each shaped charge holder 806. The signal relay wire 816 extends to the conductive end connector 808 and relays and electrical signal between the feedthrough contact plate 502 and the conductive end connector 808. The signal relay wire 816 is inserted, via a relay wire slot 1002, into the conductive end connector 808, and positioned in electrical contact with a conductive end contact 1006 that is also positioned within the conductive end connector 808.
With reference to
With reference to
The shaped charge holder 806 may have a male connecting side 1302 for connecting to e.g., an adjacent shaped charge holder 806, the detonator holder 204, or an additional component, such as a spacer, of the internal gun assembly 802. The connections may be standardized between different components. The male connecting side 1302 may include a knob connector 1308 that may be a cylindrical extension and include an area of increased diameter at its top, and a slit 1310 extending along its length. The area of increased diameter and the slit 1310 provide a structure and resiliency for the knob connector 1308 to engage and positively lock against a corresponding structure formed within, e.g., a central bore 1404 of a female connecting side 1402 opposite the male connecting side 1302. The male connecting side 1302 may include phasing protrusions 1312 that may fit within phasing holes 1406 arranged around the female connecting side 1402, such that adjacent shaped charge holders 806 (or other components) may be oriented at a desired phasing relative to one another by “clocking” (i.e., rotating) adjacent shaped charge holders through the different positions, such as numbers arranged around a clock face, corresponding respectively to different phasing.
As shown in
The cord clip 820 for holding the detonating cord 814 in position for initiating the shaped charge 804 may include oppositely disposed retention arms 1506 that form a detonating cord receptacle 1508 contoured for retaining the detonating cord 814 in a manner to increase the locking force on the detonating cord 814 as the phasing between adjacent charge holders increases. For example, each oppositely disposed retention arm 1506 includes a shaped sidewall portion 1510 and a corresponding flange 1512 extending transversely from a top section of the retention arm 1506.
The shaped charge holder 806 may have a cage structure in which portions of the shaped charge holder 806 are configured with cage bars 1502 with cage voids 1504 between the cage bars 1502, rather than fully solid pieces. For example, the shaped charge holder 806 may be configured without solid wall elements, to increase free gun volume. The cage structure may impart a high mechanical strength while increasing the amount of free volume (without limitation, by up to 30% or more) within the housing 104 and decreasing the amount of material required to form the shaped charge holder 806. Injection molding processes may run more efficiently, and the final product given increased mechanical strength, when a single part is broken up into separate parts with their own thickness. In addition, smaller portions may have a decreased cool-down time, which may benefit injection molding production capacity.
The shaped charge holder 806 may further include one or more relay wire clips 1514 (e.g. also termed cord slots 822, in
With reference to
In the exemplary embodiments, the tandem seal adapter 112 includes a tandem seal adapter bore 1802 extending through the tandem seal adapter 112. A bulkhead 1804 is sealingly received within the tandem seal adapter bore 1802. The bulkhead 1804 includes a bulkhead body 1806 that may be in contact with an inner circumferential surface bounding the tandem seal adapter bore 1802 within the tandem seal adapter 112. The bulkhead 1804 may further include one or more sealing assemblies 1808 positioned on the bulkhead body 1806 and in contact with the inner circumferential surface and forming a seal between the bulkhead body 1806 and the inner circumferential surface. For example, as shown in the exemplary embodiment, the sealing assembly 1808 may include one or more sealing mechanisms, such as elastomeric o-rings, respectively positioned in corresponding recesses on the bulkhead body 1806 and compressed against the inner circumferential surface. The sealing assembly 1808 may alone, or in combination with the bulkhead body 1806, seal the tandem seal adapter bore 1802, to isolate the interior of the housing 104 from, e.g., pressure or fluid from an interior of an adjacent, connected perforating gun housing. In addition, sealing assemblies 1808 on the tandem seal adapter 112 may create a seal against the housing inner surface 1702 at the housing first end 106, to seal the interior of the housing 104 from, e.g., wellbore fluid or other materials in the environment outside of the housing 104.
