Patent Application
20240254864
The present disclosure relates to oil and gas production, and more specifically, to a fragmenting perforating gun for use in a wellbore casing.
During the oil or gas well drilling process, casing or liner is put into the oil well. The casing is typically held in place with cement, at least the lower portion. Casing that is cemented in place aids the drilling process in a number of ways, including increasing the stability of the casing, isolating various zones that may have different pressures or fluids, and preventing fluid loss into or contamination of production zones.
In order to access the oil, the reservoir has to be accessed at the pay zone. This is done through perforations, which are holes punched through the casing or inner lining of an oil well. These holes are typically created by perforating guns that are inserted into the wellbore to a desired depth and fired to perforate the casing or liner. This creates a channel between the pay zone and the wellbore to cause oil and gas to flow to the wellbore easily.
Commonly used perforating guns run on electric wireline cable units. This allows the use of an electric signal to be sent from the surface to fire the guns. Current horizontal plug and perf completions require that a wireline unit is needed to convey the guns to a required depth and then fired via the wireline conductor and a current sent from surface. The guns are steel hollow carrier guns, and several are run in combination.
The steel body of the hollow carrier can withstand the explosion and is retrieved with the debris from the perforating, but it is heavy and the cost of the steel itself can be one of the larger expenses of the system.
An alternative technology would eliminate the need for wireline conveyance, and the several pieces of equipment and personnel. The present invention provides a fragmented perforating gun that allows for a single gun to be deployed via pump. The gun utilizes a trigger and detonator that is fired once the tool reaches depth. Depth correlation can be performed via casing collar locator, timer, or video/photo recognition. The gun fires and the charges will fragment once the perforation is made. All parts of the gun will be composed of composite materials that are either acid soluble, or small enough to be pumped through the perforations into the formation. The process will then be repeated as needed.
The present disclosure provides a fragmenting perforating gun for use in a wellbore casing, comprising a body, at least one explosive charge, a trigger, a depth correlation device, a detonator cord, and a detonator, wherein the explosive charge, the trigger, the depth correlation device, detonator cord, and detonator are contained in the body, wherein the depth correlation device is programed to activate the trigger at a certain pre-set variable, and wherein the trigger activates the detonator, and in turn, the detonator cord and the explosive charge.
The fragmenting perforating gun 101 removes the need for a wireline or wireline related surface equipment. Furthermore, the fragmenting perforating gun 101 enables 24 hour continues pumping in the wellbore. Operators can insert the fragmenting perforating gun 101 into the wellbore, perforate, and hydraulically fracture continuously without changing interruption for wireline perforating.
None of the prior art fully addresses the problems resolved by the present invention. The present invention overcomes these limitations contained in the prior art.
Certain embodiments of the invention have other steps or elements in addition to or in place of those mentioned above. The steps or element will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description when taken with reference to the accompanying figures, if any.
The best mode for carrying out the invention will be described herein. The following embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to make and use the invention. It is to be understood that other embodiments would be evident based on the present disclosure, and that system, process, or mechanical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
In the following description, numerous specific details are given to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. To avoid obscuring the present invention, some well-known system configurations, and process steps are not disclosed in detail. The figures illustrating embodiments of the system, if any, are semi-diagrammatic and not to scale and, particularly, some of the dimensions are for the clarity of presentation and are shown exaggerated in the drawing figures.
Alternate embodiments have been included throughout, and the order of such are not intended to have any other significance or provide limitations for the present invention.
For expository purposes, the term “horizontal” as used herein is defined as a plane parallel to the plane or surface of the present apparatus, regardless of its orientation. The term “vertical” refers to a direction perpendicular to the horizontal as just defined. Terms, such as “above”, “below”, “bottom”, “top”, “side”, “higher”, “lower”, “upper”, “over”, and “under”, are defined with respect to the horizontal plane, as shown in the figures, if any. The term “on” means that there is direct contact among elements.
