Perforation tools and components used in hydrocarbon production are described herein. Specifically, frames for shaped charges and perforation tools employing such frames are described herein.
Perforation tools are tools used in oil and gas production to form holes, passages, and/or fractures in hydrocarbon-bearing geologic formations to promote flow of hydrocarbons from the formation into the well for production. The tools generally have explosive charges shaped to project a jet of reaction products, including hot gases and molten metal, into the formation. Typically, the tool has a generally tubular profile, and includes support frames, ignition circuits, and potentially wiring for activating the charges and communicating signals and/or data along the tool. The charges are generally shaped like a cone or a bell, and the charges are generally activated by delivering energy, such as thermochemical energy and/or electrical energy, to an apex region of the charge.
The shaped charges conventionally used have a casing to hold explosive material, the explosive material pressed into the casing, and a liner pressed onto the explosive material to retain the explosive material and protect the explosive material from the environment. The shaped charges are installed into a frame that has retention features to secure the shaped charge within the frame. Installing and removing shaped charges from frames lengthens assembly time for perforation tools and increases cost and complexity of shaped charge frames. Improved shaped charge perforation tools are needed.
Embodiments described herein provide a shaped charge frame with an axially- oriented track for installing a shaped charge, the track having a snap structure.
Other embodiments described herein provide a perforation tool, comprising a charge module with a slide-in charge frame that has a snap structure.
Other embodiments described herein provide a frame for a shaped charge, the frame comprising a body with a cylindrical configuration, the body having a central passage along an axis thereof and a track, formed in a side of the body and extending in a direction parallel to the axis, for installing and removing a shaped charge, the track having a snap structure.
Other embodiments described herein provide a frame for a shaped charge, the frame comprising a body with a cylindrical configuration, the body having a central passage along an axis thereof; a recess formed in the side of the body to receive a weight body; and a track, formed in a side of the body and extending in a direction parallel to the axis, for installing and removing a shaped charge, the track having a snap structure.
The perforation tools described herein use charge frames with axially-oriented tracks for installing and removing shaped charges. The tracks have a snap structure to secure the shaped charge to the frame.
The body 102 has a track 112 formed in a side of the body 102. The track 112 is generally axially-oriented, extending in a direction substantially parallel with the axis 104. A first end 114 of the track 112 is open in the axial direction while a second end 116 of the track 112 is closed in the axial direction. The track 112 has a cross-sectional profile that extends radially outward from the central passage 109, widening monotonically from a narrow bottom of the track 112 to a wide top of the track 112. The track allows a shaped charge 10 to be attached to the charge frame 100 by sliding the charge 10 along the track 112 from the first end 114 to the second end 116.
The body 102 has two tracks 112 to accommodate two charges 10, the two tracks being located on opposite sides of the body 102 with azimuthal separation of nominally 180 degrees. The two tracks are identical, each with a first end 114 at the first end 106 of the body. It should be noted that the tracks 112 can be configured with first end 106 at the second end 108 of the body. The tracks 112 can also have opposite configurations, with one track 112 having first end 114 at the first end 106 of the body 102 and the other track 112 having first end 114 at the second end 108 of the body 102.
The charge frame 100 has self-orienting features. The electrical conductor 110 is supported by a band bearing 120 that surrounds the electrical conductor 110 and is disposed between the electrical conductor 110 and an inner wall of the central passage 109. The body 102 can thus rotate around the electrical conductor 110, while the electrical conductor 110 remains connected with electrical conductors of other modules. The band bearing 120 may be fixed within the central passage 109, fixed to the electrical conductor 110, or may move freely with respect to the electrical conductor 110 and the central passage 109, with any appropriate retention features to keep the band bearing 120 in place within the central passage 109.
The body 102 has at least one recess 122 that receives a weight body 124 to provide a mass moment that orients the body 102 in the presence of an electric field. The recess 122 is formed in the side of the body 102, such that the weight body 124 can be inserted into the recess 122. In this case, the recess 122 extends from the first end 106 of the body and has an opening at the first end 106 to allow the weight body 124 to be inserted in and removed from the recess 122. Here, the recess 122 has a cylindrical shape with an axis generally parallel to the axis 104. Also, in this case, the recess 122 extends from the first end 106 to the second end 108 of the body 102, such that the weight body 124 can be inserted in and removed from the recess 122 at either end. The weight body 124, in this case, is a solid cylindrical body of homogeneous composition and sufficient density to provide a mass moment to orient the body 102 in the presence of an gravitational field. The shape, dimensions, and composition of the weight body 124 can be varied to provide any orientation function. Here, two recesses 122 are provided on opposite sides of the body 122, as defined by the location of the charges 10, and are azimuthally displaced such that a line between the central axes of the two recesses 122, in a plane perpendicular to both axes, is not a diameter of the body 102. In this way, a centroid of the body 102 is displaced away from the axis 104.