The bulkhead body 1806 houses at least a portion of a bulkhead electrical feedthrough 1904 for relaying electrical signals, such as an addressable detonation signal, a diagnostic signal, and the like, between respective electrical connections in adjacent perforating guns. The bulkhead electrical feedthrough 1904 may include, for example and as illustrated in
In an aspect, the tandem seal adapter 112, bulkhead 1804, detonator holder 204, and detonator 202 are collectively configured and positioned such that when the tandem seal adapter 112 is connected to a housing detonator end 108 of an adjacent housing, the second pin connector 1906 of the bulkhead electrical feedthrough 1904 automatically makes wireless electrical contact with a line-in contact of the detonator 202. The detonator line-in contact receives the electrical signal that is relayed from the conductive end connector 808, through the bulkhead electrical feedthrough 1904.
Features and functions of the tandem seal adapter 112 and the bulkhead 1804 may be according to those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 10,844,697 issued Nov. 24, 2020, which is commonly owned by DynaEnergetics Europe GmbH and incorporated by reference herein, to the extent not incompatible or inconsistent with this disclosure.
In an aspect, the shaped charge holder 806 includes two retention tabs 1318 for retaining a shaped charge in the shaped charge holder 806.
With reference to
With reference to
The initiator head housing 2602 may be formed of an insulating material, by, e.g., molding, 3D-printing, additive manufacturing, subtractive manufacturing, or any other suitable method. The initiator head housing 2602 may include a first housing piece 2510 and a second housing piece 2512 engaged together by a latch 2514. The initiator head housing 2602 may define an interior space within the first housing piece 2510 and the second housing piece 2512 within which the circuit board 2604 is positioned. Alternatively, the initiator head housing 2602 may be an integral or monolithic piece molded or additively manufactured around the circuit board 2604.
A through hole 2516 in the first housing piece 2510 may be structured to expose the line-in terminal 2504 to an exterior of the initiator head housing 2502. The second housing piece 2512 may include contact through holes 2518 structured to expose the feedthrough terminals 2506 and the ground terminals 2508 to an exterior of the initiator head housing 2502. The line-in terminal 2504, the feedthrough terminals 2506, the ground terminals 2508, and the fuse 2608 may be in electrical communication with the circuit board 2604. The line-in terminal 2504 may be provided on an opposite side of the circuit board 2604 from the feedthrough terminals 2506 and the ground terminals 2508. The circuit board 2604 may further include surface mounted components such as a temperature sensor, an orientation sensor, a safety circuit, a capacitor, and the like. Readings from one of these components may be used by a microprocessor on the circuit board 2604 to determine when it is appropriate to activate the fuse 2608 to detonate the detonator 202.
The fuse 2608 may be positioned within a hollow interior of the initiator stem 2606. The initiator stem 2606 may be received within a hollow initiator shell 2520 and crimped therein. The detonator explosive portion 1104 may be an explosive load positioned within the hollow initiator shell 2520 and configured for initiation by the fuse 2608. With reference back to
Accordingly, as discussed above, when, e.g., a pin connector such as second pin connector 1906 from a bulkhead electrical feedthrough 1904 makes wireless electrical contact with the line-in terminal 2504, an electrical signal from the bulkhead electrical feedthrough 1904 may be relayed to the circuit board 2604 which may, e.g., detonate the detonator 202 and/or relay the signal, via the feedthrough terminal(s) 2506, feedthrough contact plate 502, signal relay wire 816, and conductive end contact 1006, to a next bulkhead or electrical feedthrough assembly.
This disclosure, in various embodiments, configurations and aspects, includes components, methods, processes, systems, and/or apparatuses as depicted and described herein, including various embodiments, sub-combinations, and subsets thereof. This disclosure contemplates, in various embodiments, configurations and aspects, the actual or optional use or inclusion of, e.g., components or processes as may be well-known or understood in the art and consistent with this disclosure though not depicted and/or described herein.