The present disclosure provides a fragmenting perforating gun for use in a wellbore casing, comprising a body, at least one explosive charge, a trigger, a depth correlation device, a detonator cord, and a detonator, wherein the explosive charge, the trigger, the depth correlation device, detonator cord, and detonator are contained in the body, wherein the depth correlation device is programed to activate the trigger at a certain pre-set variable, and wherein the trigger activates the detonator, and in turn, the detonator cord and the explosive charge.
The present disclosure further provides a method for using the fragmenting perforating gun of the present invention for use in a wellbore casing, comprising the steps of programming the depth correlation device to activate the trigger at a certain pre-set variable, and inserting the body into the wellbore casing, wherein the trigger activates the detonator, the detonator cord, and the explosive charge at the pre-set variable.
The present disclosure further provides a method for perforating a wellbore casing, the method being implemented by a fragmenting perforating gun body that contains an explosive charge, a trigger, a depth correlation device, a detonator cord, and a detonator, the method comprising the steps of programming the depth correlation device to activate the trigger at a certain pre-set variable, and inserting the fragmenting perforating gun body into the wellbore casing, wherein the trigger activates the detonator, the detonator cord, and the explosive charge at the pre-set variable.
The present disclosure further provides a fragmenting perforating gun body for use in a wellbore casing, comprising an explosive charge, a trigger, a depth correlation device, a detonator cord, and a detonator, wherein the depth correlation device is programed to activate the trigger at a certain pre-set variable, and wherein the trigger activates the detonator, and in turn, the explosive charge.
The depth correlation device 102 can be programmed by the user prior to insertion of the fragmenting perforating gun 101 into a wellbore casing.
Body 103 allows depth correlation device 102, trigger 104, detonator 105, detonator cord 107, and explosive charges 106 to be moved through the wellbore casing into position prior to detonation.
Detonator cord 107 is typically a thin, flexible tube usually filled with an explosive material. When detonated by detonator 105, detonator cord 107 explodes rather than burns, which makes it suitable for detonating explosive charges 106.
The fragmenting perforating gun 101 fragments after it is detonated. One fragmenting perforating gun 101 may be deployed at a time into the wellbore casing using only pump pressure. The single fragmenting perforating gun 101 allows for continuous pressure pumping and no need for a high strength steel hollow carrier guns. The need for wireline conveyance would not be necessary with the fragmenting perforating gun 101. The elimination of the wireline eliminates the need for the wireline unit, gun trailer, or a crane to hoist a sheave wheel or support pressure control equipment. The debris from the fragmented fragmenting perforating gun 101 is left downhole and designed to be pumped into the formation or easily broken down by acid that is routinely pumped to clean perforation tunnels.
Being that there is no wireline connection in the fragmenting perforating gun 101 of the present invention, the depth correlation device 102 will use other methods of depth correlation. A commonly used device is a casing collar locator log (CCL). The CCL tool uses the difference in metal thickness at casing joints to create a small signal between two magnets in the tool. The collars can be printed or shown versus depth and the wireline engineer perforates the well at required depths.
The fragmenting perforating gun 101 of the present invention can utilize any number or type of depth correlation devices 102, including, but not limited to, a CCL magnet tool, accelerometer, possible video camera, etc., just to name a few methods. If collars are used as a method of depth correlation, the fragmenting perforating gun 101 of the present invention counts the collars and the trigger 104 detonates the detonator 105 after the required depth is met. If time based is used, the present invention would be set at a time on surface for detonation. The operators at the surface would know how deep the fragmenting perforating gun 101 needs to get to and the fragmenting perforating gun 101 would be pumped at a constant rate downhole. The rate would determine the time needed to get to depth where the detonation needs to occur.
The detonation of current hollow carrier guns is performed via an electrical signal sent from surface via the wireline. Guns are connected in series and an addressable switch firing system is used. A signal is sent from the surface and an electric detonator is fired. The detonator is connected to a detonator cord and that ballistic sequence is begun and the conical shape charges are fired.
The fragmenting perforating gun 101 of the present invention does not require an electric power source from surface. In the present invention, trigger 104 relies on force or pressure to set off detonator 105, although other trigger systems that allow for the desired result may be utilized.
Trigger 104 comprises the ignitor which ignites the detonator. The ignition provided by the trigger 104 is percussion and non-electric. This is a similar process to the hammer used in a pistol that strikes the cap or ignitor on a bullet. The percussion mechanism is not based on voltage or current like existing methods.