The charge frame 100 has a snap structure that secures charges in the tracks 112.
The protrusions 202 are ledges that project inward from an inner wall of the track 112 in a direction across the valley of the track 112. The track 112 has a channel shape that follows the external shape of a charge casing. The channel shape of the track 112 is substantially symmetrical, with a plane of symmetry passing through the narrow bottom of the track and substantially intersecting with the axis 104. The protrusions 202 extend inward from the internal wall of the track 112 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of symmetry of the track 112.
The snap protrusions 202 are substantially identical and mirror images, one of the other (only one snap protrusion 202 is fully visible in
Some force is applied to push the charge along the track 112 past the snap point 206. The force needed to install the charge in the frame 100 can be selected by providing resiliency features associated with the snap structure. Here, grooves are formed in the body 102 to provide flexibility of the track 112 at the snap point 206. A flex groove 208 is formed in the body 102, one on either side of the track 112 (only one groove 208 is visible in
An opening 210 is provided at the bottom of the track 112, adjacent to the second end 116 thereof, in the charge seating area of the track 112, for fluid continuity from the central passage 109 to the shaped charge. A ballistic discharge device, such as a booster or detonation cord, is disposed in the central passage 109 to transmit a ballistic discharge to the shaped charges in the frame 100. The electrical conductor 110 (not shown in
The charge is pushed past the snap point 206, and is then securely held in the frame 100.
The two lower placement protrusions 302A are protrusions similar in construction to the snap protrusions 202 extending from the inner wall of the track 112 and located adjacent to the second end 116 thereof, past the snap point 206. The two lower placement protrusions 302A engage with the groove 11 (
As mentioned above, the protrusions 202 may extend a short length toward the second end 116 of the track 112 beyond the snap point 206. Alternatively, the protrusions 202 could end at the snap point 206, or the protrusions 202 could extend to the second end of the track 112 and join with the lower placement protrusions 302A.
The charge frame 400 has a body 402 with a generally cylindrical configuration, and a plurality of tracks 412 for installing shaped charges and removing spent charge casings. In this case there are three such tracks 412, distributed around the circumference of the body 402. The body 402 has the central passage 109 and electrical conductor 110, but is not self-orienting, so the band bearing in not present in this embodiment. The body 402 therefore has orienting features 404 at a first end 406 thereof, and may also have orienting features (not shown) at a second end 408 thereof, opposite from the first end 406. The orienting features 404, in this case, are small projections formed in a hub area of the body 402 at the first end 406. The small projections can engage with recesses in another module to orient the frame 400 with respect to the other module.
Each track 412 has a first end 414 and a second end 416, similar to the tracks 112. In this case, the body 402 is beveled at the ends 406 and 408, so the first and second ends 414 and 416 of the tracks 412 are beveled. Because the ends 414 and 416 are beveled, the body 402 has upper placement protrusions 432B that are located near a mid-point of the body 402, as measured along the axis 401. A cutout 418 is formed in the outer surface of the body 402 between each pair of neighboring tracks 412 as resiliency features. The cutouts 418 allow the walls of the tracks 412 to flex as the charge is inserted and removed. Here, the cutouts are v-shaped and extend from the first end 406 to the second end 408 of the body 402.
The bevels of the ends of the body 402 and the cutouts 418 give the walls of the tracks 412 the shape of wings with a broad base, near a hub 420 of the body 402, that has a width equal to the length of the body 402 at the hub 420. Since there are three tracks 412, the hub 420 has a shape generally similar to an equilateral triangular prism. The walls of the tracks 412 extend away from the hub 420, narrowing in width, to the upper placement protrusions 432B, which are located a substantially equal distance from the first and second ends 406 and 408 of the body 402.
While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the present disclosure may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.
This application for patent claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/175,120 filed Apr. 15, 2021, which is entirely incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63175120 | Apr 2021 | US |