The phrases “at least one”, “one or more”, and “and/or” are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of A, B and C”, “at least one of A, B, or C”, “one or more of A, B, and C”, “one or more of A, B, or C” and “A, B, and/or C” means A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B and C together.
In this specification and the claims that follow, reference will be made to a number of terms that have the following meanings. The terms “a” (or “an”) and “the” refer to one or more of that entity, thereby including plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. As such, the terms “a” (or “an”), “one or more” and “at least one” can be used interchangeably herein. Furthermore, references to “one embodiment”, “some embodiments”, “an embodiment” and the like are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. Approximating language, as used herein throughout the specification and claims, may be applied to modify any quantitative representation that could permissibly vary without resulting in a change in the basic function to which it is related. Accordingly, a value modified by a term such as “about” is not to be limited to the precise value specified. In some instances, the approximating language may correspond to the precision of an instrument for measuring the value. Terms such as “first,” “second,” “upper,” “lower” etc. are used to identify one element from another, and unless otherwise specified are not meant to refer to a particular order or number of elements.
As used herein, the terms “may” and “may be” indicate a possibility of an occurrence within a set of circumstances; a possession of a specified property, characteristic or function; and/or qualify another verb by expressing one or more of an ability, capability, or possibility associated with the qualified verb. Accordingly, usage of “may” and “may be” indicates that a modified term is apparently appropriate, capable, or suitable for an indicated capacity, function, or usage, while taking into account that in some circumstances the modified term may sometimes not be appropriate, capable, or suitable. For example, in some circumstances an event or capacity can be expected, while in other circumstances the event or capacity cannot occur—this distinction is captured by the terms “may” and “may be.”
As used in the claims, the word “comprises” and its grammatical variants logically also subtend and include phrases of varying and differing extent such as for example, but not limited thereto, “consisting essentially of” and “consisting of.” Where necessary, ranges have been supplied, and those ranges are inclusive of all sub-ranges therebetween. It is to be expected that the appended claims should cover variations in the ranges except where this disclosure makes clear the use of a particular range in certain embodiments.
The terms “determine”, “calculate” and “compute,” and variations thereof, as used herein, are used interchangeably and include any type of methodology, process, mathematical operation or technique.
Reference to a “detonator holder and/or detonator” herein refers to at least one of a detonator holder and a detonator, and may be termed a detonation-related element for more convenient reference.
This disclosure is presented for purposes of illustration and description. This disclosure is not limited to the form or forms disclosed herein. In the Detailed Description of this disclosure, for example, various features of some exemplary embodiments are grouped together to representatively describe those and other contemplated embodiments, configurations, and aspects, to the extent that including in this disclosure a description of every potential embodiment, variant, and combination of features is not feasible. Thus, the features of the disclosed embodiments, configurations, and aspects may be combined in alternate embodiments, configurations, and aspects not expressly discussed above. For example, the features recited in the following claims lie in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment, configuration, or aspect. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this disclosure.
Advances in science and technology may provide variations that are not necessarily express in the terminology of this disclosure although the claims would not necessarily exclude these variations.
This application is a national stage entry of International PCT Patent Application PCT/EP2022/055014 filed Feb. 28, 2022, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 63/155,902 filed Mar. 3, 2021, U.S. Provisional Patent Application 63/166,720 filed Mar. 26, 2021, U.S. Provisional Patent Application 63/271,846 filed Oct. 26, 2021, U.S. Provisional Patent Application 63/276,103 filed Nov. 5, 2021, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application 63/309,674 filed Feb. 14, 2022, the entire contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2022/055014 | 2/28/2022 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20240125214 A1 | Apr 2024 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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63155902 | Mar 2021 | US | |
63166720 | Mar 2021 | US | |
63271846 | Oct 2021 | US | |
63276103 | Nov 2021 | US | |
63309674 | Feb 2022 | US |