The only electrical component required in the fragmenting perforating gun 101 of the present invention is the depth correlation device 102. The depth correlation device 102 may utilize an accelerometer, a timer, a casing collar locator, photo recognition based, or any other methods, or combinations thereof, for measuring the depth of the fragmenting perforating gun 101 when inserted into the wellbore casing. Once the depth is determined and processed by depth correlation device 102, a signal is sent to trigger 104 to allow trigger 104 to ignite/fire detonator 105, and in turn the detonator cord 107 and explosive charges 106.
Explosive charges 106 are comprised of any suitable type of charge to achieve the desired results. In the preferred embodiment, the explosive charges 106 utilize a typical explosive material and have the same geometry of a conical shape charge. The present invention uses composite materials (ceramics or other material that achieves the desired result) for the body instead of the commonly used steel body. Body 103 holds the explosive charges 106 and fully fragments without leaving the steel debris of a conventional conical shape charge. The rest of the explosive charges 106 use the same explosives and liners as a conventional conical shape charge in order to meet the requirements needed to create a jet perforation, but other types of explosives may be utilized to achieve the desired result.
Body 103 holds the explosive charges 106 in place and contains the force explosion once the fragmenting perforating gun 101 is detonated. The fragmenting perforating gun 101 of the present invention is designed such that it supports explosive charges 106, trigger 104, depth correlation device 102, detonator cord 106, and detonator 105, and fragments once detonated. The density of the materials comprising the fragmenting perforating gun 101 are able to contain the explosion, but also fragment into pieces that can either be pumped into the formation or dissolve enough with acid to not impede the flow of liquid into the perforations created by the explosion.
The fragmenting perforating gun 101 can comprise any number of suitable materials, including, but not limited to, composite materials. Concrete may be used due to the ability to react with HCL acid and the sand can easily be pumped into the formation once fragmented. Fiber or mesh reinforcement to provide burst or explosion containment can be utilized in the present invention.
In the preferred embodiment, body 103, explosive charges 106, trigger 104, depth correlation device 102, detonator cord 106, and detonator 105 are comprised of materials that are intended to not obstruct flow through the perforations after detonation.
Any of the body 103, explosive charges 106, trigger 104, depth correlation device 102, detonator cord 106, and detonator 105 may be either acid soluble or fully fragmenting.
Any of the body 103, explosive charges 106, trigger 104, depth correlation device 102, detonator cord 106, and detonator 105 may comprise any type of such devices that achieve the desired result.
The fragmenting perforating gun 101 comprises any materials that allow for the perforations to be unobstructed after detonation.
The fragmenting perforating gun 101 may comprise any combination of the body, the explosive charge, the trigger, the depth correlation device, the detonator cord, the detonator, and possibly other mechanisms that assist in the desired result.
In alternate embodiments of the fragmenting perforating gun 101, any of the body 103, explosive charges 106, trigger 104, depth correlation device 102, detonator cord 106, and/or detonator 105 may be omitted or replaced with another device to achieve the desired results.
The fragmenting perforating gun 101 may additionally comprise fluting or rifling of body 103 in order to combat the abrasion issue to ensure wear is across the entire circumference of fragmenting perforating gun 101 rather than only one side.
The fragmenting perforating gun 101 will be more cost efficient, utilize less people, be safer than present technology, less equipment, and pose less risk to the wellbore.
The best mode for carrying out the invention has been described herein. The previous embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to make and use the invention. It is to be understood that other embodiments would be evident based on the present disclosure, and that system, process, or mechanical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
In the previous description, numerous specific details and examples are given to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent that the invention may be practiced without these specific details and specific examples. While the invention has been described in conjunction with a specific best mode, it is to be understood that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations that fall within the scope of the included claims. All matters previously set forth herein or shown in the accompanying figures are to be interpreted in an illustrative and non-limiting sense.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/442,315, filed Jan. 31, 2023, titled “WIRELESS PERFORATING GUN”, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63442315 | Jan 2023 | US |
